-. the expression ; 
2] ANNUAL REGISTER, 
mind of a statesman ; an anxious 
desire of shortening the calamity of 
war, andof paving the way, by every 
practicable means, to that desirable 
end. Heought ever, thereforé, to 
raake it manifest in his conduct, that 
ne career of conquest, and no re- 
verse of fortune’ can divert bim 
from that single object—a negocia- 
tion for peace, in preference to 2 any ‘ 
other object. I repeat, therefore, 
tbat i most perfectly and entirely 
approve of the present measure, 
and shal] not now mix my assent to 
that part of the address with ahy 
observation on the tardy and pro- 
tracted manner in which it has been 
at length resolyed upon. And thus 
approving of the principal feature of 
. the dddtess: I'am extremely anwill- 
ing to oppose any other’ part of it, 
and wish that it had been so worded ‘ 
as to have engaged the perfect nna- 
nimity of the whole house. There 
are some expressions, however; of 
which Imust take notice, and I shall 
doso rather with theintention of ex- 
plaining the vote whith I shall give, 
than of moving any resolutions upon 
them. And first, in thevery cpen- 
ing of the speech, there isan ex~ 
pression that his maujesty has “‘ used 
every endeavour to open a oe i- 
2tion ;"” now, unlessby these werds, 
*tevery endeavour,” it is meant to 
say that every ‘endeavour has been 
used since the close of the last par- 
liament, “we ought not to agree to 
for undoubtedly 
ministers cannot expect that gentle- 
men who, like myself, objected so 
frequently to their refusal fo exert © 
any effort at all, should now acqui- 
esce in any assertion, that they had 
used every endeavour to bring 
about a negociation. Unless, there- 
.- fore, it is meant to allude to the én- 
deavyours which his majesty has 
arly ill-judged and unseasonable to 
‘liberty ‘to inquire and to. question 
1797. 
made since the-close of the Lists pare’ 
liament, endeavours which I am 
ready to take upon trust, 1 desire ~ 
that it may be clearly understood - 
that I am not to be precluded, by my” , 
vote this night, from animadverting ~ 
upon his majésty’s ministers, for their — 
former want of endeavours to bring 
about .a negociation for peace. 
There is much that deserves’ praise 
in the construction of. the present 
speech. Ministers haveomitted the ~ 
words to which they have been so. 
bigotted heretofore, of the war have © 
ing been undertakenfor * the cause, 7 
of religion, humanity and social er- 
der,’ wordscalculatedonlytoinflame 
and to exasperate the two nations. 
against each other, and to setthe pro-. 
bability of peaceata greater distance; — 
neither have they come forward 
with thetr constant and unfounded 
phrase, ‘* thatthe war was neces-" 
sary.” 'Phey have acted wiselyin — 
thus abstaining from intemperate “ 
language; for surely, ata time when — 
they were about to negociate for a 
peace, it would have been peculi- 
have made use of language repul- © 
sive and bitter to the people with’ ~ 
whom you had to:treat;, nor would 
it have been wise tointroduce words — 
calculated to prevent unanimity in 
this house, upon the course which 
his majesty has been slowly advised 
to pursue ; for, about the necessity of — 
the war, and all the jargon of epi- 
thets that have been applied to it, 
there must alwayscontinue to be a 
fundamentai difference of opinion. 
' There are other parts of: the 
speech, which, perhaps, demand a 
little explanation, and which, if we | 
pass over for the time, it is to be 
understood, that Iam left at full — 
the assertions hereafter. Such is the 
declaration 
