ected a meeting which had taken place in June,
in Copenhagen-fields, with the outrages offered to his majesty; while
others were of opinion that the unchecked harangues of demagogues were
calculated to lead the people into excesses; and therefore ministers met
with more than usual support in these measures.

Beyond this, little was done in parliament before the recess, except the
voting of supplies and receiving information relative to the failure of
the last year's crop. The number of seamen voted was 110,000, and the
number of land-forces 207,000; and a loan of twenty millions and a
half, including a vote of credit, was granted. On the 8th of December, a
message from the king was delivered to both houses, announcing, not only
the regular formation of a government in France, but a readiness to meet
any disposition for pacific negociations, and to give them full effect.
His majesty expressed a hope, that the spirit and determination of
parliament, added to the recent successes of the Austrian arms, and to
the continued and growing embarrassments of the enemy, might speedily
conduce to the attainment of this object. Motions were afterwards made
in both houses for addresses in reply to his majesty's message; and,
in the debates, opposition argued that the recent changes in the French
government rendered that nation no more fit to be treated with now, than
it had been at any period of the revolution. The addresses, however,
were carried in both houses by large majorities; and thus a delusive
hope was held out to the people that the war was about to be terminated.
Yet, had they reflected upon the temper of parliament, they could
scarcely have entertained such a hope; for motions made by opposition
for addresses requesting the king to open negociations with the French
government, were sternly objected to by ministers, and negatived. It was
left for the French to make the first advances for peace, and they were
not sufficiently humbled to take such a step; so war continued.

CHAPTER XXIII.

{GEORGE III. 1796-1798}

Grey's Motion for Peace, &c...... Pitt's Financial
Measures..... Prorogation of Parliament..... Negociations of
Peace..... Military Affairs on the Continent..... Surrender
of Corsica and the Isle of Elba..... Dutch Attempt to retake
the Cape of Good Hope..... French Expedition to
Ireland..... . Disputes between France and America.....
Meeting of Parliament..... Pitt's