ests in the West Indies..... Disputes in
America..... Military Operations on the Continent..... The
internal Condition of France..... Convention with Sweden
and Denmark..... The State of Poland..... Meeting of
Parliament.

{A.D. 1794}

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

THE British parliament assembled on the 21st of January. In his opening
speech, the king observed, that he and his subjects were engaged in a
momentous contest, on the issue of which depended the maintenance of the
constitution, laws, and religion of the country, and the security of
all civil society. Having mentioned the advantages obtained by the
confederated powers, he added, that the circumstances by which their
progress had been impeded not only proved the necessity of vigour and
perseverance, but confirmed the expectation of ultimate success. Their
enemies, he said, had derived the means of temporary exertion from a
system which enabled them to dispose of the lives and property of the
people; but these efforts, which were productive of internal discontent
and confusion, would tend to exhaust the national and real strength of
the country. His majesty regretted the necessity of continuing the war;
but he thought that he should ill consult the interests of his people,
if he desired peace on any grounds exclusive of a due provision for
their permanent safety, and for the independence and security of Europe.
An attack had been made on him and his allies, founded on principles
tending to the destruction of all property, to the subversion of
the laws and religion of every civilized nation, and to the general
introduction of a horrible system of rapine, anarchy, and impiety.
Amendments to the address were moved in both houses, but they were
rejected by large majorities; in the lords, by ninety-seven against
twelve, and in the commons, by two hundred and seventy-seven against
fifty-nine. Fox, Sheridan, Lords Lansdowne and Lauderdale, and others,
persevered in maintaining the inexpediency of war, as well as the
improbability of success; they denied that France had been hostile
to England; they foretold her career of conquests, and predicted
disappointment to the nation, similar to that which had been experienced
at the close of the American war; they repeated all their arguments
in favour of peace: but it was all to no purpose; the majority in both
houses were convinced that there could be no radical peace, except
France was humbled. On e