still have at home a body of seven
thousand men, which was thought a sufficient security in the late war,
when the French had a fleet equal to our own. Why we should now be in
more danger from without, I cannot discover; and with regard to
intestine commotions, they will be prevented by compliance with the
present motion. For nothing can incite the people of Britain to oppose
those who have openly dismissed the troops of Hanover.

But, my lords, I am not yet at all convinced, that the end for which
those troops are said to be hired, ought to be pursued, or can be
attained by us; and if the end be in itself improper or impossible, it
certainly follows, that the means ought to be laid aside.

If we consider the present state of the continent, we shall find no
prospect by which we can be encouraged to hazard our forces or our
money. The king of Sardinia has, indeed, declared for us, and opposed
the passage of the Spaniards; but he appears either to be deficient in
courage, or in prudence, or in force; for instead of giving battle on
his frontiers, he has suffered them, with very little resistance, to
invade his territories, to plunder and insult his subjects, and to
live at his expense; and it may be suspected, that if he cannot drive
them out of his country, he will in time be content to purchase their
departure, by granting them a passage through it, and rather give up
the dominions of his ally to be ravaged, than preserve them at the
expense of his own.

If we turn our eyes towards the Dutch, we shall not be more encouraged
to engage in the wars on the continent; for whatever has been asserted
of their readiness to proceed in conjunction with us, they appear
hitherto to behold, with the most supine tranquillity, the subversion
of the German system, and to be satisfied with an undisturbed
enjoyment of their riches and their trade. Nor is there any
appearance, my lords, that their concurrence is withheld only by a
single town, as has been insinuated; for the vote of any single town,
except Amsterdam, may be overruled, and the resolution has passed the
necessary form, when it is opposed by only one voice.

If we take a view, my lords, of their late conduct, without suffering
our desires to mislead our understandings, we shall find no reason for
imagining, that they propose any sudden alteration of their conduct,
which has been hitherto consistent and steady, and appears to arise
from established principles, which nothi