49 
government ; he thought there never 
was a crisis, in which it was more 
necessary, than at the present, 
to prove to the people of England, 
that they were above all party 
feelings ; all party distinctions ; and 
superior to any petty scramble for 
places or power. The case of 
Switzerland was, he thought, a 
case which deserved serious atten- 
tion; inasmuch as it shewed how 
France was disposed to use its great 
power. <A power capable of such 
unprovoked aggression, and such 
perfidy, was a power that ought 
strictly to be watched. If the pow- 
er of France does not appear great- 
er than in June last, her mischie- 
vous disposition certainly appears 
much greater. . He should not 
however say, that Switzerland was 
a sufficient cause for going to war, 
he should still prefer peace if pos- 
sible, but ifit was not possibie, he 
should wish to oppose the most 
prompt and determined resistance, 
to the first act of aggression. On 
that principle, he should cheerfully 
vote for a large peace establish- 
ment. Ifwe were now to look to 
the map of Europe, there, where a 
great man, (who was however 
always wrong in his opinion on this 
subject) said, “ he saw a chasm that 
once was France,” on the contrary, 
now, we would find nothing but 
France. The ambition of the ruler 
of France, must now be principally 
directed against this country. Prus- 
sia was at his beck, Italy his vassal, 
Spain at his nod, Portugal at his 
foot, Holland in his grasp, and 
Turkey in his toils. © What object 
then remained for his devouring 
ambition, greater or equal to the 
conquest or destruction of — this 
country? As to the opinion that 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1805. 
some gentlemen entertained, that 
itwas arivality of commerce that 
he aimed at, that was an opinion in 
which he could not acquiesce; he 
saw him indeed taking positions for 
the destruction of our commerce, 
but he did not see him taking any 
measures for the mutual benefit of 
the trade of the two countries. An 
ignorant observer, might see two 
armies, and pronounce there was 
no war, because there was no battle; 
yet the one may make such move- 
ments, as to oblige the other to 
surrender without a blow, Of the 
‘commercial talents of Bonaparte 
he could say butlittle; it was more 
likely, that being bred in camps, his 
views were more directed to the 
conquest of this country, than to 
any riyality of commerce. — This 
is the prayer that he daily addresses 
to whatever deity he © adores, 
whether Mahomet, the goddess of 
battles, or the goddess of reason, 
He had discovered that we all 
belong to the western family; for 
his part, he did not wish to be of his 
family party; but would rather be on 
the terms of civil neighbourhood 
and visiting acquaintance; he 
would implore him not to consider 
us as belonging to his family. The 
existing circumstances appeared to 
him, to call for great vigilance and 
preparation, but they were not 
sullicient to justify awar. A noble 
lord lord Temple) had with the 
ingenuousness of youth, or as some 
would say, with the inexperience 
of youth, avowed that his princi- 
pal object was to obtain a change 
of ministers: but if that noble lord 
and his friends had been ministers, 
they could not have acted other- 
wise than the present: they would 
not have gone to war with Fragce 
about 
