affembly, fubiccting veffels laden with provifions to be carried into their ports, and making enemy's goods lawful prize in the vellel of a friend, contrary to our treaty, though revoked at one time as to the United States, has been fince extended to their veffels alto, as has been recently ftated to us. Reprefentations on this fübject will be immediately given in charge to our minifter there, and the refult will be communicated to the legislature.

It is with extreme concern I have to inform you, that the proceedings of the perfon whom they have unfortunately appointed their minifter plenipotentiary here, have breathed nothing of the friendly fpirit of the nation which fent him; their tendency on the contrary has been to involve us in a war abroad, and difcord and anarchy at home. So far as his acts, or hofe of his agents, have threatened our immediate commitment in the war, er flagrant infult to the authority of the laws, their effect has been counteracted by the ordinary cognizance of the laws, and by an exertion of the powers confided to me. Where their danger was not imminent, they have been borne with, from fentiments of regard to his nation, from a fenfe of their friendship towards us, from a conviction that they would not fuffer 'us to remain long expofed to the action of a perfon who has fo little refpected our mutua fpofitions, and, I will add, from a reliance on the firmness of my fellowcitizens in their principles of peace and order. In the mean time I have refpected and purfued the ftipulations of our treaties, according to what I judged their true fenfe; and have withheld no act of friendhip which their affairs have called for from us, and which justice to others left us free to perform. I have gone further; ather than employ force for the reftitution of certain veffels which I deemed -the United States bound to restore, I thought it more advifeable to fatisfy the parties, by avowing it to be my opinion, that if reftitution were not made, it would

be incumbent on the United States to make compenfation. The papers now communicated will more particularly apprize you of thefe tranfactions.

The vexations and fpoliation underflood to have been committed on our veffels and commerce by the cruizers and officers of fome of the belligerent powers, appeared to require attention. The proofs of thefe, however, not having been brought forward, the defcription of citizens fuppofed to have fuffered were notified, that, on furnishing them to the executive power, due meafures would be taken to obtain redrefs of the paft, and more effectual provifions against the future. Should fuch documents be furnished, proper reprefentations will be made thereon, with a jufst reliance on a redrefs proportioned to the exigency of the cafe.

The British government having undertaken by orders to the commanders of their armed vellels to rettrain generally our commerce in corn and other provifions to their own ports and thofe of their friends, the inftructions now communicated were immediately forwarded to our minister at that court. In the mean time fome difcuffions on the fubject took place between him and them: thefe are alfo laid before you; and I may expect to learn the refult of his fpecial inftructions in time to make it known to the legislature during their present feffion.

Very early after the arrival of a British minifter here, mutual explanations on the execution of the treaty of peace were entered into with that minifter, these are now laid before you for your information.

On the fubjects of mutual interest between this country and Spain, negociàtions and conferences are now depending. The public requiring that the prefent ftate of these should be made known to the legislature in confidence only, they fhall be the subject of a separate and subfequent communication.

GEO. WASHINGTON,

thither accordingly, his majefty was pleased

to make the following moft gracious fpeech:

My lords and gentlemen,

The circumftances under which you are now affembled require your molt ferious attention. We

We are engaged in a conteft on the iffue of which depend the maintenance of our conftitution, laws, and religion, and the fecurity of all civil fociety.

You must have obferved with fatiffaction the advantages which have been obtained by the arms of the allied powers, and the change which has, taken place in the general fituation of Europe fince the commencement of the war.

The United Provinces have been protected from invafion. The Auftrian Netherlands have been recovered and maintained, and places of confiderable importance have been acquired on the frontier of France.

The recapture of Mentz, and the fubfequent fuccefles of the allied armies on the Rhine, have, notwith!tanding the advantages recently obtained by the enemy in that quarter, proved highly beneficial to

the common caufe.

'Powerful-efforts have been made by my allies in the fouth of Europe; the temporary poffeffion of the town and port of Toulon has greatly diftreffed the operations of my enemies; and in the circumftances attending the evacuation of that place, an important and decifive blow has been given to their naval power by the conduct, abilities, and fpirit of my commanders, officers, and forces, both by fea and land.

The French have been driven from their poffeffions and fishery at Newfoundland; and important and valuable acquifitions have been made both in the east and west Indies.

'At fea our superiority has been undifputed, and our commerce fo effectually protected, that the loffes fuftained have been inconfiderable in proportion to its extent, and to the captures made on the contracted trade of the enemy.

"The circumftances by which the further progrefs of the allies has been hitherto impeded, not only prove the neceffity of vigour and perfeverance on our part, but at the same time confirm the expectation of ultimate fuccefs.

