88 
taking his majesty’s message into 
consideration being read in the 
house of jords ; 
Lord Hobart rose to move the 
"address. He thought there could 
not be a difference of opinion, when 
his majesty had communicated 
to them, that great military pre- 
parations were actually making on 
the coasts of France and Holland ; 
and that important discussions were 
pending between himand the French 
government; the result of which 
was very uncertain. It was the 
earnest wish of ministers, that the 
tranquillity which subsisted between 
the two countries, should not be in- 
terrupted: and he relied upon it, 
that the country would enable them 
to preserve it, consistently with the 
honor and interests of the nation. 
He then moved an address, which 
was nefirly a recapitulation of the 
message. 
Earl Spencer rose, not to oppose 
the address, as he had been always 
a friend to vigorous measures. He 
rejoiced to find, that ministers were 
at length sensible, they had gone 
the full length of concession and 
negociation; that they were now 
determined to act a manly part, 
There was no other chance of say- 
ing the country, but by shewing the 
first consul, that we are not afraid of 
meeting France single handed,* and 
that rather than suffer the smallest 
particle of the national honor to be 
tarnished, we were ready to recom- 
mence hostilities. He should wish 
however to know, whether the dis- 
cussions alluded to in his majesty’s 
message, were new, or of a long 
standing ? 
~ Lord Grenville, perfectly agreed 
ANNWAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
in opinion with the last noble lord. 
He rejoiced at this first instance of 
sound political wisdom in his majes- 
nty’s present ministers: they had 
seen the consequences of a system 
concession and meanness ; and he 
hoped they would act with due ener- 
gy and perseverance in that now 
proposed. The reasonings of this 
day, were warranted by the experi- 
ence of the last eighteen months, 
and he therefore cordially assented 
to the motion. 
The earl of Moira delivered a very 
animated and impressive speech. He 
wished however to be satisfied, that 
sufficient cause existed for this ap- 
pearance of energy; this sudden 
change in the conduct of his majes- 
ty’s ministers. He hoped it was not 
a mere bravado, intended to cover 
some farther concession. The 
communication which had_ been 
made, had created a very general 
alarm, and materially affected those 
who had property in the funds, He 
hoped ministers would be able to 
shew at a future day, that they had 
not done this unnecessarily. He 
wished ministers would speak out, 
and not be afraid of offending the 
first consul of France: as for his 
part, he had no notion of talking 
longer with compliment towards 
this new Hannibal ; who had sworn 
on the altars of his ambition, dead- 
ly and eternal hatred, to the inte- 
rests and prosperity of this country. 
If we would consult our most im- 
mediate interests, and uphold our” 
national character ; we must shew 
that man that we are not to be in- 
timidated, by the menace of conse- 
quences. We must, in the language 
of our immortal bard, 
* Vide State Papers. 
me Be 
