90 
offensive operations. After again 
expressing the wish of his majes- 
ty’s government, that peace should 
be preserved ; if it could be pre- 
served with honor; he concluded, 
by moving an address, promising to 
support his majesty, in those ob- 
jects mentioned in the message. 
Mr. Fox said, after the message 
of yesterday, he could not oppose . 
the motion ; but he must say, no 
vote was ever required from the 
house, where they were left so com- 
pletely in the dark. Whether the 
object of the discussions lay in Eu- 
rope, Asia, Africa, or America, mi- 
nistershad nottold us. When how- 
ever, his majesty stated those discus- 
Sions to be of great importance, he 
could not doubt the allegation ; but 
when we were called upon to afford 
additional means of defence, we 
should be informed of the particu- 
lars, which rendered such additi- 
onal defence necessary. He con- 
cluded with the following remark- 
able words, “that his majesty’s 
ministers, would do well to consider 
the tendency of their measures. 
If through their negligence, rash- 
ness, or ill concerted plans, they 
involved the country in wur, at this 
important period; he should pro- 
nounce the present administration 
to be the most fatal and destructive 
which ever directed the affairs of 
Great Britain !” 
Lord Hawkesbury agreed with 
Mr. Fox, that the present address, 
did not pledge the house to any 
thing specific: but at the same 
time if the pending discussions, 
should unfortunately terminate in 
war, the house would certainly have 
a right, to the fullest information 
on the subject; and he himself felt 
perfectly prepared, to defend the 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
conduct of ministers, either on every 
separate part of those discussions ; 
or upon the whole plan of their na- 
tional administration. 
Mr. Windham regretted, that thé 
house was so completely i in the dark, 
upon the subject which now called 
for another armament: he hoped 
that it would not be thought, that 
the opposers of the peace of Amiens, 
necessarily wished for a renewal of 
hostilities; for his part he should 
always consider a good peace as bet- 
ter than a war; but he contended 
ministers were equally responsible, 
for making a bad peace, or for 
making peace when it ought not to - 
be made, as they would be for 
making war, without proper grounds, 
or where war ought not to be made. 
He thought Mr. Fox considered 
too exclusively, the evils of war ; 
and did not sufficiently calculate 
the evils ofa bad peace. Whether 
at the present moment; we ought to 
have peace or war, it was impossi- 
ble for the house to judge without 
more information, 
Mr. Sheridan, in a very ani- 
mated speech, reprobated an opi- 
nion delivered by the last speaker, 
on many occasions, and repeated 
to-night, namely, that the peace of 
Amiens had left the country in such 
a situation, that if our existence, 
as a nation, were at stake, we had 
not the means of maintaining the 
contest. What, was this language 
to hold, at the present moment? 
The first consul of France had 
modestly proclaimed to the vassal 
thrones of Europe, that England ts 
no longer able to contend, single- 
handed, against France; but J lit- 
tle expected to hear that sentiment 
re-echoed in that house. He trust- 
ed, if war was unavoidable, he 
should 