"Our enemies have derived the means of temporary exertion from a fyftem which has enabled them to difpofe arbitrarily of the lives and property of a numerous people, and which openly violates every reftraint of juftice, humanity, and religion. But thefe efforts, productive as they neceffarily have been of internal difcontent and confufion in France, have also tended rapidly to exhaust the natural and real ftrength of that country,

Although I cannot but reg ceffary continuance of the war, ill confult the effential interefts of my, ple, if I were defirous of peace on any grounds but fuch as may provide for their permanent fafety, and for the independ. ence and fecurity of Europe.

The attainment of thefe ends is still obftructed by the prevalence of a system in France equally incompatible with the happinefs of that country, and with the tran quillity of all other nations.

Under this impreflion, I thought proper to make a declaration of the views and principles by which I am guided :- I have ordered a copy of this declaration to be laid before you, together with copies of feveral conventions and treaties with dif ferent powers, by which you will perceive how large a part of Europe is united in a caufe of fuch general concern.

I reflect with unspeakable fatisfaction on the steady loyalty and firm attachment to the established conftitution and government, which, notwithtanding the continued efforts employed, to mislead and to feduce, have been fo generally prevalent among all ranks of my people. Thefe fentiments have been eminently manifested in the zeal and alacrity of the militia to provide for our internal defence, and in the diftinguished bravery and fpirit difplayed on every occafion by my forces both by fea and land: they have maintained the luftre of the British name, and have fhewn themselves worthy of the bleffings which it is the object of all our exertions to preferve.'

'Gentlemen of the house of commons,

I have ordered the neceffary estimates and accounts to be laid before you; and I am perfuaded you will be ready to make fuch provifion as the exigencies of the time may require. I feel too fenfibly the repeated proofs which I have received of the affection of my fubjects not to lament the neceffity of any additional burthens.

It is however a great confolation to me to observe the favourable state of the revenue, and the complete fuccefs of the meafure which was last year adopted for removing the embarrassments affecting commercial credit.

Great as must be the extent of our exertions, I trust you will be enabled to provide for them in fuch a manner as to avoid any preffure which could be feverely felt by my people.

My lords, and gentlemen, In all your deliberations you will undoubtedly bear in mind the true grounds and

and origin of the war. An attack was made on us and on our allies, founded on principles which tend to destroy all property, to fubvert the laws and religion of every civilized nation, and to introduce univerfally that wild and destructive fyltem of rapine, anarchy, and impiety, the effects of which, as they have already been manifefted in France, furnith a dreadful, but useful leffon to the prefent age and to pofterity.

It only remains for us to perfevere in our united exertions-their difcontinuance or relaxation could hardly procure even a short interval of delufive repote, and could never terminate in fecurity of peace.

Impreffed with the neceffity of defend ing all that is most dear to us, and relying, as we may with confidence, on the valour and refources of the nation, on the continued efforts of fo large a part of Europe, and above all on the incontestable justice of our caufe, let us render our conduct a contraft to that of our enemies, and by cultivating and practising the principles of humanity and the duties of religion, endeavour to merit the continuance of the divive favour and protection, which have been fo eminently experienced by thefe kingdoms.'

In the houfe of lords the addrefs was moved by the earl of Stair, and feconded by lord Auckland. What was faid by each of thefe noble lords was chiefly a recapitulation of the heads of the fpeech. The latter nobleman, however, made one remarkable obfervation: speaking of the expences of the French, he stated, that the expences of one of their committees for one month only, exceeded the whole expenditure of this country during the late campaign, and that in one year it had amounted to as much as our national debt. On the other hand, our revenues had exceeded this last year the average of five years peace.

The earl of Guilford faid, that he faw no reason why the war fhould be further profecuted on our part; for if we adhered to the principles and to the ends propofed when we engaged in it, they had been fully attained, as appeared by a part of his majefty's fpeech. As Holland was now fafe, and the Auftrian Netherlands reftored, he could not conceive that we had any further grounds to carry on the war; but it was too apparent that the real intentions of minifters were to endeavour to restore to France her ancient form of government, although it was conftantly

urged laft feffion, that the protection. of our allies, and the fecurity of our own dominions, were the fole caufe of the part we took in the war, and that we had no intention to interfere with the interior government of France. If, however, the intentions of minifters were as he had itated it, and as it appeared by the manifeftoes published in the south of France, he feared it could only end in our own deftruction. He concluded by moving an amendment to the addrefs in thele words: That an humble addrefs be prefented to his majelty, humbly praying his majelly to take the earliest opportunity of concluding a peace with France, upon fuch terms as his majesty hall, in his royal wisdom, judge prudent and fecure; that whe. ever fuch terms fhall be propofed, no obstacle may arife from the exilience of any particular form of government in that country.'

་

The duke of Portland faid, that the intereft of this country required the most effectual profecution of the war; it being a war, in which our dearest and most facred rights were at take.

