Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-10-03

allies; till at last we sec France, that France,
whom he found in state of distraction and
debility, the absolute mistress of all Europe,
holding the keys of all the rivers and ports,
building fleets in places whence from the top
mast may be seen the mouth of the Thames,
and, In short making it y question with US
when and how She will invade us, there being
no one, not even lord Liverpool, that now ev-
cr dreams that we have, or shall have the
power of retaliation, either in the way of act
on menace.
is not this the real state of the case? VIII
any one deny it. Is not this our situation
with regard to France? For what, then,
have there been expended nine hanired mil
ions Of pounds in these wars against France!
If, indeed, the wars had succeeded if he
and his SUCCESSORS of the same school had
diminished the power of France; then there
might have been SO ne room for saving that
there WIS, IN our security from without Il
compensation for the fatal effects of taxation
may, If France had been Kept within her
ancient limits, within the limits in which he
found her but, who is the man that will
| now find 4 consolation for our internal suf-
ferings and degradation Who is the man
| that has the hardihood to look us in the face
and deny, that the whole of this minister's
system has been the most fatal that ever ma
,ion entlGTeds
But, say his advocates, "consider the
difficulties which he had 70 encounter"
do; but, l also consider, that he was the
maker of those difficulties. 1t was he who
made the war with France for, as to the
bubble about the first act of hostility, all the
world knows the worth of that He was the
author of all the difficulties that ensued In
stead OF following the advice of Mr.. Fox, and
others, he pursued his own plans; lie con-
ce e
her finances, he repeatedly predicted, in the
most confident words, her defeat from that
| cause and at the end of 4 wears of this war,
he saw her replcnished with gold and silver,
| while he had to announce to that same Par
| lament that had SO often been charmed bv
his predictions, that the Bank of England
could no longer pay its notes. How often did
he promise this crcdulGus nation "indemni-
| ty fnr the past and security for the future ?''
How often did he say, tllathe could con-
sent to no peace in which both should not
be obtained" Have we obtained it> What
indemnity shall we ever see for our nine hun
dred millions expended i'll these wars, and
| for the flower of the country who have therein
| shed their blood And alas when will
England again know that state which shall
| merit the name of security?
Still there might have been something to
say in his behalf, if he had not been fore
warned of the consequences of his measures
But at every stage, he was SO fOrewarned
lie was told, from the very outset, that
"shouldhe succeed in stifingliberty in France
he would cause the erection of tlespotism
thousand times more dangerous to England
than any free government could be- So
that the consequences were not "such as
no human foresight could reach,' as his adj
vocates have pretended. They could be
foreseen; ave, they were foreseen and fore
told; and the only answer those who fore
told them received was, that they were jaco-
bins, friends of France, traitors, and athe-
lists, and as such were they treated; till, at
last, scarcely any man dared TO open his
lips in opposition to any measure of the Min
ister
And yet we are now to be told that it is
calumny to deny that he was great man!
We arc to have before our ewes this depicra-
bic situation of our country we are to be-
hold the situation of the Bank where paper
is exchanged for paper; we are to hear one
OF his own creatures acknowledge in print,
that the Bank notes have deprecated three
shillings in the pound, nd that the fund'hol-
ders received them in this state with the GER,
tainty of daily further depreciation we are
to see the East India Company, which ne
promised ms should contribute towards the
lament for assistance out of the taxes we
are to have fresh in our memories his loan
to Boyd and Benlicld of !. 40, coo of the public
money, without interest, to enable them 10
make good loan to that Public, upon which
they received interest; we are to see him
sliding out of Office while Mr. Addington
made peace and funded the sums for which
the Income Tax was pledged, and, after
wards joining his own old opponents to put
Mr.. Addington's colleagues out Of place, com
ing in himself with part of Mr.. A. colleagues
whom he had declared weak and inefficient
we arc tn see him set out with professions in ia
vorofParliamentary Reform < we are after
wards TO hear his evidence in the case of MIR.
Horn Tooke who was tried for his life under
his administration. for endeavouring toaccom-
plish that which he had originally brought
forward in conjunction with that very Mr..
Tooke we are to see him in a minority on
the question of the Slave Trade; we are to
have upon record all his predictions about
French assgnats, all his military projects
we are to remember his cars and catamar-
ans, and sympathetic battaions and, with
all this and thousand other proofs of his
real character before us, we are to be ca
lumniators five deny him the title Of great
man.
The public expectation is on tiptoe. 1t