12] 
comitants, tended, undeniably, to 
impede cultivation, and to desolate 
the countries where it was waged: 
the most fertile parts of Europe hav- 
ing lately been the continual scenes 
of this destructive war, the produc- 
tions of the earth had been neces- 
sarily diminished, and it was un- 
reasonable to deny thatthe war was, 
in a very considerable degree, the 
cause of a deficiency inthe necessa~ 
ries of life. He concluded by mov- 
g, that such conditions of peace 
should be offered to the French, as 
would consist with the safety and 
dignity of Great Britain. 
The ideas of peace and security 
were, in answer to Mr. Fox, repre- 
sented by Mr. Pitt, as incompatible 
with the situation of this country 
respecting France. Every motive 
militated for a perseverance in the 
contest. ‘The enemy felt his in- 
creasing debility, and, notwithstand- 
ing his successes inthe field, betray- 
ed a consciousness that his strength 
was materially diminished. Hence 
it was that he had latterly shewn a 
disposition to peace. But the in- 
terest of this country required a deli- 
berate consideration of the state of 
France, in order to judge of the ex- 
pediency of entering into negociati- 
ons at the present moment. Such 
was the fall of the French paper in 
circulation, that it was now sunk to 
one and a half for every hundred of 
nominal value. Seven hundred and 
twenty millions sterling had been fa- 
bricated and made current, and this 
enormous quantity was sull on the 
increase. Was it credible that a na- 
tion, reduced to such straits, would 
be able to make head against the 
formidable enemies that were pre- 
paring to assail it with redoubled vi- 
gour, and whose situation was so 
much more advantageous in point 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1796. 
of pecuniary resources? However 
successful on their frontiers, through 
military efforts, and the chances of 
war, the system of the French was 
so radically heinous, that it could 
not last. Were the European pow- 
ers to reunile against them, they 
could no longer stand their ground. 
The interior parts of that large king- 
dom were in a state of the utmost 
wretchedness. Trade and commerce 
were annihilated, and industry found 
no occupation. Hence proceeded 
the facility with which the French 
recruited their armies, and the des 
‘ perate spirit, that animated men, 
who could procure no sustenance 
but at the point of their swords, 
But energies of this kind were not 
in their nature durable, and would 
certainly terminate in a short lapse 
of time. So great was the difficulty 
of procuring specie for the most 
urgent demands, that necessary ar- 
ticles, in kind, were given in pay- 
ment, and people were glad to ac- 
cept of any thing that bore the 
semblance of pay. ‘Would it not, 
therefore, be the height of imprue 
dence, after reducing them to such 
a situation, to pass by so favourable ~ 
an opportunity of reducing them 
still lower, and of securing, to our 
selves, the advantages resulting from 
their evident and undeniable depres- 
sion; After‘adducing farther argu- 
ments, in vindication of his conduct, 
a division took place, when two hun- 
dred and forty voted for the address, 
aud fifty-nine for the amendment, 
moved by Mr, Fox. 
On the next day, wii was the 
thirtieth of October, the address was 
moved, in the bouse of lords, by lord 
Mountedgecomb, who supported it 
with’ much the same reasonings that 
had been used in the house of com- 
mons. He was seconded by lord 
Walsingham, 
< 
