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this country teaches us to fear, and our policy calls
on us to countered. It may be here ark eel, Are
ye, on the principles I have laid down, to wage
an eterail war ? I anfwer, that, on the principles
I h ive rived, it is clear that there is an eternal
refolution on the part of the French to dellroy
this country, and I am unable to fee any other
alternative. The French have denounced deltruc-
tiaa againa us, and have marked out this country
for annihilation, under the title of the new Car-
thage, by the arms of modern Romc. None here
are l
• a. morant of the policy adopted by the Romans'
is the fulnugatton of their formidable rival. They
cubdued them point by point, always terminating
a t;lorinus war by an advantageous Peace. Every
ne.,
,tv of the war was attended with new advan-
tage to the conqueror, and Carthage at laft fell
unJer the dominion of a power which never loft
ippt of the great objet of univerfal empire. The
example of the fate of this once powerful people
leids us to compare the continuance of the war
the conclufion of peace. It cannot be denied
that in fix mon-hs we may again be forced into
war. Let gentlemen recollect in what fituation we
Mill be placed on the profpeet of renewing the
contell. We have let out of our hands every thing •
that could at all give us fecurity, and this is the
footing on which we may be called upon to con-
tend with an enemy fo enormoufly encreafed in
territory and in power. The queftion then is, Are
we in a fituation better fitted to renew the war
after furrendering all there objeas, or to have con
tinned it with all there poffeffions in our hands ?
Having thus given up every acipaitition, all that
we have to oppofe to French aggrandizement is
our ancient commerce and refources. We are, it
feems, in poffeffion of a pyramid of gold which
can never be de llroyed : we have a fouree of wealth
which aquiv.dent to every exertion ; we may
open to French manufacturers the markets of all
Europe, may fuller her flops to enter the ports
of every part of the world, and Rill we (hall bet
enabled to oinftrip them in the career of com
mercial enterprife. I am far, Sir, from wifhing
to undervalue the importance of commercial capi-
tal. I know that a fuperiority once gained, it is
long before the contea can be conducted on terms of
equality. But will Bonaparte permit this great eon-
tell of indultry and capital to befairly con Ititted; or
will he not decide the Woe by the fword ? Wealth,
it mull never be forgotten, is a means of carry-
ing on War, but wealth will not protect a nation
from injury and deftruetion. Laying all& then
every other confederation, I (hall at prefent fup-
pole our great object to be fecurity. I alk for no
more than plain, downright, grovelline. fecurity
Well, then—if France, aiming at umv a-fat em-
pire, has a defiga for the overthrow of this coun-
try, the queftion comes to be Cutely abc,ut the dif•
ference of the expence of continuing the War, con-
dated according to the turn which it had neeef-
Emily taken ; or the maintenance of a Peace Vial -
lifhment founded on principles calculated to afford
full fecurity, and confequently large and exten-
five. Let economy be as great as rt can be con-
fillently with the public fafety,in the fupport of this
eitablithment the expence cannot be materially
different from a war expenditure. The (tate of
the two countries calls for fuch a huge eflablifh
ment, the fecurity of all that is dear to us de-
mands it. What then is the advantage derived
from fuch an ellabliffiment t It merely procures
to . the advantage of an armed truce, and this
is at: !rat the Peace propofes to fecure. But what
advantages, on the other hand, would dre conti-
nuance of the war hold out to Ili It would have
prevented all communication with the enemy, and
of confequence laved us from the contagion of
their principles. It would have left us in puffeffion
of our prefent extended commerce, that is to fir. ,
the commerce of the whole world. It would have
put us in a fituation to have availed ourfelves of
the chances of war; for Curdy, Sir, if there arc
drinces in time of peace, the number of there
chances is much increafed during the continuance
of a war. Gentlemen are much accultorned to
expatiate on the wealth, the energies, the re-
((nieces of the nation ; but when I hear it affertcd
that we were in fuch a fituation that we mull have
made Peace, I am formaimes at a lol's to know it
what the wealth fo much boated of confifte. It
lliis wealth does exit, if there energies are awake,
ii there refources can be brought into activity,
barely, Sir, there never was a period when they
could with more propriety be ernpl sycd than at
a moment when our existence as a ',Lion is at
Rah,. I have already trefpafTed too Ii ng on your
time, (a loud cry of boar ! hear! p oh, go on),
but there is one point to which 11h fl.ortly ad-
vert, though it is a fabled to which I cannot allude
without pain. Thcrc is a icfcript' n of .nen who
have been wholly negleAlcd and deferted in tile
Houle, who from the zeal and ennltancy of thei,
attachment to the Royal Family of France, ap
pear to me deferving of the interference of this
country in their behalf in any treaty of peace.—
N. tetwithllanding all the hardfhips and the priva-
tions thee have endured, notwithfianding the con
Raney of their attachment to the caufe they en i
Iginally embraced, notwithstanding their Deady
co-operation with the Britifn forces during the was .
