110] 
what strange, in the foble earl, to 
infer, from the opening of a negoci« 
ation, that the worst terms would 
e concluded. He saw. nothing in 
the-state of thia country that should 
lead us to embrace 24y other than 
just, honourable, and safe, condi- 
ticns of peace. : 
The earl of Abingdon spoke 
against the address, particularly 
against what referred to the two 
odious bills, passed in the last session 
of parliament. ‘Phe people of England. 
possessed rights which were not 
derived either from king, lords, or 
commons; and which neither king, 
lords, nor commonsy could take 
away. 
The earl Fitzwilliam said, that 
though he never had asserted that 
ministers made the restoration of 
monarchy in France, a sine gua non 
towards making peace, yet he 
thought, that, while they encou- 
raged and engaged those, from whose 
efforts the restoration of monarchy 
was to be expected; this was, in 
fact, implied, as the wish, intention, 
and object, of the British councils, 
Lord Grenville asserted, again, 
that ministry had never said that 
the formation of any government in 
France would preclude them from 
negeciating fer peace, when an 
_ppportunity occurred that they 
thought would be favourable to 
the interests of this country. 
The motion for the address then | 
passed in, the affirmative. 
A protest against this vote was 
entered in the journals, by the 
earl Fitzwilliam ; to which, as it 
breathes the genuine spirit fist 
rouzed, and, perlaps, still actuated 
to a greater extent than was ac- 
knowledged by the British govern- 
ment, we have given a place among 
the State Papers in vol. xxsvii. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
The address to his majesty was 
moved, in the house of commons, 
by the lord viscount Morpeth. His 
lordship, after apologizing for hie 
inexperience in public speaking,” 
and expressing his hope that he 
should experience the indulgence 
of the house on the present occasion, — 
said, that he considered it as incum-_ 
bent on those, who had the honour 
of a seat In that houte, to come for- 
ward, as soon as possible, to give 
their opinions on public affairs, He 
trusted that the sentiments avowed 
in his majesty’s speech would tend _ 
to reconcile that variety and op- 
position of sentiment which had 
hitherto subsisted; for, whatever» 
opinions might be entertained re 
specting the origin of the war, and. 
the manner in which it had been 
conducted, it must give them satis- 
faction to concur in a motion that 
had for its object an honourable 
peace. Those who thought that 
this war was just and necessary in 
its commencement, and unavoidable 
in its Continuance, must rejoice that 
the period was arrived im which 
there existed a Freach government 
of such stability and pernrancnce 
that might be treated with safely. 
He hoped, at the same time, that 
we should not acglect to employ 
our resources in such manner as to 
shew, that, while we are desirous of 
peace, we are nevertheless in a cons 
dition to continue the contest. He 
proceeded to justify the speech from — 
the throne in all its positions: the | 
flourishing state. of our trade and 
commerce, the valour of our fleets 
and armies, our dominions at sea, the 
bravery of our Austrian allies, the 
wise and heroic conduct of the 
archduke Charles, and our internal 
tranquillity. His lordship concluded 
his speech with a motion for an ads 
dres 
