HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
in that quarter of the globe, «and 
would quickly take occasion to turn 
them against us. 
The debate continued with great 
warmth, anda multiplicity of ar. 
guments were brought forward by 
the respective contendants, of mach 
the same description as the many so 
often reiterated. Itclosed at length 
with a majority of eighty-eight in 
favour of ministry, against a mino- 
rity of no more than fifteen, 
Opposition, though discomfited, 
still returned to the charge: Mr. 
Grey moved, in the lower house, 
on the 6th of February, that it was 
incumbent on government to re- 
move every impediment that stood 
in the way of peace between Great 
-Beitain and France; and that with. 
ost acknowledging some competent 
power to treat with in that country, 
the war-must necessarily last till one 
of the two nations was subdued or 
exterminated by the other: he pro. 
posed, therefore, that the house 
should, for the purpose of avoiding 
so dreadful an extremity, formally 
declare itself of opinion, that the 
government now established in 
France was competent to negotiate 
and conclude a peace with the go- 
vernment of this country. He 
made a copious and animated speech 
en this occasion, and was vigo-- 
rously seconded by the principal 
speakers in the opposition; and no 
less warmly opposed by the, ad- 
herents to ministry. ‘The previous 
question being moved, by Mr, Dun- 
das, was carried in the afirmative, 
by one hundred and ninety, against 
sixty-nine. 
In the house of lords, the duke 
of Bedford moved, on the 12th of 
February, that the government of 
France was no obstruétion to a 
treaty; but that if, through the 
“so perilous as at present. 
[191 
ambitious motive of aggrandizing 
the republic, or in order te propa- 
gate their principles, the French 
should refuse equitable conditions, 
the house would give a vigorous 
support to the war. He was se. 
conded, and opposed, in the usuah 
style cf arguing upon this subje@; 
and the previous question being 
moved, by lord Hawkesbury, was’ 
carried by a majority of sixty three: 
a, protest, however, was signed, 
against the ministerial measures, b¥ 
the duke of Bedford, and the earls 
of Guildford and Lauderdale. 
These reiterated defeats of all 
the endeavours to induce ministers 
to turn their thoughts to peace, in- 
duced Mr. Fox to make a motion, 
on the 24th of March, that acom- 
mittee of the whole house should 
take into consideration the state of 
the kingdom. The case was so 
important, the dangers threatening 
-it so obvious, that such an inquiry 
ought not to be delayed, He had, 
in consequence of our defeat at 
Saratoga, during the American war, 
made a similar motion, and it had 
been acceded to: though our situa. 
tion at that time was far from being 
An idea 
pervaded the mass of the peopie, 
that the commons could not fairly 
be reputed the representatives of 
the nation, from their undeviating 
compliance with every measure pron 
posed by ministry, notwithstanding 
the ii] success with which they had 
conducted the war. ‘Ihe obstinacy 
theyconstantlydisplayed, in resisting 
every motion for peace, required 
the stri¢test investigation; what 
couid be the motives for so ex. 
traordinary. a confidence in men 
who were continually unfortunate ? 
While ministers were able to- set 
themselves, ig this unprecedented 
manner 