theft men thus powerfully recommended to the
national proteeti..4l, have had their fate wholly dif-
regarded by the Ministers in forming the prefent
treat-,
y I think, Sit, the dereliction of the into
t... 11 of there men is extremely difgraceful to thi
Conine!. I protefl againtt it, as fuch; and I free
nirfelf him the moll dillant idea of countenan
tie!: lach iregleft. At leap, Sir, it would not !ums
be. Is o much to have Itipalated a fafe return t
tl.••ie country, to men who have deferred fu well
nt us by their viruses and their attachment. I
.re thassbir, thought it my duty to Rate my fen-
tenants ore Houle on tile fuojeft oldie Peace.
c..ing
the dangers og fuch a Peace, I
I' us, ‘onetived that I owed an avowal of my fen
rani: ins, not merely in duty to myfclf, but ail:
in,ac in linty to the Country. Throughout the
vd. le of the cornett in which wehave been engaged.
I inink the chief fault has been, that the pcuplt
lave licycr been fufficiently aware of their danger.
W filling an end to die war, they never have full;
ullaweJ themfelves to reflea on thole dan-
.ere which might flow from the return of rc4cc.

The dantrs of the lattet dercription they have
too often 'viewed as contingent, while they have
been in the habit of contemplating the dangers of
war as certain and ruinous.

Mr. WILBFR FORCE, after gprokfling very high
regard for the Right Hon. Gentleman who had
jait fat down, complained a good kcal of the I in-
guage held by him and thufe of his way of think-
ing upon thi; occafion. The arguments urged by
the Right Honourable Gentleman went exprekly
to prove the impolicy of Peace at the prefent mo.
ment upon any terms whatever. But the Right
Honourable Geuticman, at periods when the dam '
gers apprehended by him were far more formi-
dable, had exprefsly countenanced the meafure of
a negotiation with the Republic of France. War
might loon break out again, but though he cer-
tainly forefaw that it would, he would heartily
fupport the prefent Peace. The people of Eng-
land would thus be convinced that their Govern-
ment was mild and paternal, and would be in-
duced, at all future periods, to Rand up by it to
the Ida. Mr. Wilberforce then took a comprc.
henfive view of the confequences of continuing the
contea, and concluded that our dangers, great as
• they now are, would thus be greatly encreafed.—
He afterwards entered into a conlideratiun of the
terms, which he pronounced advantageous and
honourable.—He gave Minbiers particular credit
for the good faith they had !hewn to all our Al-
lies. The future hiftorian, he Paid, would cele-
brate their moderation and firmnelc, and would
afcribe the oppofition they met with to party fpi.
nit, or an osier-heated imagination. lie made
fume more particular ITMA:ks upon the articles
rerpening Egypt and Trinidad. The fita, he
trufted, did not pledge as to go to war in favour
of the Porte, if ever his integrity armlet be vio-
lated ; and the fccond gave him great uneafiners,
as it might throw an additional ohltacle in the way
of the abolition of the Slave Trade. Ile knew
from the bell anthority, he laid, that, to bring
Trinidad into a nate of cultivation, hefides oto
millions of capital, We would require no fewer
than a million of Haves. He concluded, by de-
ploring the depravity of tire times, and calling
upon all ranks to Rand up in defence of religion
and morality.
