25 43

THE

CONTENTS.

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

Reafons for Negociations

Mediation of France and Pruffia in the affairs of Holland. doubting the fuccefs of that mediation confirmed by the event. carried on at Nimeguen and the Hague. Conditions laid down by the States of Holland as the bafis of an accommodation with the Stadtholder. Caufes which rendered these propofitions inadmisible. M. de Rayneval fuddenly breaks off the negociation and returns to Paris. Count de Goertz receives a letter of recal, and returns to Berlin. Violent animofity and mutual recrimination of the contending parties on the failure of the negociation. The new form of government, eftablifbed in the city of Utrecht, confidered as a model of perfection by the democratical party in other places. Difficult fituation and temporizing conduct of the States of Holland, with respect to the prevalent democratic fpirit. Sudden and unaccountable changes in the political conduct and principles of the party in oppofition to the Stadtholder difplayed in various places. States of Friesland firft waver, and then, from being among the foremost in oppofition, appear decidedly in favour of the Prince. M. de Rendorp changes fides in Amfterdam, `and carries over a majority of the fenate along with him. Immediate confequences

of

of this change; great alarm spread by it among the republican party. Mɛans purfued by the leaders to remedy the defection of Amierdam. Procure addrejes from feveral towns, with a view of vaining thereby a decided mojority of wores in the affembly of provincial states. Failing in this attempt, they propoje in the affembly a refolution to fuffend the Prince of Orange from his remaining bigh offices of Radibolder and admiral-general. Foiled likeri ife in this, they endea vour to increase the number of votes in the provincial affembly, by affording a right of reprefentation to feveral new towns; in which they are alfo defeated. Efimate of the comparative firength and numbers of the contending parties. Retrospect of the measures pursued by Holland, for fupporting the city of Utrecht in its contumacious oppofition to the fates of the province. Unexpected revolution in the affembly of the States of Holland, who, following the example of dmferdam, adopt measures evidently favourable 10 the Stadthoider's interefts. General confernation and critical fituation of the republican party. Defeated in all their late attempts; with now a great majority of the provinces, and a greater of the people decidedly against them. Lold and hazardous measures become acts of prudence. Obliged to throw themselves upon the democratical party for fupport, and to call in the armed burghers to new model and feule the state and conflitution. These furround the fenate-boufes of Amfierdam and Rotterdam, purge them of those members who were adverfe to their defigns, place all power in the hands of their own party, and cílablish a actermined majority in the flates of Holland. These prepare to a lift Utrecht by force of arms against the Provincial States. States general, who bad hitherto preferred a flrict neutrality, now take a decided part in opposing the defign of Holland to support Utr cht by force of arms. Council of flate fue an order firictly forbidding the officers in the fervice of Holland from marching their troops into the territories of any other province. Prooibition confirmed by the States general. Reply from the States of Holland. Foft blond drawn in a skirmish at Juthaas, a village near Utrecht. States of Holland order troops to the fuccour of Utrecht. Propafe a teft to their officers. A great majority rejuje the teft; are suspended and new ones appointed. Sufpended officers taken into the protection of the States general, and their pay continued. Manifefto publifted by the Stadtholder, amounting nearly to a declaration of war against the ruling party in the province of Holland. Riots at Amfterdam. States general fue an order to general Van Reyffel, to break up the cordon or line of troops formed on the frontiers of Holland. Counter orders from the flates of Holland. Colonel Balneavis carries of the regiment which he lately commanded bimfelf, with a battalion of another, from the fortress of Ouder ater to the Stadtholder. This example caufes a general revolt in the troops of Holland. [#

CII A P. II.

Arveft of the princefs of Orange near Schoonhaven. Obfervations on the conduct and principles on which the ruling party in Holland acted in that measure; with an account of the circumftances attending it. Confeq.ences of that event, which change the whole face of public affairs in the republ.c, and intermingle foreign interefts and connections with their domeftic coniels. Princess returns to Nimeguen. Strong memorial from the king of Pruffa, demanding immediate and ample fatisfaction, with due punishment to the authors of the outrage offered to the princess. dnfwer from the States of Holland deemed by the king unfatisfactory

