Hanover, than as king of Britain.

Since, therefore, the troops of Hanover were hired, without the
consent of the senate, they have hitherto performed nothing; and since
it is reasonable to expect, that without being paid by Britain they
will be employed against the French, I think it expedient to discharge
them from our service, and to delay the pay which is required for the
last four months, till it shall appear how they have deserved it.

Mr. FOX then rose, and spoke to the following purport:--Sir, though
the observations of the right honourable gentleman must be allowed to
be ingenious, and though the eloquence with which he has delivered
them, naturally excites attention and regard, yet I am obliged to
declare, that I have received rather pleasure than conviction from his
oratory; and that while I applaud his imagination and his diction, I
cannot but conclude, that they have been employed in bestowing
ornaments upon errour.

I shall not, indeed, attempt to confute every assertion which I think
false, or detect the fallacy of every argument which appears to me
sophistical, but shall leave to others the province of showing the
necessity of engaging in the war on the continent, of employing a
large force for the preservation of the house of Austria, and of
forming that army with the utmost expedition, and of taking
auxiliaries into our pay, and confine myself to this single question,
whether, supposing auxiliaries necessary, it was not prudent to hire
the troops of Hanover?

Nothing can be, in my opinion, more apparent, than that if the
necessity of hiring troops be allowed, which surely cannot be
questioned, the troops of Hanover are to be chosen before any other,
and that the ministry consulted in their resolutions the real interest
of their country, as well as that of our ally.

The great argument which has in all ages been used against mercenary
troops, is the suspicion which may justly be entertained of their
fidelity. Mercenaries, it is observed, fight only for pay, without any
affection for the master whom they serve, without any zeal for the
cause which they espouse, and without any prospect of advantage from
success, more than empty praises, or the plunder of the field, and,
therefore, have no motives to incite them against danger, nor any
hopes to support them in fatigues; that they can lose nothing by
flight, but plunder, nor by treachery, but honour; and that,
therefore, they have nothing to throw i