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CHAPTER XLVIII.

Fallacy of Mr. Addington's hopes of the permanence of the Peace of Amiens-Motives of Mr. Pitt's approbation of the Peace-He supports the Ministers on the renewal of hostilities-Different opinions respecting the War-Examination of the arguments on that subject-Mr. Pitt's Speech on the War-He enforces the necessity of vigo rous measures as the only efficient means of defeating the designs of the enemy-Deprecates the adoption of a weak and timid system of policy-The Ministers neglect to fol low his advice-Different qualifications necessary for a SPEAKER and a PREMIER, a Naval Cammander, and a First Lord of the Admiralty-Colonel Patten's motion of censure Mr. Pitt moves the previous question- His conduct on this occasion blamed by both parties-Justification of that conduct, and of the principles by which he was uniformly actuated, when out of place-His Speech on the means of national defence- Reproves Ministers for their inefficiency-Moves for papers, with a view to an Inquiry into the criminal neglect of the Admiralty— Proves the existence of a torpid inactivity in that BoardHis motion opposed by Ministers-Mr. Sheridan accuses him of" factious and party motives." He pronounces a panegyric on Lord St. Vincent-Instances of gross ignorance and imprudence in the Board of Admiralty-Mr. Sheridan compares Lord St. Vincent with the late Lord

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Chatham--Injustice and folly of the comparison shownMr. Pitt extols the naval character of Lord St. VincentHis reply to Mr. Sheridan-He proves the reduced state of the Navy since the Peace of Amiens- His motion rejected by the House- Weakness of Mr. Addington's Administration becomes more and more evident- The Premier makes overtures to Mr. Pitt-Mr. Pitt refuses to come into power without his former Colleagues-Mr. Addington refusing to admit Lord Grenville into the Cabinet, the negotiation is broken off-Change of conduct in Mr. Addington after this fruitless attempt-Mr. Fox's motion on the military state of the nation-Supported by Mr. Pitt-Mr. Pitt differs from Mr. Fox on the power of the King to call his subjects to arms in the case ' of invasion-Thoughts on this subject-Mr. Fox's motion rejected by a majority of fifty-two- Another debate on the same subject-Majority in favour of the Minister only thirty-seven-Mr. Addington resigns- The King commands Mr. Pitt to form a new Ministry-The Grenville party refuse to come into power without Mr. FoxMr. Pitt presses his Majesty to admit Mr. Fox into the Cabinet, but is unable to remove his Majesty's objections

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Letter from Lord Grenville to Mr. Pitt-Examination of the arguments urged in that letter-The King's objection investigated, and proved to be valid-Reflections on the conduct of Lord Grenville Probable consequences of a Cabinet formed on the latitudinarian principle advanced by his Lordship-The new Ministry--State of the country on Mr. Pitt's return to power-State of the Continent-Murder of the Duke D'Enghien-It excites great disgust in France- Spirited remonstrance of Russia and Sweden on the subject Base conduct of Prussia, and of the Princes of Germany-Buonaparté assumes the title of Emperor of the French- Cowardice of the Pope in erowning the murderer of the Duke D'Enghien- Mili

tary measures proposed by Mr. Pitt-Discussions in the House of Commons-The Ministers' plan carried by a small majority-Mr. Sheridan's Speech-Declares partycontentions to be objects of greater importance than the means of national defence-Mr. Grey obtains a majority in the House of Commons by a party-manœuvre-Mr. Stanhope pronounces such conduct to be "disgraceful and contemptible."-Inconsistency of the Speaker- Mr. Sheridan disinterestedly calls on Mr. Pitt to resign-Mr. Pitt refuses to obey the call, and pledges himself to retain his place- Retrospective view of Irish affairs-Insurrection of the twenty-third of July, 1803-Committee of Papists in Dublin- Meeting of the Corporation of DublinResolutions passed against the Catholic Petition-Reflections on the conduct of the Viceroy in dismissing Mr. John Giffard, for moving these resolutions-War with Spain--Debates on the subject in the House of Commons-Mr. Pitt's Speech-He proposes resolutions opposing the conduct of Ministers, which are carried by three hundred and three votes against one hundred and sixMr. Sheridan's motion for the repeal of the additional Force Act- Mr. Pitt answers him- False statement of Mr. Sheridan corrected-His motion lost-Petition of the Irish Papists for Emancipation-Intended to harass the Minister-Speech of Lord Limerick in the House of Lords-His Lordship asserts, that the Papists were goaded on by the English Opposition to present their petitionMr. Fox supports the petition in the Commons-Is most ably answered by Dr. Duigenan-Mr. Grattan's speechAnimadversions on the doctrine of Dr. Milner, a Papist prelate, quoted, and approved by Dr. Lawrence-Mr. Pitt opposes the motion-Acknowledges the influence of the Romish Priests in exciting rebellion in Ireland-Suggests the propriety of making such Priests stipendiaries of the state-Declares the sense of the nation to be decidedly

against the prayer of the petition Sir George Hill reprobates the petition as "a mere party-trick."-Motion rejected by three hundred and thirty-six votes against one hundred and twenty-four-Mr. Whitbread's motion against Mr. Pitt for advancing money to Boyd and Benfield— Negatived by the House-Lord Melville exposes the misconduct of the Admiralty in the House of Lords-Proceedings against his Lordship in the Commons-Impeachment of his Lordship-His acquittal by the Peers-Reflections on this proceeding; particularly on the conduct of the House of Commons, in condemning his Lordship without hearing him in his own defence, and in punishing him before he was tried-Examination of the constitutional powers of the House on judicial questionsHonourable conduct of Mr. Pitt on this occasion-Propriety of the Speaker's vote questioned-Mr. Addington created Viscount Sidmouth, and made Lord President of the Council-He demands of Mr. Pitt the office of First Lord of the Admiralty for his friend, Lord Buckinghamshire-Mr. Pitt refuses, and Lords Sidmouth and Buckinghamshire send in their resignations-On reflection they recal this hasty step-They again resign their places, and their resignations are accepted-Declining state of Mr. Pitt's health- Continental affairs-Wise and vigorous policy of Russia-Buonaparté crowned King of Italy— Renewal of hostilities in Germany--Surrender of UlmBattle of Austerlitz-Peace of Presburgh-Naval victory off Trafalgar-Death of Lord Nelson-Brilliant Administration of Marquis Wellesley in the East-Mr. Pitt repairs to Bath Returns to Putney-His last illnessHis death and character- Public honours paid to his memory-The House of Commons pass a vote for the payment of his debts.

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[1803-1804.] The renewal of hostilities, after so short an interval of tranquillity, exposed the fallacy of those hopes, and the weakness of those expectations, which the new Ministers, and their literary partisans, had fondly cherished, and sedulously diffused, respecting the permanence of the peace of Amiens. Mr. Addington had even flattered himself, that, in calculating its probable duration, he might assign it as long an existence as any peace concluded in the last century. is matter of surprize, indeed, that any one who had attended to the invariable principles of the revolutionary government of France, to the public conduct of its successive rulers, and to the sentiments and disposition uniformly displayed by the man who had recently usurped the sovereignty of that unhappy country, could, for one moment, have drawn a conclusion so utterly destitute of foundation in the premises whence it was deduced. But the Premier was unwilling to dispel, in his own head, the delirium which he had excited in the heads of the great majority of the people. The peace was his darling child; it was, at once, the end and the reward of his ambition; it was the idol at

*See Mr. Addington's speech, on May 14, 1802; and his Memoirs, p. 206.

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