HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
those, on the contrary,who thought 
that small establishments were best 
valculated both for the continuance 
of peace, and for the renewal of 
war if it should be necessary, would 
have also an opportunity of deliver- 
ing their sentiments. The words 
in his majesty’s speech are general, 
as they ought to be; and the question 
is left entirely open to future con- 
sideration, and the extent of the 
establishment will be such as the 
house may from the circumstances 
of the country think right. One of 
the gentlemen who had y preceded him 
deemed to consider the tone of the 
address too warlike, considering the 
great power of France upon the 
Continent. Another, on the con- 
trary, whoseemed for the same reason 
to consider it too pacific, spoke of 
the declining state of our manufac- 
tories, and thought that on that 
account, we should be induced to 
re-commence the war: he hoped 
however that it would never be con- 
sidered a ground for going to war, 
because our manufactures were 
otin as prosperous a state as we 
‘could wish. Those who disap- 
proved of the peace altogether, 
might be consistent, if they now 
wished to breakit: but those who 
joined in the general approbation it 
met with, both from the parliament 
and the country, could hardly now, 
with consistency, view the definitive 
treaty in a light very different from 
what they did when it was first 
made. It was obvious, that if we 
renewed the war with France, the 
most natural way of carrying it 
on with SUCCESS, would be again to 
take possession of those places which 
we had ceded. 
laces, merely to take them again, 
would place both the makers and 
Now to give up. 
lf 
approvers of the peace, in avery 
ridiculous point of view. How- 
ever ardently he wished to see peace 
preserved throughout Europe, yet 
he would by no means say, that we 
were not justified in going to war 
ona mere point of honour; but be- 
fore he could assent to this country 
provoking a war onthe ground of its 
injured honour, he must have the 
case made out, and proved to his 
satisfaction. He would allow, that 
the preservation of national honour, 
as well as the principles of self de- 
fence, often made wars unavoidable; 
if however, at the present moment, | 
no such strong case could be made 
out, he thought that there could not 
be a time, in which circumstances 
were less favourable to beginning 
awar. He wished to know whether 
France was for ever to be considered 
our rival? Whether we were to be 
always, even when apparently at 
peace, in such a state of rivality 
as bordered upon hostility? This 
country appeared to him, never ta 
have a fairer chance of superiority, 
than at the epoch of the present 
peace, As to the F rench navy, the 
most timid had ceased to dread it. 
The general objects of the French 
government were, it appeured ato him, 
to revive commerce, and improve its 
commercial and manufacturing sys- 
tem, by imitating the means which 
have raised this. country. If so, 
ought such *rivalship to give us any 
alarm? We had gotten the start of 
them, and would doubtless be able 
Jong to keep the lead. Every step 
that France takes in this course, 
will be an advantage to the manu- 
factures and commerce of this coun- 
try. Ina contest ofthis kind with 
France, we had every prospect of 
being successful, The case must 
Taleo) |) eR CIOR 
