he the air of the continent, and to display their scarlet at
the expense of Britain, had not the noble lord who spoke third in this
debate informed us, that they will in reality march into Germany; a
design, my lords, so romantick, unseasonable, and dangerous, that
though I cannot doubt it after such assurances, I should not have
believed it on any other; a design which I hope every man, who regards
the welfare of this kingdom, will indefatigably oppose, and which
every Briton must wish that some lucky accident may frustrate.

To send an army into Germany, my lords, is to hazard our native
country without necessity, without temptation, without prospect or
possibility of advantage; it is to engage in a quarrel which has no
relation to our dominions, or rights, or commerce; a quarrel from
which, however it be decided, we can neither hope for any increase of
our wealth, our force, or our influence; but which may involve us in a
war without end, in which it will be difficult to obtain the victory,
and in which we must yet either conquer or be undone.

Surely, my lords, an expedition like this was never undertaken before,
without consulting the senate, and declaring the motives on which it
was designed; surely never was any supply of this nature demanded,
without some previous discoveries to this house of the importance of
the service for which they were required to provide. On this occasion,
my lords, all the councils of the government are covered by a cloud of
affected secrecy, nor is any knowledge of our affairs to be gained,
but from papers which are not to be regarded here, the printed votes
of the other house.

I am always, my lords, inclined to suspect unusual secrecy, and to
imagine, that men either conceal their measures, because they cannot
defend them, or affect an appearance of concealing them, when in
reality they have yet projected nothing, and draw the veil with
uncommon care, only lest it should be discovered that there is nothing
behind it; as when palaces are shown, those apartments which are
empty, are carefully locked up.

To confess my opinion without reserve, I am not so much inclined to
believe, that our ministers' designs are bad, as that they design
nothing; and suspect that this mighty army, so lavishly paid, and
collected from such distant parts, is to regulate its motions by
accident, and to wait without action, till some change in the state of
Europe shall make it more easy for our ministers