this declaration, I defy them to
confute it, and now call upon them to show that the Dutch have engaged
in any measure for the support of the queen of Hungary.

The late augmentation of twenty thousand men, which may possibly be
mentioned as a proof of their intention, shows nothing but that they
pursue their own interest with their usual prudence and attention, and
with such as it is to be wished that our ministers would condescend to
learn from them; and that they are too wise to suffer the towns from
which the Austrians have, by our persuasions, withdrawn their troops
to fall into the hands of the French. They have, therefore,
substituted new garrisons, but seem to have no regard to the interest
of the queen of Hungary, nor any other view than that of providing for
their own security, waiting the event of the war, and laying hold of
any advantage that may accidentally be offered them.

It may be urged farther by those who are desirous to deceive others,
or willing to be deceived themselves, that the province of Holland has
passed a vote for assisting the queen of Hungary with twenty thousand
men; but if it be remembered, my lords, that this must be the general
act of the United States, and that every province has its own
particular views to gratify, and its own interest to reconcile with
the general good, it may be very reasonably suspected, that this
assistance is yet rather the object of hope than expectation; it may
justly be feared, that before so many various dispositions will unite,
and such different schemes will be made consistent, the house of
Austria may be extinguished, that our forces may be destroyed, and
Germany enslaved by the French. Then, my lords, what will remain, but
that we shall curse that folly that involved us in distant quarrels,
and that temerity which sent us out to oppose a power which we could
not withstand; and which incited us to waste that treasure in foreign
countries, which we may quickly want for the defence of our own?

It must be, indeed, confessed, that if an estimate is to be made of
our condition, from the conduct of our ministers, the fear of
exhausting our treasure must be merely panick, and the precepts of
frugality which other states have grown great by observing, are to be
absolutely unnecessary. It may reasonably be imagined that we have
some secret mine, or hidden repository of gold, which no degree of
extravagance can drain, and which may for ever supply the most lav