HISTORY, OF -EUR-OP £. 
get out of it, and leave this country 
glone. The court of Vienna, as 
well as the rest, quitted us in the 
year 1797, without giving us any 
intimation of what they were medi- 
tating, and without shewing more 
fidelity than the others. In the 
affair of the German indemnities, 
no regard was paid tos any engage- 
ments with us. He then proceeded 
' to observe the probable effects of a 
new confederacy :—Austria or Rus- 
sia might be bought off by France 
giving to them a part of Turkey. He 
recalled to the recollection of the 
house the partition of Poland, and 
if Turkey had not yet shared the 
same fate, it was because that hi- 
therto it was not the interest of 
France that it should, In reply to 
Mr. Windham, he asked what were 
we now to expect by war? (Acry 
of hear, hear, from Mr. Fox.) In 
the last war we had taken every 
thing which was takeable, and were 
content to give them up; we should 
not gain much by taking them over 
again. Ina free country there was 
a consideration more important 
than revenue, than resources, than 
armies or navies; and that was, that 
the government should possess the 
hearts of the people, (hear, hear,) 
If government were to hurry the 
people into a war, without a most 
substantial cause ; instead of their 
affections they would merit their 
execration. He concluded by ex- 
pressing his opinion, that it we 
carefully improved our resources, 
and cultivated the affections of the 
people at large, we had nothing to 
fear from the unwieldy power of 
France; and that the best way of 
producing the dissolution of that 
mighty power was to leave it to it- 
elf, 
21 
Gen. Gascoyne supported the ad- 
dress, and hoped that the language 
and spirit shewn in this debate 
would shew the feelings of the coun- 
try, and deter the first consul from 
the prosecution of his designs, 
Mr. Elliot declared he was so 
unused to speak in that house, that 
nothing but his strong feeling of the 
situation of the country could over- 
come his personal embarassment. 
He thought it was necessary that 
the house and the country should 
thoroughly be acquainted with the 
dangers which threaten, in order 
that all precautions which human 
prudence could suggest, might be 
taken to avert the evil, and that we 
might meet it with becoming firm- 
ness. Experience had shewn us 
that France in timelof peace could 
conquer, as well as in war. — 
States had fallen, and even the Ger- 
manic empire had been overturned 
in time of acknowledged and pro- 
found peace. A new revolution 
had taken place in Europe, by the 
dissolution of that august body, 
which was full of political and moral 
evil. When we saw property, titles, 
and honours overthrown; when we 
saw corporations, both spiritual 
and civil, destroyed; sovereign prin- 
ces transferred from one domi- 
nion toanother; and subjects sepa-~ 
rated from their legitimate rulers; 
could we witness these scenes with- 
out feeling that all the opinions, ha- 
bits, principles, and prejudices, 
which constitute the foundation of 
civil government and social order, 
were shaken to their basis? This 
was all done by France, im conte- 
deration with Russia and Prussia, 
without any communication with 
our court, or with Austria, the ac- 
knowledged head of the empire. 
C3 The 