end

and evafive. Anfwer from the States General, in which they disapprove the conduct and obstinacy of the States of Holland, and leave them to abide the confequences, bigbly acceptable to the king. Court of Verfailles condemn the conduct of Holland, and justify the king in his demand of fatisfaction. Second memorial from the court of 'Berlin, flrongly expreffive of the king's furprize and indignation at the answer and conduct of the States of Holland. M. de Thulemeyer prefents a paper containing the form and terms of the fatisfaction which the king infifis on. States of Holland, inflead of compliance, order every thing to be in readiness for inundating the country in cafe of invafion. Preparations for war on the jde of Pruffia. Sadtholder takes the towns of Wick Duerfiede, and Harderwycke. Province of Zealand declares for him. Ineffe live attempts on his camp by the Rhingrave of Salm. Scandalous invective against the prince of Orange, in the form of a petition to the States of Holland. Licentioufness of the rabble; deplorable fituation and depopulation of the country; States endeavour in vain to prevent emigration. Proclamation iffued by the States General, prohibiting the influx of French officers and foldiers daily arriving. Remonftrate with the court of Versailles on that fubject. Duke of Brunswick, at the bead of a Pruffian army, enters the territories of the republic. Takes Gorcum. Attempt made by the commission of defence to inundate the country fails of eff &. Shameful flight of the garrison and armed burghers from Utrecht, without waiting the fight of an enemy. Univerfal panic. The Pruffian forces, in a few days, overrun and fubdue the greatest part of South Holland; most of the cities and fortreffes falling into their hands without resistance. Duke of Brunswick and general Kalkreuth approach the flrong posts of Amstelveen and Ouderkerp, within a few miles of Amfterdam. Revolution at the Hague. Sates of Holland refcind all their former refolutions against the Stadtholder, and invite him to return and take poffellion of the government. Prince of Orange, and afterwards the princess, arrive at the Hague. Short truce, to give time for a deputation from Amfterdam to propofe terms of accommodation. Terms deemed inadmisible. Strong defences, and inacceffible fituation of Amfterdam, feemed 19 render it impregnable. Truce being expired, duke of Brunswick gives orders for a general attack on all the enemy's out-pofts at five o'clock in the morning. Admirable difpofitions made by the duke. Important poft of Half Wegen taken, which opens the way to Afterdam on the western fide. Amstelveen taken after a long and brave refiftance. The approaches to the city being now fecured, the Prufian troops are cailed off from the other attacks. Admirable temper, and great moderation, difplayed by the duke of Brunfwick, under various circumstances which occurred previous to the capitulation of Amsterdam, and the furrender of the Leyden gate to the Pruffians. [29

CHA P. III.

Undiflurbed tranquillity of Great Britain during the recess of parliament. Treaty of commerce with France, pgned 29th September 1786. State of political. parties. Creation of Peers. King's Speech at the opening of the jefion. Addrefes voted unanimously. Remarks by Mr. Fox upon the principles of the commercial treaty. Mr. Pitt's reply. Motion for taking the treaty into confi deration; objected to as 100 hafly. Motion for delay debated, and rejected. Mation by Mr. Fox relative to the flate of the negociation with Portugal; rejected without a divifion. Petition from the chamber of commerce for further time to confider the tendency of the treaty. Houfe in a committee upon the treaty;

Mr.

Mr. Pitt's Speech on that occafion; confiders the treaty in three points of view, commercial, financial, and political. Comparative view of the produce, manufactures, and population of the two countries; conclufions in favour of Great Britain. Anfwers to the objections of the chamber of commerce. · Remarks on the treaty of Utrecht. Tendency of the treaty with_respect 10 revenue; the advantage in favour of Great Britain. Political tendency of the treaty. Abfurd prejudices anfwered. Caufes of the change that bad taken place in the political views of France.-Mr. Fox replies to Mr. Pitt; contends for the importance of the political tendency of the treaty beyond any other confideration. Relative political fituation of the two countries. Grounds of the natural enmity fubfifting between them. Improbability of any change in the defigns of France; her hoftile views in the prefent treaty. Defends the refolutions of the chamber of commerce. Anfwers Mr. Pitt's arguments relative to the revenue. Moves that the chairman report a progrefs; fupported by Mr. Francis. Different lines of conduct of Lord Chatham and Mr. Pitt. Effects of the treaty upon the navy. Opinion of Mr. Powys; of Mr. Baring. Mr. Fox's motion rejected by a large majority. Refolution moved by Mr. Pitt agreed to. Committee fits again. Refolution moved to lower the duties on French wines. Able Speech against the treaty by Mr. Flood; anfwered by Mr. Wilberforce. Principles laid down by Mr. Wilberforce frongly condemned by Mr. Fox and Mr. Powys. Opinion of Mr. Alderman Watfon. Treaty defended by Mr. H. Dundas. Amendment moved by Mr. Fox, respecting the duties on Portugal wines, rejected. Laft effort of Mr. Fox in favour of the Methuen treaty; acquiefces in Mr. Pitt's declaration on that fubject. Duty on brandy, on beer, on cottons, on glass; and debates thereupon. Report of the committee. Converfation refpecting the omiffion of Ireland. Refolutions agreed to. Motion for an addrefs to the king upon the treaty frongly oppofed. Extraordinary difplay of eloquence by Mr. Grey. Captain Macbride's opinion. Mr. Burke, upon the political tendency of the treaty, and its remote effects. Treaty defended by Mr. Grenville, Lord Mornington, and Mr. Pulteney. New objection to the addrefs from Mr. W. Ellis ; anfwered and overruled by a majority of 236 to 160. Addrefs agreed to, and communicated to the lords. Decifion of the house of lords upon a motion by Lord Stormont, refpecting fuch of the fixteen peers as should be created peers of Great Britain. Motion oppofed by the lord chancellor; defended by lord Loughborough, and carried by a majority of 52 to 38. Debates in the house of lords upon the commercial treaty. Altercation between the duke of Richmond and the marquis of Lanfdown. Addrefs of both boufes to the king.

