548 
dium of Auftria, that our prefentminifters 
have contributed to the fomenting of an 
infurrection, which they had no intention 
tofupport. Still lefs probable is it, that 
in the prefent ftate of things, when fo little 
is to be effected by force, and when the 
only opportunity of aéting with energy 
has been fuffered to pafs by without any 
advantage, they would encourage an op- 
pofition, the failure of which mult infal- 
libly bring embarrafsment and difgrace 
upon themfelves. 
GERMANY. 
The long difputed affair of the ‘edera 
nities does not appear to be as yet com- 
pletely adjufted, or at. leaft the details 
have not been made public. The Grand 
Duke of Tufcany, it is reported, is ftill to 
receive fomeadditional compenfation ; and 
we may conjecture from a fpeech of the 
Britith minifter, that even the Statholder 
is not deftitute of further expectations. 
GREAT BRITAIN. 
The cloud of myfery which hung over 
the relations of this country with foreign 
powers has been, in fome meafure, diffi- 
pated hy the debates of the Imperial Par- 
liament. It was opened by his Majefty i in 
perfon on the 23d of November. The 
Ypeech from the throne was guarded al 
cautious, with refpect to foreion affairs, 
neither calculated to provoke war, nor yet 
to give a decided affurance of peace. It 
commenced with a difplay of the internal 
profperity of the country, and expreffions 
of gratitude to the Divine Providence for 
the produce of an abundant harveft. His 
Majefty profefizs that his fincere wifh is 
to preferve peace, but adds that he ‘* can- 
not be indifferent to any material change 
in the ftate of Europe;”’ and therefore is 
perfuaded that parliament will agree with 
him in thinking it incumbent on them to 
adopt thofe means of fecurity which- are 
beft calculated to preferve peace. He con- 
gratulates the Commons on the profpeé& 
that the various branches of the public 
fervice may be provided for without any 
confiderable addition to the burthens of 
the people. The fpeech concludes with 
remarking the important benefits. which 
have enfued from the union, and recom- 
mending to the care of the Parliament the 
interefts of commerce, &c. 
The addrefs was moved in the Houfe 
ef Lords by. Lard Arden, and feconded by 
Lord Nelfon. The Marquis of Abercorn, 
and the Earl of Carlifle both cenfured mi- 
nifters as well on-account of the peace, 
as for their conduct fince thatevent. The 
ron however pafled without a divi- 
Oe j 
State of Public Affairs in December, 1802, 
* 
[Jan. 1, 
In the Houfe of Commons the addrefs 
was moved by an Irifh Member, Mr. 
Trench, and the motion was feconded by 
Mr. Curzon. Some objections were ratfed 
againft adminiftration by Mr. Cartwright, 
Sir J. Wrottcfley, and others, but they 
were of a general nature, and contained 
no fpecific charge. 
Mr. Fox, in a fpeech of confiderable 
leneth, took a moft luminous view of the 
ftate of European politics, and, evinced 
that his late vifit to France had not been 
confined to the infpeétion of papers, but 
had extended to men; and that he had 
viewed that country with the eye of a 
ftatefman. It is no inconfiderable fatis- 
faétion to us to find the fentiments of that 
great man exactly correfponding with our 
own as exprefied in fome of our late num- 
bers. ~The chief objeét of his {peech was 
to prove, that, fhould a war be ever necef- 
fary to check the ambition of France, this. 
at leaft was not the time. At prefent he 
wifhed to fee nothing but a'war,—a rival- 
fhip—of commerce, manufactures, and in- 
genuity, in all which our fuperiority could 
not be doubted. He lamented the ag- 
grandizement of France, but repeated his 
own ftrong affertion, ‘* that France had 
been made great by the war, and not by 
the peace.” He exhorted minifters to 
adhere ftrictly to the’ terms of the peace, 
and whatever might be the intentions of 
the enemy, to be careful that good faith 
on our part fhould be moft ftriétly preferv- 
ed ; and cautioned parliament to beware 
how they fuffered the blood of the people 
to flow, to gratify the ambition of fome 
men, or fill the coffers of others. 
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, with 
his ufual franknefs, fiated, that he was 
not ignorant more than other men of the 
aggrandizement of France, and ef its in- 
creafine power ; but it muft befomething 
more than the arguments which he had 
heard that night that fhould induce him te 
think that war zocv would tend to reduce 
them. War was a certain evil, peace a 
certain good. He acknowledged his in- 
tention of keeping’ up a large peace efta- 
blifhment ; and drew a very confolatory 
picture of the fourifhing flate of the -re- 
venue and commerce of the kingdom. 
On the bringing up of thé report, Mr. 
Wilberforce added his fuftrages and ex- 
erted his eloquence, in favour of the cons 
tinuance of peace; he contended that the 
country was earneft for it, and fhould mi- | 
nifters” plunge again into holftilities they 
would merit its execration. Gen. Mait- 
land, Sir Francis Burdett, and feveral 
other members of the Whig party, uyaes 
the 
