ectly, by Great Britain to these nefarious
transactions. But this line of argument was more specious than sound;
for, although there was nominally a government in France, it was
self-constituted, and founded in anarchy. This motion was seconded by
Mr. Grey, who declared that an immediate embassy to Paris was the only
means of averting war; a war which he deemed the most dangerous that had
overtaken this country. Lord Sheffield, who had been an ardent admirer
of Fox, reprobated the object of this motion, and, with many others,
censured him for his conduct during the last three days. Fox, however,
was resolute, and the debate continued. In combating his arguments, Mr.
Jenkinson asked, what government we could acknowledge where there was
virtually no government? and how England could recognize a constitution
which the French themselves were every day violating? and how we
could negociate with men who had declared a universal war against all
governments? He added,--"On this very day, while we are here debating
about sending an ambassador to the French republic; on this very day is
the king to receive sentence, and, in all probability, it is the day
of his murder. What is it, then, that gentlemen would propose to their
sovereign? To bow his neck to a band of sanguinary ruffians, and address
an ambassador to a set of regicides, whose hands are still reeking with
the blood of a slaughtered monarch? No, sir, the British character
is too noble to run a race of infamy; nor shall we be the first to
compliment a set of monsters who, while we are agitating the subject,
are probably bearing through the streets of Paris--horrid spectacle--the
bloody victim of their fury." The master of the rolls, Sheridan,
Windham, Burke, Sir William Young, and others took part in this debate;
but the motion was negatived without a division.

In the meantime the address had been carried in the lords almost
unanimously; the Duke of Norfolk, and lords Lansdowne, Hawdon, and
Stanhope only speaking against it. In both houses the opposition had, at
this time, suffered a severe defection. At the head of the seceders
in the lords were the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Portland, Lords
Fitzwilliam, Spencer, Mansfield, and Loughborough, the last of whom, on
the resignation of Lord Thurlow, had been created chancellor; the chief
seceders in the commons, besides Burke, were Mr. Windham, Sir Gilbert
Elliot, Mr. Anstruther, Lord Sheffield, &c, who by their secession