190] 
there was no necessity to destroy 
the French government, in order 
to secure the continuance of the’ 
English; the superiority of which 
was too well established in the 
minds of the people here, to need 
so harsh and unjustifiable a me- 
thod of confirming it. Peace was 
therefore preferable to the conti- 
nuance of a war that only tended 
to perpetuate a ‘spirit of enmity. 
which was certainly both impoli- 
tic in itself, and injurious to both 
nations; as a pacification must of 
necessity take place at last, unless 
we both were resolved on mutual 
extermination, and as- the ca. 
Jamities we brought on each other 
became daily more dificult to he 
remedied. To persist in a con- 
test, in which we had been so 
unsuccessful, was not fortitude but 
obstinacy. It was thus we had 
Jost America, and might now 
plunge ourselves into difficulties 
and misfortunes of a much more 
tremendous nature. It had’ been 
asked, whether the atrocities, of 
which the French had been guilty, 
ought to remain unpunished? 
But what right had we to assume 
the task of avengers?) This should 
he left to the discretion of hea- 
ven. ‘But, were we to succeed 
in re-establishing Lewis XVII. on 
the despotic throne of his: ances- 
tors, would he make this country 
any compensation for the blocd 
yt had shed, and the treasures it 
had expended, im his cause? 
Would his subjects permit it? 
Would our allies consent to it? 
The French were accused of athe- 
ism; this, doubtless, was an enor- 
mity, “as well as a folly, of a 
most deplorable nature. But was 
it curable by war and destruction? 
Christianity stood on better foun- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
dations than force and violence,’ 
and needed no such support to 
triumph over its enemies. 
The bishop was eagerly dibs 
by lord Hawkesbury, who re- 
curred to those various arguments 
in favour of the ministerial mea- 
sures which had been so repeat-’ 
edly urged. The marquis of 
Lansdowne was equally vehement 
against them. He dwelt princi- 
pally on the loss of Holland, as 
an essential diminution of strength 
to the coalition, and an unanswer- 
able motive for immediate ‘peace. 
The revolutionary governments 
that had arisen, in consequence 
of the surprising events produced 
by the present contest, instead of 
preventing a pacification, ought, 
he asserted, to incline us to it, 
for the most obvious of all rea- 
sons, lest we should be affected 
by the storms that had wrought 
such unexpected alterations amorig 
eur neighbours. We had treated 
with our revolted subjeéts in Ame> 
rica; why should we refuse to nes 
gotiate with the French, whe 
were neither our subjeéts, nor the 
first to provoke vs to a contest, 
Vhe carl of Hardwicke, lord 
Hawke, and earl Spencer, sup 
ported the minist@rial motion;:lord 
Mulgrave seconded them, |) ob2 
serving,. that though defeated, rhé 
coalition was too formidable a body 
to be considered without terror} 
even by the wctars, and while 
acting firmly together, ‘had every 
thing to hope. We were masters 
of the West Indies, thut immense 
repository of trade and riches, 
and our fleets were universally 
vitorious; but if we offered to 
treat of peace with the French, 
they would claim a surrender of 
all the advantages we had ——. 
i 
