is now proposed to make? Is there any ground from this ftatement to decline these farther efforts from the fear of their being more than we can hope to accomplish?

But it will be asked, are we then to be led afide from the fober and safe system of our own national fecurity by a defire of military glory?

My Lords, I confefs that for my own part I find it impoffible to contemplate all that has been done by the arms of England abroad, to look at empires faved, at kingdoms reftored, at hoftile fleets and armies fwept from the face of the globe, at the fupport of friendly and the extermination of hoftile Powers; and all this, achieved as it has been, in many inftances, by the fingle arm of Great Britainor, turning from this profpect, to look at the proud and inspiriting array of armies embattled for the defence of our Sovereign and our Country-without feeling, I hope, a juft and blameless pride in the military ftrength and glory of Great Britain-without feeling it a matter of felf-congratulation, that the calumny, which not many years ago was so common in the mouth of our vaunting enemy, which often was almoft tacitly admitted by ourselves, the imputation that our commercial profperity had depreffed and overlaid our martial fpirit, ftands refuted in the face of the world, and, what is of more real importance, in our own confcious feelings-without rejoicing that the British character is not fo foftened and enervated by the unexampled bleffings we fo pre-eminently enjoy, but that we have fill the fenfe to know, that by the fame virtue and valour which originally won them to us, by thefe alone can they securely be maintained that though the steady and settled course of justice and law, the arts of peaceful induftry and flourishing commerce, make war almost unknown to us as a profeffion, we have neverthelefs not forgotten that the fpirit to defend is effential in exact proportion to the value of what is to be defended.

But though it is impoffible to repress these feelings of proud and honest satisfaction, it is by no means by the impulfe of military glory alone that we could be justified in engaging in a new mode of war, unless the object of our continental expeditions were precifely the fame with that which animates exertions in all other parts of the fyftem, that is, the upholding the independence of this country, and, fo far as the common interefts of this country and others go together, the liberties and independence of Europe.

I know that there is another ftrong prejudice against all continental operations whatfoever, that they link us too clofely with continental Powers; that they render us dependent on the fidelity of allics, to whom we look for co-operation; and that fuch a plan

of action, once entered upon, leads to indefinite and complicated engagements, in which the interefts of Great Britain are not unfrequently neglected. Not to truft too far to foreign Powers, where they have an obvious intereft in deceiving, or a manifeft temptation to betray, is certainly a matter of no doubtful policy. But furely it is no lefs unwife, on the other hand, to reject all co-operation, which may be useful fo far as it goes, because it may not go throughout by the fame road, or to the fame end, to which our views are directed.

But if ever there was a cafe of continental operation in which this caution would not apply, and in which fufpicion would seem to be misplaced, it is the prefent; where the conteft is for an object confeffedly touching Great Britain more nearly than any other continental object, the liberation of our old ally from the yoke of our inveterate enemy; where, in the courfe of our prefent fuccefs, fo far as it has gone, we have already effected an object fo purely British, and fo great in its extent, that in former times it would have been confidcred alone as the great and marking feature of a campaign, or even of a war-the capture of the Dutch fleet; and where the ally co-operating with us, befides being that Power which, from the unexampled magnanimity and liberality of its conduct, has best deserved to be exempted from all fufpicion of selfish, much more of treacherous difpofitions, befides being that Power to which one third of that part of Europe which France had fubjugated already owes its deliverance, is that which has, perhaps, the leaft -visible intereft of any of the Powers whom we could have affociated in our enterprize, except fo far as every power, and every nation, and every fovereign, and every man in civilized Europe, has a common and mutual intereft in the fuccefs of every measure which tends to the diminution of the dominion of French power, of the influence of French principles, and the operation and tenor of French arms.

For an object, therefore, in its general nature fo effentially interefting to this country, touching at once fo nearly its honour and its power for an object already fo fplendidly begun, and which a vigorous perfeverance may bring at no great diftance of time to a fuccefsful iffue, we can have no feruple in ufing our beft endeavours to give every additional ftrength to the arms of the country, and every fupport which they deferve to thofe who have fo gallantly opened the career of glory to their countrymen. And it cannot be entertained as any material objection to reforting to voluntary zeal for the augmentation of force which is now in question, that to zeal of the fame defcription we are indebted for the prefervation of the

internal peace of this kingdom. That voluntary zeal has faved Ireland to this kingdom and to herfelf; and I doubt not that the fame zeal, if permitted to exert itfelf, will reftore Holland to her alliance with this empire, in reftoring her to her rank among the nations of the world. My Lords, impreffed with thefe fentiments, I beg leave to fecond the Addrefs, as moved by the noble Marquis.

Lord ROMNEY.-I do not rife, my Lords, for the purpose of giving the smallest oppofition to the Addrefs, fo ably moved by the noble Marquis, and fo eloquently feconded by the noble Lord who has just fat down. I with only to mention to your Lordships a difference of opinion, which, I hold, contrary to that delivered by the noble Marquis in the courfe of his fpeech, relative to the old and the fupplementary Militia. I cannot view the fupplementary Militia to be on the fame footing and foundation as the old Militia. I look upon the fupplementary Militia as the mere creature of the prefent war-the old Militia, on the contrary, I efteem as woven with the Conftitution; and I beg to remind your Lordships that it is the only ftanding body of men that in this country has ever been voted perpetual. With refpect to all that has been faid by the noble Marquis, and the noble Lord who feconded the motion, as to every other point, I agree with them entirely; and I only mention this to your Lordships, to avoid being charged with inconfiftency on any future occafion in which I may differ with the noble Marquis on that point, from my having agreed to the prefent Address.

