HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



Having made these obserTations on 

 the two points adverted to by Mr. 

 Fox, he expressed his ardent wish 

 that, on the present occasion, there 

 might be the most perfect unani- 

 mity. 



After some observations of sir 

 Francis Burdett, on what he coii- 

 ceived dangerous and improper con- 

 duct in some of the volunteer asso- 

 ciations, the address was carried 

 without opposition. 



On the following day, upon 

 bringing up the report of the ad- 

 dress, Mr. Windham said, he did 

 not rise for the purpose of retract- 

 ing the assent he had given the day 

 before, but for the purpose of ex- 

 plaining the grounds upon which he 

 gave that assent. He wished, by 

 the unanimity of the vote, to shew 

 that it M'* the determination of the 

 house to give his majesty the most 

 Tinboundcd support, and to main- 

 tain the cattse of the country to the 

 last extremity. He would be sorry, 

 however, were it supposed, that 

 unanimity in support of the coun- 

 try, implied a unanimity in support 

 of ministers. There were many 

 people who supposed, that, in times 

 of great difficulty and danger, there 

 ought to be the greatest acquies- 

 cence to ministi-y; but there are 

 others who think, that of the dan- 

 ger alleged, as the reason of sup- 

 porting ministers, the ministers 

 themselves form the principal part ; 

 that the preparations of the enemy 

 would have little terror, if met by 

 wisdom and ability ; that it is the 

 weakness of the defence, and not the 

 vigour of the attack, which consti- 

 tutes the danger; and that Bona- 

 parte and his legions were not so 

 terrific to the country, as the little 

 hand of ministers that occupied the 

 treasury bench. lie did not mean 



to speak slightingly of the talents 

 of many individuals who composed 

 the administration ; they were men 

 of cultivated minds, and liberal edu- 

 cation ; not unread in the history of 

 the country, nor unpractised in its 

 business. But yet, to speak of 

 them collectively, as a council, that 

 were not only to rule this country, 

 at a crisis like the present, but to 

 guide the affairs of the world, he 

 thought them Aveakness itself. He 

 considered them the Augustuli^ in 

 whose hands the empire would pe- 

 rish ! About two years ago, he 

 had found it necessary to tell them, 

 that they had signed the death-war- 

 rant of their country; and ho now 

 thought those forebodings had come 

 near their accomplishment. In the 

 speech itself, he disapproved much 

 the attaching great consequence to 

 our West India conquests, which 

 were objects of no importance, when 

 compared with the immense projects 

 of the enemy. He agreed w ith Mr. 

 Fox in the fears he had expressed, 

 of the hope held out of permanent 

 tranquillity for Ireland being disap- 

 pointed, unless other measures were 

 adopted; and concluded, by charg- 

 ing the ministers with great inat- 

 tention to the defence of that part 

 of tiic country with which he was 

 most connected, the county of Nor- 

 folk. 



The address was then read a se- 

 cond time, and agreed to. 



On the 30th of November, sir P, 

 Stevens moved, in a committee of 

 supply, that 100.000 se^amen be 

 Yotcd for the year 1804, which was 

 accordingly agreed to. Leave was 

 also given to bring in a bill for con- 

 tinuing the restriction on the bank 

 of England from the issue of specie. 



On the next day, sir W. Scott 

 obtained leave to bring in his clergy 



13 3 residence. 



