d his wonderful eagerness
and perseverance in his cause, as well as the nature and true character
of the cause itself." This step was taken by Mr. Fox immediately after
giving his assent to the grant of supply, voted to him by Mr Sergeant
Adair and a committee of gentlemen, who assumed to themselves to act
in the name of the public. In the instrument of his acceptance of
this grant, Mr. Fox took occasion to assure them that he would always
persevere in the same conduct which had procured to him so honourable a
mark of the public approbation. He was as good as his word. On Monday,
the 17th of June, Fox, in accordance with his resolution, moved an
address to the throne, importing that, having obtained the only avowed
object of the war--the evacuation of Holland by the French--peace
ought to be concluded. In support of his motion Fox declaimed, in an
impassioned manner, against the partitioners of Poland, and against
all the powers in alliance with England. In the debate on this motion,
Windham observed, that it was an avowed purpose of the war to endeavour
to bring about the establishment of a government in France with which we
could safely treat; and that, therefore, the war must be prosecuted till
we could make peace with safety. Burke said that the motion involved
this serious question--whether we should make war with all Europe in
order to make peace with France. He continued:--"And with whom can we
now treat in France? M. Lebrun, with whom we were so lately called on to
treat, is in gaol. Claviere, another minister, is nowhere to be found.
Or shall we treat with M. Egalite, who is now in the dungeons of
Marseilles? And what are the principles upon which this negociation is
to be carried on? Bris-sot himself has told us what the French think on
this subject. In the report of a committee, upon the subject of a treaty
with Geneva, he has affirmed that treaties are useless and cannot
bind the people, who are to be united by principles alone, and
that, therefore, to make treaties with any other sovereign power, is
disgraceful to a free people." Pitt added to the string of questions
which Burke had put, by asking Fox, whether he would enter into
negociations with Marat; that monster and his party being now lords of
the ascendant, and the arbiters and rulers of France. He added,--"But it
is not merely to the character of Marat, with whom we would now have to
treat, that I object; it is not to the horror of those crimes which