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5 [Nove 
STATE: OF. PU BIG AFFAIRS 
In November, 1797- 
GreaT BRITAIN. 
Oo’ the 2d of November, the king 
opened the feffion of the Britith 
parliament; he fignified that it was a 
matter of great concern to him, that the 
earneft endeavours which he had con- 
tinued to employ to reftore to his fub- 
jeéts the bleffings of peace, on {ccure and 
honourable terms, had unhappily been 
rendered ineffeCiual. ' He expreffed his 
confidence that the papers which he had 
direéted to be laid before the two Houfes, 
would abundantly prove to them and the 
world, that the lone delay and final 
-rupture of the late negociation for peace, 
. 
were to be folely afcribed to the evative 
conduét and the inordinate ambition 
of the French. He obferved, that dur- 
ing the period of hoftilities the reverue 
had been highly produétive, and that 
commerce had furpaffed its former limits. 
He noticed the important victory gzined 
by the fleet under the command of Ad- 
rairal Duncan; and conciuded with al- 
Juding to the blefaings which we derive 
from our civil and religious eftablith- 
ments, which had fo long diftinguifhed 
us among all the nations of Europe. 
Onthe 1oth, in confequence of the op- 
pofition of Sir John Sinclair toan addrefs, 
which pledged the lives and fortunes of 
the members inthe continuance of the 
war, the Chancellor of the Exch quer 
rofe and made a long fpeech, of which we 
fhall confine ourfelves to a few leading 
points, the reft being little more than a 
hifory of the late negociations and the 
cuftomary reprobation of the French 
rulers. He called them frantic, and faic 
they opprefied the people beyond the ex- 
ample of any civilized country; he con- 
fefled, that “ he wilhed for the diffolu- 
tion of the prefent tyraanical govern- 
ment.” . As to his Majefty’s title of 
king of France, he called it a harmlefs 
feather. Adverting afterwards to Sir 
John Sinclair’s amendment and obferva- 
tions, he faid that nobody ‘but 2 diwelier 
in politics, would propofe giving up every 
thing to the French, in the hope of their 
giving fomething back; that the French 
sovernment felt itfelf that its conduct 
was not to be vindicated, and that they 
kept their megociators at Life, as a 
mere colour and pretext, to inow that 
they had not broken off the treaty. 
He faid, he could not affent to the opi- 
nions of fome gentlemen, who had afferr- 
ed that with fuch an ufurpation as had 
‘The militia and fencible regiments 
taken place in France, no peace, however 
admiffiible in terms, ought to be con- 
cluded. In the prefent fpirit of the 
enemy, indeed there was little hope that 
they would be difpofed to liften to any 
ae compatible with theehgnour, the * 
mnity, and the welfare of this country. 
—Though. ‘he fhould ‘rejoice at the 
downfal of a government which exifted 
by fuch deteftable means as ufurpation 
and tyranny,” ftill that was not the object 
por the principle of the war. Mr. Pitt 
then went into a long detail of the pro- 
gre{s and final iffue of the late negociation, 
highly reprobating the want of juftice 
and fincerity in the rulers of France, at- | 
tributing the continuance of the war to” 
their views-of tyranny, ambition, and 
ufurpation. After the minifter had rua 
through the progrefs of the negociation, 
he exhorted the nation, in the ftrongeft 
terms, to perfevere in the’ war. *° If, 
fays he, we value property, if we value 
Lberty, if we value law, if we value na- 
tional power, if we value any thing that 
can contribute to our happinefs or fatety, 
we will refit the demands lately made by 
the enemy,with contempt. It afects us all, 
from the higheft to thel oweft. There is 
not 2 man, be his enjoyments ever fo great, 
or property fo confiderable, who fhould 
not facrifice any portion of it to oppote 
the violence’ of the enemy, mor one 
whofe flock is fo fmall, that he fhould not 
be ready to facrifice his life in the fame * 
Cafe. iat . ; 
On the zoth,the Secretary at War pre 
fented the army-eftimates for the -enfu- 
ing year, of which the following is a re- 
capitulation : 
The whele of the force to be provided Aden. 
for tre fervice of the enfuing year, 
in regular treops, militia and fenct- : 
bles, was computed at - 78,527 
The number to be employedinguards 
and .garrifons, > which this year 
would confit only of the iflands of 
Great-Britain, Ireland, Guernley, 
and Jericy, was reckoned at - 
The forces in the plantations, reckon- 
ing only Britifh, and‘not the troops, 
upon the Irith eftablifhment, ner thofe 
employed in the Eaft-Indies - 
48,609 

would be, like thofe of laft year 
And the fencible cavalry, which was 
reduced partly by a change of cir-_ 
cumftances at home. and partly by 
drawing fome off to Ireland 