[65

CHA P. IV.

Confolidation of the duties of custom and excife. The fpeech of the chancellor of the exchequer upon that fubject; flates the origin of the duties of tonnage and poundage; the nature and inconveniences of thofe duties; the methods hitherto adopted for remedying them; their infufficiency. Explanation of the new plan of confolidating the duties of custom, and of excife. Provifions to be made for the fecurity of the public creditors. Upwards of three thoufand refolutions to be moved. General concurrence of the boufe in this meafure. Mr. Burke's Speech on the occafion. Sir Grey Cooper mentions the progress made in it during the adminiflration of Lord North. Bill brought in for the confolidation of duties. Provifions relative to the French treaty included therein; objected to on that

account.

account. Motion for feparating the latter from the former, rejected. Motion to the fame effect, by Mr. Baftard, rejected. Warm debate, and motions on the fame fubject rejected in the boufe of lords. Bill receives the royal affent. Innovation in the mutiny bill again carried, after much debate. Penfion of Sir John Skynner; Mr. Burke's fpeech on that bufinefs. Motion in the upper boufe, by lord Rawdon, relative to the Spanish convention, and the evacuation of the Mosquito fore; Speeches of lord Carmarthen and the lord chancellor on the fame fubject. Motion by Mr. Beaufoy, for taking the corporation and teft acts into confideration endeavours to prove that the latter was never defigned to include proteftant diffenters, and that the reafons for the former had ceased; that no man ought to be punished for opinions; that difqualifications are punishments; that the difqualifications were not defenfible by any ftate neceffity. Diffenters vindicated from the charge of republicanism, and of aiming at the revenues of the church; teßis, that would remain after the repeal, fufficient. Objection anfvered relative to the union. Remark on the impiety of a facramental teft. Mr. Beaufoy answered by Lord North, and by Mr. Pitt; supported by Mr. Fox; bis remarks on the late conduct of the diffenters. Mr. Beaufoy's motion rejected by 178 to 100. Budget; flourishing flate of the finance; controverted by Mr. Sheridan. Notice given by Mr. Alderman Newnham, of a motion relative to the embarrassed ftate of the af fairs of the Prince of Wales. Retrospect of various matters relative to that affair; firft eftablishment of the Prince's boufbold; difference of opinions on the allow ance to be made him; debt contracted; meritorious conduct of the Prince of Wales. Application to the king for affiftance rejected. Reduction of all his establishments and favings appropriated for payment of the debt. Mifunderstanding between the King and the Prince. Generous offer of the duke of Orleans. Application to parliament. Converfation on the fubject in the boufe of commons; numerous appearance of the Prince's friends. Mr. Pitt's declaration, that he should have to difclofe circumstances of an unpleasant nature. Mr. Rolle's menace, to bring forward an enquiry concerning the connection between the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert. Prince of Wales demands to have the whole of his conduct enquired into; authorizes Mr. Fox to explain certain parts thereof. Mr. Rolle's behaviour warmly censured, and defended by Mr. Pitt. General difpofition in favour of the Prince. The matter privately accommodated with the Prince the day before Mr. Newnham's motion was to be made. Message from the King ; ftate of the Prince's debts; addrefs to the King for their payment. [104

Motion by Mr. Fox, for repealing the shop tax; supported by Mr. Lambton; reply of Mr. Pitt; motion rejected. Bill brought in for farming the poft-borse duty; meets an early oppoption; Mr. Pitt's defence of the measure, not repugnant to the conflitution, nor dangerous as a precedent; oppofed on the fecond reading by Mr. Marbam, Mr. Lambton, Mr. Baftard, and Mr. Wyndham; bill paffed. Singular petition from debtors in Newgate. Infolvent bill paffes the house of commons; oppofed and rejected in the house of lords; fentiments of the chancellor upon measures of, that nature; of lord Rawdon. Motion by Mr. Grey, relative to abufes in the poft office; facts from the report of the committee; animadverfion by Mr. Fox and Mr. Sheridan upon Mr. Pitt's conduct; retort of the latter upon the coalition; firicture on Mr. Pitt's temporizing with lord North, by Mr. Adam; violent altercation between Mr. Pitt and Mr. Grey; motion of cenfure refpecting the poft office by Mr. Grey; oppofed by lord Maitland

and