fths of the militia of each county to enlist in the regulars,
for service within Europe. This bill passed into a law on the 4th of
October; the remainder of the session, previous to the Christmas recess,
was occupied by commercial and financial matters. The supplies granted
were between six and seven millions; but these were only for the time
being: parliament again separated on the 12th of October.

PARLIAMENTARY DISCUSSIONS.

{A.D. 1800}

On Christmas day of the preceding year, the first consul, Napoleon,
addressed a letter from the ancient palace of the Bourbons to the King
of Great Britain, indicating a desire of peace in these terms:--"How can
the two most enlightened nations of Europe, powerful and strong beyond
what their safety and independence require, sacrifice to ideas of vain
greatness, the benefits of commerce, internal prosperity, and domestic
happiness? How is it that they do not feel that peace is of the first
importance as well as the first glory? These sentiments cannot be
foreign to the heart of your majesty, who reign over a free people, and
with the sole view of rendering them happy. France and England, by the
abuse of their strength, may still, for the misfortune of all nations,
long retard the period of their exhaustion, but I will venture to say,
that the fate of all civilized nations is attached to the termination of
a war which involves the whole world." The answer given to this letter
intimated, that the French government afforded no ground for trust;
but notwithstanding this repulse, Napoleon made another attempt
at negociation. Talleyrand, in a letter to the British secretary,
vindicated France from the censures contained in this reply; throwing
the blame of war on the league of European powers, and offering a
suspension of arms, that plenipotentiaries might meet at Dunkirk or
elsewhere, as might be agreed upon, for the purpose of making a treaty
of peace. The reply to this communication was equally unsatisfactory as
that made to the letter of the first consul. His majesty expressed his
concern that the unprovoked aggressions of France were defended by her
present ruler; and refused to enter into a refutation of allegations
universally exploded, and, as far as his own conduct was concerned,
utterly groundless. This correspondence was the first subject of
importance which engaged the attention of parliament after its
adjournment; and while the minority animadverted on the precipitancy