“HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
legislation, “ that a rivality in com- 
merce and in the arts of peace, 
were the sole objects of his ambi- 
tion!” From support, thus qualified, 
the ministers could receive little 
pleasure and less advantage. It 
was evident that it arose from a be- 
lief that they were determined to 
persevere in pacific meastres, at 
all events, and under all circum- 
stances; and that should war (which 
was evidently in their contempla- 
tion, however they might endeavour 
to conceal it from the public, per- 
haps from themselves,) be the re- 
sult of the present menacing posture 
of affairs, that all concurrence in 
Opinion, and assistance from their 
now apparent well-wishers, must 
cease. In consequence of which 
the advocates of the present govern- 
ment, rejecting such assistance, had 
to combat at once the friends of 
Mr. Pitt—the new and the old op- 
position—a task totally beyond their 
powers in debate or political science, 
and the failure in which must ex- 
pose them, as will always be the 
case in a popular government, to 
ultimate defeat and ruin. Under 
such disastrous auspices did the 
present administration commence 
their parliamentary campaign of 
this year; and such the view of the 
materials of which that parliament 
was composed. Warm and eager 
contention was looked to among 
the political circles. Nor was the 
state of the public mind more tran- 
quil. Lulled into the most pro- 
found security, by the assurances 
of the ministers; the inhabitants of 
the British empire had seen, but 
prospectively, a continuation of the 
peace, for aterm of sufficient dura- 
tion, to ensure the reduction of the 
national debt, a decrease of taxes, 
$i 
internal prosperity, and a vast 
increase of commercial and colonial 
advantages. In vain did the “* warn- 
ing voice” of the first statesmen ot 
the age, announce the coming tem- 
pest. In vain did the ambitious 
turbulence of Bonaparte in every 
quarter of the globe, bespeak his 
inveterate hatred to us, and his 
unlimited ambition. In vain did 
the British press, that great lever 
of public opinion, (and which had 
to its immortal honor first taken the 
alarm at that despotic violence 
which threatened in its unchecked 
progress, the liberties of the worid, 
and of course its own,) exert itself 
to open the eyes of a deluded peo- 
ple.—The specious and flattering 
prospects held out by administra- 
tion, prevailed over the better 
judgments of a burthened and com- 
mercial nation; and it was not till 
the speech announced the necessity 
of military preparation, and the 
jealous view which it took of con- 
tinental affairs, that the people 
could be brought to look their dan- 
ger in the face.—But this thunder- 
clap soon aroused them—a deter- 
‘mination to engage cheerfully in 
new wars, if such were necessary, 
quickly prevailed in the minds of 
all; but with this determination be- 
gan to be conceived a deep and 
rooted contempt for the charac- 
ters of those, who had blindly er 
wilfully deceived them, and an 
anxious desire to be delivered in 
the moment of approaching trial, 
from those hands which had, ia 
comparatively easy periods, so 
feebly held the reigns of goyern- 
ment; and that they should be 
committed to such as had expe- 
rience, ability, and skill to guice 
them.—Before we close however 
ultimate 