The queftion on the Addrefs was then put, and it was carried nem. diff.; and the Lords, with white ftaves, were ordered to learn His Majefty's pleafure when he fhould pleafe to be waited on with it.

Lord GRENVILLE moved, that there be laid before the House copies of the correfpondence between the Governor. General of India and the other Prefidencies with the Court of Directors, relative to the war with Tippo Sultaun, from the arrival of the Earl of Mornington in India, to the latest advices received, inclufive. Thefe, he faid, were for the purpofe of giving their Lordships the neceffary information refpecting the late war in India, and by which its principles, and the grounds on which it was undertaken (being merely defenfive on the part of the British), would be fully illuftrated. Not only this, but the conduct of his noble friend the Earl of Mornington, who fo worthily prefided in the Governments of thofe dominions, would appear in a ftill more favourable and meritorious light than could be collected from what was already before the public; and alfo that of the commanding officers of the fleets and

armies in that quarter, refpecting which, on a future day, he intended to fubmit a motion to their Lordships. The production of the above papers was then ordered.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Tuesday, September 24, 1799.'

A meffage from His Majefty was delivered by Sir Francis Molyneux, Gentleman Ufher of the Black Rod :

MR. SPEAKER,

The King commands this Honourable Houfe to attend His Majefty immediately in the House of Peers.

Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, with the Houfe, went up to attend His Majefty; and being returned,

A bill for the more effectual preventing clandeftine outlawries was read a first time.

Refolved, that this bill be read a fecond time.

Mr. Speaker then reported, that the Houfe had attended His Majefty in the Houfe of Peers, where His Majefty was pleased to make a moft gracious fpeech from the Throne to both Houfes of Parliament of which, Mr. Speaker faid, he had, to prevent miftakes, obtained a copy, which he read to the Houfe. (For which, fee the Proceedings of the Lords.)

Mr. SHAW LEFEVRE rofe to move an Addrefs to His Majefty; and after expreffing his inability to do juftice to the great achievements, both naval and military, which had taken place fince the opening of the campaign, he obferved he had at least the fatisfaction of knowing, that exploits fo glorious required no eloquence to enhance their value-no panegyric to increafe their importance; they carried with them their own eulogium, and spoke their praises to this country, and to the world, in terms more forcible than all the powers of language could poffibly proclaim them; and amidst the fplendour of such a train of victories, it was difficult to felect those which were beft entitled to the applaufe and gratitude of the country. He then deferibed the gallant efforts of the Archduke, the fucceffes of Marthal Suwarrow, and the effential fervices of Captain Trowbridge in the territory of Naples; and to all these collectively we might afcribe the deliverance of Italy from the degrading yoke of France.

That important as this deliverance was to the general interefts of Europe, it had been equalled, if not furpaffed, in another quarter of

the globe, by a series of conquefts won by our own arms—the entire defeat of Tippoo Sultaun's army, the capture of Seringapatam, and the deftruction of a treacherous foe, who, while he profeffed peace and amity towards us,, had actually confederated himself with another perfidious difturber of the world (Buonaparte), to effect our total extirpation from the territories of India. That happily the victory there was exclufively our own, and might in its effects be confidered as having placed the British interefts in that country in a ftate of folid and permanent fecurity. That great praise was due to the Governor-General in Council, and to the Commanders in Chief, for their vigilance and cordial co-operation during that short but fevere conteft.

He then defcribed in ftrong colours the unwearied efforts of Sir Sidney Smith, in refifting and ultimately defeating Buonaparte's fuperior force; yet our fucceffes do not stop there: we cannot but applaud the first operations and progrefs of the grand armament in Holland; to the naval talents of a Mitchell we are indebted for keeping together and collecting a very numerous fleet in a dangerous fea during two fucceffive and fevere ftorms. To his judicious arrangements we owe the furrender of that fleet which, under the ufurped dominion of France, was deftined to co-operate in the invafion of these islands.

Nor ought we to forget how effentially our brave army has contributed to this last fuccefs: they have obtained for us the domi'nion by the poffeffion of Helder; for them was referved the glory of taking those forts and batteries which had hitherto been confidered as impregnable. If fuch have been the important advantages already obtained, can we hefitate a moment to improve them? The naval force of that enemy is no longer at their command; with its ufurpers we have now only to contend on fhore. Surely then our military force in that quarter ought to be ftrengthened by all poffible means; fortunately for us, thofe means are at hand. The mode of accomplishing an object fo effential was adopted at the close of the laft feffion; it was adopted, too, with a degree of fuccefs far exceeding our most fanguine expectations. The warlike fpirit of our Militia, too long confined within the pale of mere defence, was then for the first time suffered to expand; and how flattering has it been to the military pride of this country to know, that the zeal and ardor of her Militia furpaffed all previous conjecture; that in many regiments a larger portion than the limited number ftood forward as volunteers; that in fome regiments there was not a man who did not declare himself ready to fight for his King and Country, wherever his fervices might be moft beneficially employed!