The fame queftion which had been agitated with equal or greater warmth in the house of peers, was, in the course, of the feffion, renewed with a flight variation in point of form. And the lords in oppofition indulged themselves in vehement, although hiftoric impartiality must pronounce them for the most part captious and groundlefs, invectives against the conduct of these mercenaries, and the grofs partiality pretended to be fhewn them on all occafions. They were declared to be a burthen on the nation, equally hateful and ignominious, and more the objects of political deteftation than the enemies against whom they were employed; and the whole fyftem of Continental and Hanoverian politics became again the theme of the feverest animadverfion. The earl of Halifax, a young nobleman distinguished by his political and perfonal accomplishments, expreffed, in warm and eloquent language, "his indignation that England fhould be condemned to waste the treasure and the lives of its inhabitants in quarrels which either did not at all regard its interefts, or regarded them only remotely and confequentially. He declared himself unable to discover for what reafon we, who were not principals in the war, and have no feparate intereft to promote, should hire mercenaries to carry it on, at an immense and intolerable expence. We are now contending," said this nobleman, "not for our rights and privileges-not for our perfons, our liberty, or our property. We are attempting by force of arms to fix what the course of events is ever tending to unfix-the balance of Europe. The balance of Europe has a powerful and fascinating found, which has been frequently employed to fubject this nation to the oppreffive exactions of foreign powers. When the people complain of the load of taxes, and the perpetual increase of burdens, of which they were never able to perceive any effect, or derive any advantage, they are stilled with the neceflity of fupporting the balance of Europe. When they cry aloud for justice against their domeftic

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domestic oppreffors-when they demand that the deceivers and flatterers of the prince fhould be brought to punishment-and the proper interefts of the nation alone diligently and faithfully pursued-they are cenfured and stigmatized as wretches ignorant of the true principles of policy, and who have no regard to the balance of Europe. The folly and guilt of this conduct were not unknown during the last administration to the noble lord who now affumes the direction of foreign affairs, and were reprobated by him with generous warmth and all the appearance of honeft deteftation. But we have often seen that opinions are variable with other human things. The system of the noble lord is now entirely changed, and, to use the language of the medical charlatan, the heart is removed to the other fide."

Lord Carteret, with his accustomed energy of language and plaufibility of argument, entered into an elaborate defence of his minifterial conduct. He declared, "that a propofition to withdraw all our forces from the continent, and, instead of courting danger in foreign countries, to fleep in fecurity till we are awakened by an alarm upon our own coafts, would be far lefs unreasonable than the motion actually before the houfe; for, doubtless, it is better to enjoy peace, however precarious, than to carry on a war with certainty of defeat, and to rush into the field of battle only to be overborne by the number of our enemies. Is it seriously meant that we are to neglect all the rules of war and all the maxims of policy, and to fet our enemies at defiance, expecting affistance from causes invifible or præternatural? The lords who fupport the motion must know, that a compliance with it would be virtually to yield up all for which WILLIAM and MARLBOROUGH fought all which can fecure our own independence or the liberties of the continent. The topics enlarged upon by the noble lords, of numerous armies and burthenfome expences, are fuch as will always raise a declaimer high

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in the efteem of the people, whofe fufferings he appears to compassionate, and whose cause he profeffes to defend ; and measures, however neceffary and however just, must be unpopular for a time, of which the expence is immediate and the advantage diftant. It is the opinion of fome, that, from the nature of our situation, we may bid defiance to the reft of mankind, and, from our rocks and floating castles, look with unconcern and tranquillity upon all the commotions of the European kingdoms; but if any one monarchy has, by any means, arisen to such an height of grandeur as to make it juftly formidable to the rest of Europe, threatening the eventual fubverfion of all the kingdoms on the continent, furely Great Britain has more cogent reafons than any other nation to endeavor the suppreffion of fuch a power, because of all nations she has moft to lofe; and being fartheft exalted above slavery, muft feel proportionate pain from political depreffion. But this purpose can be effected only by fupporting on the continent some power capable of opposing the ambitious projects of France; and it is universally admitted, that the house of Austria alone can be deemed of weight to be placed in the balance against the houfe of Bourbon. If the house of Auftria is to be fupported, we must fubmit to the expence neceffary for its fupport. Nothing, therefore, can be more improper than this motion, unless it were intended that the cause of general liberty should be inftantly and totally abandoned, and that we should fubmiffively confign to France the fate of ourselves and our posterity. By the diffeminations of falsehood and malignity the nation has been irritated, and discontent has, indeed, too generally prevailed: but, by the fame arts, the fame odium might and would have attended any other scheme; and the present clamor will, in a fhort time, give way to the force of reason and truth. Upon a former occafion, in which the neutrality of Hanover was the subject of difcuffion, I obferved that, if England were to be steered

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by that electorate, it were neceflary that the rudder should be feparated from the fhip. This was then my opinion; for then, my lords, England was fubfervient to Hanover: but Hanover is now fubfervient to England, and regulated by our measures; for who can doubt but a neutrality might have been easily obtained for that electorate? But his majefty scorned to exempt himself from hazard, by countenancing the claims of ambition, and would not forbear to affift his ally only because her diftrefs was urgent, and her danger imminent. It is evident, upon the whole, then, my lords, that the war has been conducted with wifdom and fuccefs-that the troops of Hanover were not retained but by the counsel and authority of the legislature-that they have been eminently useful in contributing to the expulfion of the armies of France-that, though objections more worthy of notice could be produced, thofe troops cannot, at this juncture, be difmiffed, because other troops cannot be obtained fo foon as the exigencies of the war require.”

The question was at length put, and the motion rejected by a majority of eighty-fix peers against forty-fix: but a very strong proteft was figned by the minority, and the measure was manifeftly carried in both houfes by the influence of the court, against the unanimous voice of the nation, which loudly exclaimed against the interested ambition and political apoftacy of the minifter, who had now involved himself and his country too deeply in the quarrels of the continent to be able to recede either with honor or with fafety.

BOOK

BOOK V.

Duke of Bedford's speech against the bill for extending the forfeitures of treafon. Appointed firft lord of the admiralty. Remarkable motion in the house of peers. Mr. Fazakerley, in warm and indignant language, expreffes his deteftation of the claufe added by the lords to the bill for extenfion of forfeitures of high treafon. Peace of Abo between Ruffia and Sweden. King of Sweden accedes to the crown on the refignation of his queen Ulrica. His political fituation and deficient authority. Is forced into a war with Ruffia. Dies. Amount of his fubfidies from England. Empress of Ruffia's infidious and interefted policy. Concludes a fubfidy treaty with England. Enters into engagements with France. King of Denmark endeavors to revive the union of Calmar. Refufes the fubfidies of Great Britain, and renews the alliance. Death. King of Denmark's acceffion.-Lofes his queen. Admiral Matthews fupports the Corficans. Threatens the bombardment of Civita Vecchia. Engages the combined fleets off Toulon. His trial and unjust fentence. Misconduct of admiral Leftock off Toulon. mifcarriage at Port l'Orient. Admiral Balchen loft, with his whole crew, in the Victory. Lord Carteret compelled to refign his office. Becomes earl of Granville, and is reappointed-refigns. Made prefident of the council. Mr. Pelham appointed first commissioner of the treafury, and chancellor of the exchequer. Reduces the intereft of the public funds. Patronizes the Jerv-naturalization bill, which is repealed. His death, and review of his adminiftration. Mr. Sandys refigns his office, and is created a peer. Earl of Chesterfield appointed to the government of Ireland. Goes ambaffador

His