20 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1805. 
CHAP. I. 
Report of the Address brought up—Debate on the Second Reading.— 
Speeches of Mr. Wilberforce—Elliot—Sir Francis Burdett—Mr. John- 
stone—Earl Temple —Gen. Maitland—Secretary at War—Mr. For— 
Archdall—Chancellor of the Exchequer.—Report agreed to.— Address 
presented.—Gracious Answer of the King.—Observations. 
N the 24th of November, the 
report of the address having 
been brought up by Mr.Trench, 
and the question being put on the 
second reading, 
Mr. Wilberforce rose to deliver 
his sentiments. The address seemed 
to him to hold out that language 
which was proper for the house to 
maintain, He thought the country 
had been hitherto rather too forward 
in entering into war and continental 
connexions, in which it had often 
engaged itself to an extent. that it 
certainly had not foreseen, and 
which had wasted much of our 
blood and treasure, without pro- 
ducing any adequate advantage : 
but he never did say that continen- 
tal connections were at all times, 
and under all circumstances, to be 
avoided, It was certainly desirable 
to prevent France extending her 
power by land as well as by sea ; 
but then, in attending to this princi- 
ple, we must consider expediency, as 
well as the speculations of states- 
men. How had the speculations 
of the wisest been turned into fool- 
ishness? The profoundest politi- 
cians had overlooked what men of 
the plainest and meanest capacities 
had foreseen. He could not but 
remember the splendid and eloquent 
speech of his noble friend, (Lord ° 
Hawkesbury) which, though replete 
with knowledge, and displaying the 
profoundest political combinations, 
only shewed the weakness of poli- 
tical speculation, and how one dis- 
astrous event could overturn the 
foundation of the best reasonings, 
The quantity of treasure vainly ex- 
pended in the last war, ae better 
have been employed in the improve- 
ment, than in the destruction of 
mankind. Atthe conclusion of the 
treaty of Utrecht, a single accident 
changed the whole complexion of 
political affairs, and produced a 
peace for thirty years. If he had. 
said to his constituents ‘ that the 
people of this country were too ho- 
nest for continental connexions,” 
what he meant by the expression 
was, that we were always faithful to 
our engagements, whereas we were 
as generally forsaken by our allies. 
The principle of the continental 
powers seemed to be, to pay no at- 
tention to political engagements, 
longer than it suited their conve- 
nience, Jivery court in Europe 
had at different times belonged to 
the late confederacy against F rance, 
and yet they had all found means to 
get 
4 
