this country; that ministers
in their late negociations with the French government had not taken the
means for procuring an amicable redress of the grievances complained of;
and that it was their duty to advise his majesty against entering into
engagements which might prevent a separate peace. Fox alleged that his
object in making these motions was to pronounce a declaration of the
precise grounds upon which gentlemen had voted for the war, for from
many circumstances, he was persuaded that the object of ministers in
going to war were those which they disclaimed, and that those they
avowed were only pretexts. Fox pressed these resolutions to a division,
and they were rejected by two hundred and seventy against forty-four:
a majority which sensibly marked the feeling of the house. Yet,
notwithstanding this decided victory of ministers, Mr. Grey, encouraged
by Fox, produced the same string of resolutions three days after in a
new form, which, however, were negatived without a division. A motion
moved by Mr. M. A. Taylor, on the 22nd of February, against the erection
of barracks or inland fortresses in our free country, shared the same
fate; as did likewise another, moved by Sheridan, on the 4th of March,
to the effect that the house should resolve itself into a committee to
consider of the seditious practices, &c, referred to in his majesty's
speech. All the efforts of the opposition to thwart the measures of
government were, indeed, futile: the propriety and necessity of war
were acknowledged by the great majority of the nation, as well as of the
members of parliament. All the old Whigs ranged themselves on the side
of government, by which Fox and his party lost much both of moral and
numerical strength.

PITT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

On the 11th of March Pitt brought forward his budget for the current
year: estimating the expenses at L11,182,213, and that of the ways and
means at L8,299,696. He proposed to raise the deficiency by loan, and to
defray the interest by rendering permanent some of the temporary taxes
imposed on account of the Spanish armament. In his speech Pitt made some
remarks which show that he had then no idea of the subsequent enormous
increase of the national debt and national taxation. He observed:--"I do
not think it useless to suggest some observations with respect to this
war in which we are engaged. The excess of the permanent revenue, if
kept up, is not less than L900,000 above the peace