Donor Laws ENCE ftid, that no articles he had
ever Peen were Co vague and indefinite as thole of
the Preliminary Treaty with France ; and from
that very circumftance he had entertained a hope
that the dangers of the peace would be farther re-
moved from us. But this hope vanifhed, when
he raw the Marquis Cornwallis fent hound hand
and foot to Amiens. He would not helltate to
alert, that no treaty had ever been made that
was not infinitely preferable to thole articles in
queition. The Treaty of Utrecht, for which the
perfons who had made it were impeached, pro-
vided for the interea of Great Britain more cl-
fennally than the prefent. What, he would all:,
mull be the (late of this country—what her means
of defence, after Peace !horrid be concluded
?
An argument was ufed, that we had no longer
any chance of fuccefs in carrying on the war, and
therefore mull make peace on the terms propofed
by France ; yet in the fame breath the Houfc was
told that our fuceelres, previous to this event, were
the molt glorious and brilliant ever known ; and
that the Government had (hewn a lingular proof
of its juftice and moderation in the tenons it hid
made. He wilted Gentlemen would confider the •
erica of this peace as far as it regarded other
countries over which France exerciiid her domi-
nion. How fhould we now be able to prevent
France from keeping poffeffion of Holland ? Bc-
fides, the terms now exiting between France
and Holland were thole of a dcfenfive and of
calve atliacce againft Great Britain, and not
againft any other country. The trade and reve- 1
nuts of Holland were diminithed in a great de-
gree ; and this very diarers was the more formi- I
Liable, becatti.e it gave France greater power over
that country. It was not alone the cxtoninn of
:erritory on the part of France that was to be
dreaded ; the had almott on every flit of her a let
of affiliated Republics, which flue could at any I
time make Me of. She had her feeders and her
claws, which the could at any time thrtra out for ,
the pupae of making them caul-. a difference be- •
tweets her and this country ; which might end in •
another war. It by making peace now, we timid
relax our efforts, and get into another war, what
human power, he would a(k, was there that could
five this country? France, during the war, could •
• ot repair her (battered navy ; we had great power
ever her; we confined their fnips w ithin her ports,
we cramped all her efforts to become a nawl
powe: : but once make peace, and all thefe ad-,,
vantages were gone ; and France would loon be
enabled to prepare the means for our &amnion.
Every thing that bad been done tended only to •
inereafe the power of our enemies, and export us
to their fowl,: att.tcks. The (silent:4l;on of Eng-
land was difplayed in the fplenoid equipage of •
Lord Cornwallis on his way to Paris, which, by
exhibiting the wealth of England, invited military
attack ; while the Ltitentation of Bonaparte con-
soled of tome of his belt grenadiers Icattered along
the roads to receive the Noble Lord, and at the •
fame time to thew that France was capable and
ready to make the attack.
Mr. WILMIK MRCS explained.
Mr. Eeror raid, he w.ts defirotts WI night to
have delivered his feotiments on the fubjeet now
before the Houle, and had he had an opporttinity
of doing fo, he fhould perhaps have gone into the
queftion more at length than he fhould attempt at
prefent. He fhould, however, now be fhort in
what he offered to the Houk, becnufe beeves aware
that any attempt from him to offer an additional
trgivenent, would not only be limper !Thous hot al-
molt prefumption, after the able manner in which
the tub en laid been dircioded ahead)! : however,
be could not reconcile it to himfelf to gice a flout
vote—He felt is common with many other per-
tlins, gloomy and &fig-riding apprehenfions—The
kw he I.ad of this falM:n. icJ him to differ widc-
.y in opinion loom th,.f., w hn appinve.: at the Pre-
an:Marks of Peace now belie the Hoof.. lle
footed and hoped, that a period wool,' come,
when Gentlemen in Adrninittration would adopt ,
a I) dem lull of vigor. tirmnefs. and vigilance. '

' not only as far as regarded the Internal Govern-
ment of the Country, but alto would be guided
by that wife and well-directed jealoufy of the
over-reaching fpirit of that Power, with which
we had juft agreed upon Preliminaries of Peace.
