d men, became sufficiently
formidable to oblige her to employ those troops for the security of
her frontiers, with which she intended to have overwhelmed Italy, and
to have exalted another Spanish prince to a new kingdom. The
Spaniards, deprived of this assistance, harassed by the Austrians with
perpetual alarms, and debarred by our fleet from the supplies which
are provided for them in their own country, must languish with penury
and hardships, being equally cut off from succour and from flight.

Thus, my lords, it is evident, that the true and everlasting interest
of Britain has been steadily pursued; that the measures formed to
promote it have been not only prudent, but successful. We did not
engage sooner in the quarrel, because we were not able to form an army
sufficiently powerful. An advantageous peace is only to be obtained by
vigorous preparations for war; nor is it to be expected that our
enemies should court our friendship, till they see that our opposition
is really formidable. Such, my lords, is our present state; we may
reasonably hope that the French will desist from their designs,
because they will have a confederacy to oppose, more powerful than
that by which their immortal monarch was lately humbled; and I hope
that conduct will always be applauded in this house, which enables us
to repress the arrogance of France.

Lord WESTMORELAND then spoke to the following purport:--My lords,
though the warmth with which the noble lord has defended the motion,
and the confidence with which he asserts the propriety and efficacy of
the measures to which it relates, are such proofs of the strength of
his conviction as leave no room to doubt his sincerity; yet as the
same arguments do not operate upon different minds with the same
force, I hope I shall not be thought less sincere, or less studious of
the publick happiness, or the honour of the crown, though I presume to
differ from him.

In the motion now before us, I cannot concur, because, though it
should be allowed to contain a just representation of foreign affairs,
yet it appears to me to omit those considerations which I think it the
duty of this house to offer to his majesty. This nation is, in my
opinion, exposed to enemies more formidable than the French; nor do I
think that we are at leisure to defend the liberties of Europe, till
we have made some provisions for the security of our own; or to
regulate the balance of power, till we have restored our cons