g party was averse to the Russian
armament, directed her ambassador to request Fox to sit to Nollekens
for a bust in white marble, in order that she might place it between the
statues of Demosthenes and Cicero. In allusion to this Pitt said, that
if he and his honourable friend Dundas were to go to St. Petersburg, he
felt certain that neither of them should be found in any place of glory
between two orators of antiquity! Fox replied, vindicating his conduct,
and condemning the policy of ministers in the same unmeasured terms as
before. But the sentiments of the house were against him and his party:
Whitbread's resolutions were all rejected, either without a division
or by very large majorities. During these debates the same question
was agitated in the house of lords; but Lord Fitzwilliam, who moved a
similar resolution to that of Mr. Grey in the commons, was outvoted by a
majority of eighty-nine against nineteen.

DEBATES ON THE AFFAIRS OF INDIA.

It was not on the subject of the Russian armament alone that opposition
sought to bring ministers into contempt, and to overthrow their
administration. In their plan of campaign they had determined to attack
them on the subject of the Indian war, and accord-ingly, on the 9th of
February, Major Maitland moved for all papers necessary to throw light
upon the subject. It was the chief object of the opposition to prove
that the war with Tippoo Sultaun was unnecessary, and that it had been
conducted by Lord Cornwallis without spirit or talent. Such was the
substance of the arguments employed by Colonel Maitland in support of
his motion, and in which he was supported by Francis, the antagonist
of Hastings and Tupey. The motion was on the whole agreed to; Dundas
consenting to produce all the papers called for, except copys of any
proposals of peace which had been made by Tippoo Sultaun. But this
did not satisfy opposition. On the 15th of March Major Maitland moved
various resolutions on the Indian war, all tending to reprobate it as
unjustifiable, and as the result of a plan laid down by ministers
for Tippoo's destruction. These resolutions were negatived; but on a
subsequent day the major renewed the subject, declaring that the papers
proved the correctness of his views--that a plan of conquest had been
formed, and that the war had been sought for that purpose. In order to
settle the matter, after showing the warlike character of Tippoo, and
defending the honour of Lord Corn