os ANNUAL RE 
then the house might pause, and 
ask for farther information. 
Mr. Trench, considered himself 
pledged to no specific measure, by 
voting for. this supply, which was 
wanting merely for precaution. 
After some explanations from the 
different gentlemen, who had taken 
a partin the debate, the resolution 
was voted without farther opposition. 
Tt is. not, here, our intention, to 
enter at large into the causes which 
led administration, to the measures 
of vigour and resolution, which ap- 
peared in the king’s message, and 
in the subsequent increase of the 
military establishments of the em- 
pire: that subject more appropri- 
ately belongs to another part of the 
work, and shall form the subject of 
our most particular consideration, 
in which the conduct of France, 
and the relative situation of both 
countries, from the period of the 
“peace of Amiens, to that of the re- 
newal of hostilities, shall” be amply 
detailed : a few remarks, however, 
on the effect which the debates re- 
sulting therefrom, and which have 
been the subject of the present 
chapter, produced on the state of 
political party, and public opinion, 
may not be unuseful nor irrelevant, 
It was the singular fate of Mr. 
Addington’s motion, of. an address 
of thanks to his majesty, for his 
message urging the necessity of 
warlike preparation, in common 
with that of every great national 
measure, he had brought forward 
since the commencement of the 
session; to meet with no opposition 
whatever from the great leading in- 
terests in parliament ; though the 
grounds of their acquiescence were 
widely different, and of a nature, 
* Vide page 29. 
+ Ibid. 
GISTER,. 1803. 
which could afford him. slendet. 
cause of satisfaction. 
We have already seen* that the 
late minister, and those who were 
personally attached to him, had - 
ceased to continue that warm sup- 
port in parliament, which Mr. Ad- 
dington had experienced from them 
at the commencement of his admi- 
nistration. On the present occa- 
sion Mr. Pitt again stood aloof, and 
in the debates of the ninth and 
eleventh of March, that person whom 
we have already described as his 
most confidential friend,+ in giving 
his support to ministers, qualified 
it by many expressions of distrust 
in the abilities of administration ; 
and of dissatisfaction at the igno- 
rance, in which the house and _ the 
country were kept, on these impor- 
tant occasions. From these indica- 
tions—sufficiently obyious indeed — 
conclusions were drawn, both with- 
in and without the walls of parlia- 
ment, not yery favourable to the 
opinion, of the continuation of the 
friendship and good correspondence 
between the late leader of his ma- 
jesty’s councils, and the present: 
T'rom the ‘“ old opposition” as 
was the party designated, of whom 
Mr. ox was the acknowledped lea-~ 
der, the support to administration 
was given in terms, even more equi- 
vocal; a desire not to disturb the’ 
unanimity of the legislature, on this 
trying occasion, was the sole prin- 
ciple on which he and his friends 
grounded their acquiescence ; and 
repeated deprecations of a renewal 
of the war, sufficiently manifested, 
the only terms, on which the present 
government could hope for their as- 
sistance ; and it is still farther to 
be remarked, that one gentlemant 
+ Mr. Francis. 
of 
c 