Earl Spencer applauded minifters for the uncommon ability of their condu&t during the len campaign. He faid, they had atchieved that which in the reign of queen Anne was the matter-piece of policy; and they had brought about a great combination of powers to oppose the progrefs of the French carnage and devaltation: they had alfo, in a great meafure, ftopped the mifchief of the diffemination of French principles, the effects of which had abolifhed religion and humanity in France.

Lord Derby role to fecond the amendment. He faid, it was plain that we were fighting for the aggrandifement of the houfe of Auftria, and it was not afcertained that they would profecute the war much longer. The king of Pruffia had declared that he would not enter the field again unless paid by this nation. Would this nation confent to that, as it had already confented to pay the king of Sardinia for protecting his own kingdom? In refpect to the perfons with whom we were to negociate a peace, which has all along been the obftacle offered by the friends of this war, it was very natural to conclude that we must treat with the perfons who are entrusted with the executive power of France, with the perfons with whom we are at war. All nations had hitherto deemed it fafe to treat with the ruling power of a country, by whatever means it had attained that power.

The

The duke of Norfolk faid a few words in favour of the amendment.

Lord Kinnoul and lord Abingdon sup ported the addrefs.

Earl Stanhope not only thought that we could and ought to treat with the prefent government of France, but would go much further, in order that it might be no longer a difficulty whom we were to treat with, or how we were to treat: he therefore gave notice, that on Thursday next he meant to move that an humble addrefs be prefented to his majesty, humbly praying that his majefty would be pleafed to acknowledge the republic of France.

Lord Grenville expreffed his readiness to meet his noble relation ou this question. Lord Lauderdale infifted, that the conduct of minifters toward the power of France, was the primary caufe of the war; the recalling of our ambaffador and the difmiffion of M. Chauvelin the French minifter, were the caufes of war. He next alluded to the ftretch of arbitrary power that had been exerted in fome late trials in this country, and made fome severe reflections on the conduct of the judges who prefided at those trials, pledging himself to bring those matters to a complete investigation upon a future occafion.

The earl of Mansfield faid, that it ought to be a fixed principle, that we should make no treaty with any perfons that had not the power to secure the observance of fuch treaty; and could any man be abfurd enough to expect that we could be fecured by the prevailing party of France? We had feen that those who were the leading men in France laft winter, had been deftroyed by another faction, who, in turn, were already tottering. It had been known that nations had treated with ufurpers, but then it was with ufurpers that poffeffed power to maintain thofe treaties. Oliver Cromwell was an ufurper, but he poffeffed the executive government, and exercited it for the benefit of his country. This war had been improperly called a war of kings; for it was, in his opinion, a war of much greater magnitude; a war in which every man was interested who had any thing to defend against the attacks of those who had nothing. He trusted that their lordships would not agree to a negociation for peace, as it would be an indelible difgrace to the nation, and kave us at the mercy of a molt defpicable and cruel fet of men, who fcrupled not to violate all principles of law, justice, and eligion.

The marquis of Lanfdown alluded to the American war to prove his arguments against the war with France.

Lord Hardwicke read a part of the fpeech of king William in the latt parliament of his reign the circumftances of that time were nearly fimilar to the prefent, in regard to the confequence of the decrtion of the British parliament: the eyes of all Europe were fixed upon England, and fo they were now; and he thought that no friend to his country could defire to make peace with the present faction of France.

Lord Grenville, in anfwer to the allegations of a noble lord (Lauderdale) entered into the origin of that war, which he thewed was not the effect of sending away M. Chauvelin, as itated by that noble lord; but in confequence of the unprovoked attack of the French on our al- ́ lies, it was deemed a jut and neceffary war, and nothing had happened fince that could make it lefs fo. He went into the declaration of M. Briffot, and his exculpatory appeal publifhed in May laft, and read feveral extracts from it, completely contradicting his former fpeeches and declaration. He then took a view of the ftate of the executive power of France, which is in the management of the committee of public welfare and the committee of general fafety: he fhewed the unlimited power of each he alluded to what had heen confidered as a great crush to the tyranny of the ancient government, namely, the deftruction of the Battile, where two ftate prifoners once were found, but the prefent number of perfons now confined in the different parts of France, he computed at 200,000. In Paris alone, 5000 are confined, merely under fulpicion. He then fhewed the impoffibility of making peace with the prefent government of France; for they had decreed the punishment of death to whomsoever should dare to propofe to treat for peace with any nation, who should not previously acknowledge, first, the fovereignty of the people; fecondly, the unity and indivifibility of the republic; and thirdly, which was the worst of all, to acknowledge that unity and indivifibility, founded on the principe of liberty and equality. A peace, grounded upon fuch preliminaries, (which, after all, could not be entered upon till we had given up all our recent acquifitions in the Weft Indies) mufl be the most disgraceful that could be propofed to the dignity of the British nation.

The lord chancellor, in anfwer to lord
Lauderdale,