f the certainty of the expenses, the bloodshed, and the
hardships, and doubtfulness of the advantages which we may hope from
them; and it is daily urged with great vehemence, that peace upon the
hardest conditions is preferable to the honour of conquests, and the
festivity of triumphs.

These maxims, my lords, which are generally true in the sense which
their authors intended, may be very properly urged against the wild
designs of ambition, and the romantick undertakings of wanton
greatness; but have no place in the present inquiry, which relates to
a war not made by caprice, but forced upon us by necessity; a war to
which all the encomiums on peace, must in reality incite, because
peace alone is the end intended to be obtained by it.

Of the necessity of peace to a trading nation it is not possible, my
lords, to be ignorant; and therefore no man can be imagined to propose
a state of war as eligible in itself. War, my lords, is, in my
opinion, only to be chosen, when peace can be no longer enjoyed, and
to be continued only till a peace secure and equitable can be
attained. In the present state of the world, my lords, we fight not
for laurels, nor conquests, but for existence. Should the arms of
France prevail, and prevail they must, unless we oppose them, the
Britons may, in a short time, no longer be a nation, our liberties
will be taken away, our constitution destroyed, our religion
persecuted, and perhaps our name abolished.

For the prevention of calamities like these, not for the preservation
of the house of Austria, it is necessary, my lords, to collect an
army; for by an army only can our liberties be preserved, and such a
peace obtained, as may be enjoyed without the imputation of supineness
and stupidity.

Of this the other house appears to be sufficiently convinced, and has
therefore granted money for the support of the auxiliary troops; nor
do I doubt but your lordships will concur with them, when you shall
fully consider the motives upon which they may be supposed to have
proceeded, and reflect, that by dismissing these troops, we shall
sacrifice to the ambition of the French, the house of Austria, the
liberties of Europe, our own happiness, and that of our posterity; and
that, by resolving to exert our forces for a short time, we may place
the happiness of mankind beyond the reach of attacks and violation.

Lord CARTERET replied to the following effect:--My lords, the
considerations which were laid be