“HISTORY OF*° EUROPE. 
violation of the treaty of Amiens. 
He then commented at length upon 
the report of Sebastiani, and his 
mnission, which he thought was most 
evidently of a hostile nature: as to 
the pretence of his being sent to 
answer and refute assertions in sir 
Robert Wilson’s book, that was ri- 
diculous, inasmuch as his mission 
was antecedent to the appearance 
sof that book ; and in fact, sir Rob. 
Wilson’s statements had not been at 
all contradicted by the report of 
Sebastiani. Bonaparte, in his con- 
versation with lord Whitworth, only 
disowned the intention of siezing 
Egypt at present; as he declared, 
** that sooner or later it must belong 
to France; and yet, although it 
was thus confest to be a favorite 
object of the consular ambition, 
‘still the only security that France 
would give, was this, “ that the 
French ambassador at Constantino- 
ple should be charged to give assur- 
ances to the Porte, of the disposition 
of France to strengthen instead of 
weaken the Turkish government.” 
He would not disbelieve this asser- 
tion, when he recollected, that it 
had been the-new policy of France, 
ever since the revolution, to disclose 
the most daring designs, long before 
their execution, in order that the 
first feelings of indignation, which 
would lead to vigorous resistance, 
might have passed away, and given 
place to neglect and indifference. 
He therefore did believe the first 
consul and his minister, when they 
declared their views upon Egypt; 
and thought our ministers would 
have been most blameable, if when 
such designs were avowed, they 
should surrender Malta without suf- 
ficient security. He thought the 
- annexation of Piedmont, the -arre- 
\ 
151 
gant conduct of France with re- 
spect to the German indemnities; 
and above all, the violence offered 
to Switzerland; were suflicient 
causes of war at any time, if we 
had had such continental co-opera- 
tion, as to afford any prospect of 
success. The various agyressions 
stated in his Majesty’s declaration, 
were all grounds sufficient to prove 
the necessity and justice of the war. 
He concluded by calling upon mi- 
nisters in avery impressive manner, 
to prepare without delay such vigo- 
rous measures of finance and na- 
tional defence, as would convince 
our enemies that they were neither 
able to diminish our spirit by 
threatened invasions, nor to exhaust 
our resources by a long protracted 
war. Great and unexampled as 
were our efforts during the last war, 
those of the present war should still 
exceed them. He lamented the 
_necessity of those painful exertions, 
as-‘much as any man; but we had 
no option between the blessings of 
peace and the dangers of war: from 
the fatality of the times, and the 
general state of mankind, we must 
consider our lot as cast in a time of 
trouble and peril, and must now 
rouse our national spirit, to meet 
the dangers, and discharge the du- 
ties, of the situation we find our- 
selves placed in. 
Mr. Grey moved an amendment 
to the address, and a discussion 
took place, which, from the cir- 
cumstance already stated, we were 
unable accurately to learn. The 
debate however was adjourned til 
the next day,when it was resumed by 
Mr. 3. Grenville, who was deci- 
dedly of opinion, that the conduct 
of France upon all the principal 
_ points, stated. in his Majesty’s 
L4 
declaration, 