Having laid this, as to his hope of the future
conduct of Government, he mutt now, in a taw
words, give his opinion of the Peace, and he pro-
taled for one, he conceived the mealirre to be'
almoll abfolute and unqualified ruin to this Coun-
try. He knew that PROVIDENCF had frequently,
had often favoured mankind, when it was leall
expected, and lometimes thatched a whole Na-
tion from feemingly inevitable ruin ; we there-
fore might pray, that PROVIDENCE may refeue us
in this cafe, from the deltrudion, which he thought :
we were threatened with. The Preliminaries now
before the Houfe, pall over in a cautious and
careful oblivion, all the objeds of the war, after a
flrugglc for almott nine years, and into which we
were forced for cv try thing that could he efleemed
valuable to an Inds oendant Nation. After all, the
flruggle had been Bopped, and concluded by a!
mere Colonial Arrateeement, and in which we had
left France greater C Refourccs than the
had before at any tree poll-died. We had left
her fuch Maritime Rea. Irces as would furnifli her
with the means of arrisang .at that pre-eminent
Itrength, by which this country had hitherto not
only maintained her own independence and power,
hut by which the had been enabled to Alia and
protea much of the liberty of Europe. This
Treaty had proceeded upon a principle that was
molt alarming, for it had abrogated ahnoil all
the power of the States of Europe, and by which
most of them held their Crowns, and by which
we alio had lolt all the fecnrities which we had ac-
quired in the courfe of the war. He confetfed,
that in whatever light he viewed this fubjed. it'
appeared to him highly objeationable. Ha, pro-
trated the danger seemed to him to increala
! upon confideration of it. By this 'Pricey we re-
cognized ourfelves as a fubordinate Nation in
Eurepe—a power fecondary to France : that alone
would be fufficicnt matter of ferious apprehentian
to him ; and did any Gentleman believe that we
could long Rand in that flotation ? This was a
great, powerful, and rich Country : it was too
great, too powerful, too rich, too much hated,
and too much envied, to find any fafety in humi-
liation. We had furrendered Malta and abandon-
ed the Mediterranean, and by our relinquifhirg
the Mediterranean, we had abandoned three
quarters of the globe, fo well conneded by that
central fca. He knew not what frefh fources of
confidence, where Gentlemen found they could
rcpofe more tru t in the power they could not
tiara a few months ran. He law no mitigation
in the ambition, or in the audacity of eitterprize,
or malignity of intrigue. Was it in Holland, in
the new Conflitution of Holland, that this fource
ofeonSdence in French integrity was to be found ?
Or was it Switzerland? Or in the tragicomic
fcene of the kingdom of Etruria—by which a new
King was created to bring into contempt Monar-
chy itfelf—buthe fhould keep frith with the Horace,
he fhould not go much further into this part of
the fubjel, but in whatever way he could fee this
meafure, in whatever point of view he looked at it,
he could fee in it nothing but an imprudent, a waia-
ful, a wanton,and unneceflaryfacritice of thelionour
and of the inter-al 5 of this country, in order to ac-
quire a deluave and tranfient repofe without fecu-
ay, but at the ritk of the permanent fafety and
profperity of the Nation.
The SACRETARY at WAR raid, he regretted ex-
tremely the defponding langtfage he had heard
that night. Our dangers were great, but there
was no room Pk delpondence. He confider cd this
the moft important occafion on which Parliament
had been alfembled lince the Revolution ; but if
wisdom guided its meafures, there was nothing to
be feared. After palling a very high eulogium
upon Mr. Windham, he proceeded to expects how
lorry he was to find that he differed in opinion
from that Right Hon. Gentleman. He did not
doubt, however, but that by his prcfcnt condud
he might continue to do ellantial fervice to his
country. The people had given themfelves up to
joy with too little reftraint, and had too generally
imagined that all danger was pall It was praiser
that their eyes fhould be opened, and that they
Ihnuld be made fallible of the dltliculties they
would have to encounter after the arrival of Peace.
