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other words, that war with America should be discontinued. This was
negatived by an overwhelming majority; but nothing daunted by this
defeat, on the 12th of December Sir James Lowther moved these two
resolutions:--"To declare that the war carried on in the colonies and
plantations of North America had been ineffectual to the purposes for
which it had been undertaken; and that it was also the opinion of the
house, that all further attempts to reduce the Americans to obedience
by force must be injurious to this country, by weakening her powers to
resist her ancient and confederated enemies." The motion was seconded by
Mr. Powys, in a long and able speech, in which he declared that, as no
idea of revenue remained, and that as there was no idea of alleviating
the burdens of Great Britain by carrying on the war, the country
gentlemen, long deceived, could be deceived no longer. Some of the
supporters of government seem either to have been convinced of their
error, or to have perceived that a change was coming, for more than
twenty spoke or voted in favour of the motion. It was, however, opposed
by Lords North and Germaine, and, on a division, was negatived by two
hundred and twenty to one hundred and seventy-nine. War, therefore,
was to be continued. At the same time it was evident, from Lord North's
speech, that the plan of operations would, in the next campaign, be
materially altered. It would not, he said, be wise or right to prosecute
the war in America on a continental plan; that is, by sending fresh
armies through the colonies. North, however, argued that the posts
held in America must be defended, and that the British trade must be
protected against American privateers. The subject of war was renewed
on the 14th, when Mr. Pitt reviewed the whole of the operations, and
asserted, that the ministry were intent only upon one thing, and that
was the destruction of the empire. He added:--"God grant that their
punishment be not so long delayed as to involve a great and innocent
family, who, though they share not the guilt, will most likely
participate in the atonement." Sir George Saville followed, and in his
speech likened the crown and parliament to dancers in a minuet, to a
tune composed by the cabinet--the crown led off one way, the parliament
to the opposite corner; and they then joined hands, when the dance
ended as it began. He also compared ministers to the Spartan, (it was an
Athenian,) who, in an engagement by se