The Right Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to
combat the politions, that at this moment it was
improper to treat, and that we had not obtained
adequate terms. He afterwards went on to Phew
that the pictures of our danger from French ag-
grandizement were greatly overcharged. He laid
we fhould be as fecure as any State could be, in
the prefent unhappy circumftances of Europe. Our
dangers from abroad would be warded off by a
mixture of firmnefs and conciliation, and our dan-
gers at home by tie enadwn: tf cobotfirme law:. Per-
haps fume might think that a better fyflern of at-
fence, both for the mother country and our fo-
reign pollatiions than any hitherto known, might I
yet be difcuvered. Certaialy there was nothina
chimerical in die hope that, by the adifiance of able I
otlicers,ourprefent plansmight be greatly improved.
Hoceousr lupported the Preliminaries of
Peace. He was fine that Minißers, in the great
meafure which they had jult completed, had ben
aauated by the bell and matt laudable motives ;
they appeared to him not to have been influenced i
by a vain claire of popularity ; they let poralarity
take its proper place in the procealian it fellow.
ed, but did not lead them. Hr walled however,
to be underilood to freek only of this meafure,
but at the fame time he had great hopes that the
red of their candeat would correfpond with that
which had alven Inch waved:ll farisfaarice, and
that there would he none of theft incroaraments
upon the Contlitution which had been abided to
by fome Gentlemen. At relent, he flroald not
trouble the Houle any farther, cecept to fay, that
he highly approved of the Peace, an of the con-
duct of I:1+ altijeay's Minalers.
Mr. ter: s, in allulion to what had fallen from
Mr. Elliot laid, the gloom and delpondency which
that Hon. Gentleman had expreired for the conic-
quences of the Peace, and the fallen charier and
humble frit of the country, inftead of infcaing

this country by fimilar r nt'mei ts, ought, in his
mind, and he hoped would, : ink the fliirit of thb
Briti'll people to vigilance an.l pattiotic ardour.
Ile however glanced over the Preliriinai ics of
Peace, which be treated with tome degree of 1.4:-
verity—at the fame time that he gave credit to
iii, Majefly's IViinifters for the heft intention in the
Treaty they had fen med. He litid, however, that
he ha.! fecn a firing of articles in print, purpiirt-
mg to be fecret articles of the Ti cat y, whi..h, how.
ever, he hoped were unfoninied, .ti they would
be highly degrading to linglmel.
Lord IlawKESMUlts, in allufion to fome.thing
wl.ich had fallen Com an Ili inourthle Friend of'
his in the ceurfe of debate, in v‘lliell he bid flared
that France had nainifelled a total difinclination
to treat at all for .f. fun-endcr of certain tcrlito-
ries the had conquered from Belgium, and on the
Banks of the Scheldt, laid, though they had been
propofed in firmer treaties, and partici:bole that
of Lille, they had i.sade sin part whatever in the
prod ot. the prefent :teary ; an I as to the articles
in print al'uzled to by the Honourable ;1.,. mher
who fpoke Lill, he could azure Fa they were ut-
terly void of foundation.
Mr. Dawsom fa id he rote to ply his nitrite to
thole Miniflers who had conludeila Peace, v licit
appeared to him to meet univert'll et,.l,:ii4..•ien in
this Country, and lin seas cualiZed to fay, ,:. t in
that past of the United. Nii:gdorn sail whieh he
was more peculiarly coutteCied, that the iity. at the
Peace was at leaft equal to that which was felt in
this Country. He was in Ireland when the news
of the Peace artived there, and he could ut.der-
take to fty, that he did not meet a man who seas
well a (reeled to the Government, that is to fay to
the Coniiitlition, who did not re;flice at it. It was
not, perhaps, right for him, as an Ilifit Member,
to enter into a &bullion of the origin of tha War,
and the condtia of the B:itifil Miaiff-ic lien,re :lie
Union had ta'e..n place, lint lic Llt bimiCif lull!
ja. Vied in giving bis decLicel :pivots:salon to a
mcafure which he thought calculated to pe::.luce
the molt h.niefichil effeCts to the United Kingdfm,
and elpecially to that part of it to which he ;lad
the honour mi,re particularly to belong. If be
were afked whether he thought this PLACE likely
to be fecure ? he had nn helitation in anfwering
that quellion in the affirmative. With regard to
tile terms, he had fuch ar. opinion of the prefent
Adminifiration, that he was convinced they were
as good as could be obtained. l'pon the whole,
he Ihould give this Peace, which he conficiered as
particularly nece.Tary for Ireland, his hearty ap-
probation.
Mr. W. WYNNE laid, that after fo many Gen-
tlernen had fo fully and fo ably fpoken upon this
fuhjel, he certainly was unable to add any thing
new upon it, but he could not give a filent vote.
Ile could not look upon the Peace with the fame
fen:imcnts of fatisfadion as many Cent' - • on had
done, bccaufe he though: it was one big with dan-
ger to the Country.
Colonel Wool) laid, that to form a correCt judg-
ment of the fubjen, we mull confider nut merely
the relative fituations of France and England, but
of thehe Countries in refpeet to other Powers of
Europe.—France he co.lidered as invulnerable
to any attack from England for the porpok of
abridging her Continental power; but he ixlieved
few Gentlemen contidered every part of the United
Kingdom, as well as of our cxtenfive Colonies,
as equaily fccure from France—Undoubtedly by
blockading her ports, and deftroying her trade,
France might have been induced, within fume in-
definite time, to accede to better teirns than the
prefent,but that the dangers and evils likely to arife
from lengthening the conteft , no terms could in his
mind compenlhte for. The addition of 40 millions
a year to our national debt, exclutive of keeping
many hundred thoulands of our moft valuable
fubjeas idle,who could be employed in tugs iculture,
manufaCtures, and the improvement of the coun-
try—confidering she *trent Rate of our finances,
as well as burthcns of the people, were weighty
rcafons with his Majefty's Minifters for conclud-
ing the prefent Peace. But there were many
other cogent reafons, in the prcfcnt political hate
of Europe,which he conceived jullified hisMajo ft y's
Minitters, in putting an end to to ruinous a conteft.
Gentlemen cannot have fo loon forgotten the con-
federacy of the Northern Powers to defirey tie
moll important interefis of this Country ; and, al-
though the conteft is for the prefent at an end,
may we not rcafonably conk:elute that Denmark
and Sweden are not Rill fo well difpofed towar,is
us, as their own real interc(ts ought to have led
them to be ?
Ruffia, although governed by a wife and Jolt
Prince, yet who would flake the fecurity of their
country upon the life of an individual ? What re.
liance could be had iilion the creaked policy cf
Pruflia ? and Aultria, had the even the ability, has
the Bill the inclination to renew the conteft ? Could
we expal horn Turkey any important affiftance,
at a time when the can fearcely prevent her own
tottering empire from Calling t i pieces ?
I'sider thick untoward eireunitialwee, was Eng-
land to wage war againfi Fi.oicc, for the objeCt of
reduciag her Continental Power, at the time that
thcfc Powers upon the Continent rnoft interelled
had theasfelves confirmed it :—Such conduEt
would, i.s his opinion, have been more wild and
more ehimeti,:a!, than the adventures of Dort
cerixote? No pelfun more regretted the over.
gross n power of France, hut no one could forefer,
but th us very power which is at prefent fo for-
midahle, not only to this Country bur to En:rope;
may contain in it the feeds of its own diffoity ion.
—ln regard to the cow-picas which were to be re.
floret!, excepting the Wand of Maita. none at--
peared to him to he very material to the inter( Its
•'t this country. That Bland. from its firuatinr,
lot t7fications, and hart:Jur, seas invaluable to this
cour:ry ; and In long as we held potletfion ie 0,
Fiance could never look towards Egypt an I 'yiia
as the road to molefl us in India. rho L rant
Trade, although at prefent inconfidere:ble, was,
he hclicvcd, chic!!y to he attributed to tare ni,,ft
ortsvife monopoly granted to the Turkey Com-
I pane, whin neither ufe it hetfc If. and by thci ch ,r-
-er precluded others from benefiting. As ti• the
Wen India Wands, we had hill as many of them
as could be fur the Uncivil of the country ; atAll