creed the abolition of all privileges and titles, the fovereignty of the people, the integrity and independence of the republic, the return as much as poffible to the conftitution as it flood before the urfurpation of 1556, and the beftowing places of power and truft on thofe who could and would adminifter them cheapest. But while they readily, and with a good grace, made these important ceffions to the popular party, they thought it prudent to retain the provifionary authority. The patriots, through the organ of their deputies, reprefented to the fenate and the legislative commiffion, that the wifh of the people was, to have a conftitution founded on a more perfect equality of right and divifion of power. The fenate refifted thofe reclamations, and were fupported by the French agents, who treated the patriots as anarchists, and difturbers of the public peace. Six other members were added to the legislative commiflion: but this measure did not occafion any alteration. Agreeably to a notification from the French general, a hundred deputies, chofen by the city and territory of Lucca, were about to open their fittings, when a conftitution ready made, and formed as nearly as circumftances would admit, on the plan of the Ligurian republic. The general, having diffolved the

fenate, appointed the members of a directory, and of two councils, and remitted to them the form of government, which they were to put in execution.

The directory was to confift of five perfons; and to nominate five minifters: one for foreign affairs; one for domeftic; one for justice; and one for war and the marine. The directory was also to choose a national treafurer. Fourteen commiffaries were alfo to be appointed by the directory for the adminiftration of the departments, and to refide in the country. All the acts of the former government were to remain in force. And those who were to have either civil or military employments were, as far as poffible, to be continued in their places, or to receive indemnities. The contribution of two millions of livres was raifed, only, on the ex-nobles. This was a kind of counterbalance to the complaifance that had been fhewn in continuing the provisionary authority in the hands of the senate. The falaries of the public functionaries were judicioufly proportioned to the fmallness of the state. The directors were to receive fifty crowns a month, the minifters twenty-five, the members of the legiflature twelve, and the other agents of government in proportion..

duced by the great events, above related, on the councils and conduct of Great Britain: the great antagonift, around whom all the powers were naturally arranged, that were yet unwilling to bend the knee, and able, with her aid, to make a ftand against the spreading tyranny of France.

On Tuesday, the twentieth of November, 1798, the king, in a Ipeech, from the throne, to both houfes of parliament, stated "the fignal fuccefs, which, by the bleffing of Providence, had attended his arms, been productive of the happieft confequences, and effentially promoted the glory and happinefs of the country. The unexampled feries of our naval triumphs had received freth fplendour from the memorable and decifive action, in which a detachment of his fleet, under the command of rear-admiral Nelfon, had attacked and almoft totally deftroyed a fuperior force of the enemy, ftrengthened by every advantage of fituation. By this

VOL. XLI.

fidy, and extravagance, had fixed the attention of the world, and which was peculiarly directed against fome of the most vulnerable interefts of the British empire, had, in the firft inftance, been turned to the confufion of its authors; and the blows, thus given to the power and influence of France, had afforded an opening, which, if improved by fuitable exertions on the part of other powers, might lead to the general deliverance of Europe.

"The wifdom and magnanimity fo eminently difplayed, at the prefent juncture, by the emperor of Ruffia, and the decifion and vigour of the Ottoman Porte, had fhewn that thofe powers were impressed with a juft fenfe of the prefent crifis: and their example, joined to the difpofition manifefted almost univerfally in the different countries ftruggling under the yoke of France, muft be a powerful encouragement to other ftates to adopt that vigorous line of conduct, which ex[M]

perience

perience had proved to be alone confiftent with fecurity and honour. "The extent of our preparations at home, and the demonftration of zeal and fpirit among all ranks of his fubjects, had deterred the enemy from attempting to execute their vain threat of invading the coafts of this kingdom.

:

"In Ireland, the rebellion, which they had inftigated, had been curbed and repreffed; the troops which they had landed for its fupport had been compelled to furrender and the armaments, fince deftined for the fame purpose, had, by the vigilance and activity of his fquadrons, been captured or difperfed. The views and principles of those who, in concert with our inveterate enemy, had long planned the fubverfion of our conftitution, had been fully detected and expofed, and their treafons made 'manifeft to the world. Thofe whom they had mifled or feduced muft now be awakened to their duty; and a juft fenfe of the miferies and horrors which thofe traiterous defigns had produced, muft imprefs on the minds of all his faithfal fubjects, the neceffity of continuing to repel, with firmnefs, every attack on the laws and established government of their country." His majefty proceeded, as ufual in times of war, to exprefs his confidence, that the public refources and fpirit would enable the houfe of commons to provide the neceffary fupplies without effential inconvenience to his people, and with as little addition as poffible to the permanent burthens of his people.

His majefty and the house of commons having retired, the earl of Darnly went over all the topics touched on in his majesty's fpeech.

He celebrated with equal warmth, eloquence, and juftice, the preeminently glorious victory of the Nile; the spirit and union of the Ruffians and Ottomans, rouzed and animated by that victory; the courage of the king of Naples inflamed by the fame caufe, and the rifing hopes, and fpirits of the inferior Italian ftates. His lordfhip concluded by moving an address, echoing, as ufual, the fpeech from the throne, and affuring his majesty of the loyalty and zeal of his parliament, and the chearfulness with which that houfe would fupport the crown and conftitution. The mo tion for the addrefs was feconded by

Lord Craven, who faid that, by our fingle exertions, the navy of the French republic was annihilated. Her boafted army of England had loft even its title, and every enterprife fhe had undertaken against us was wholly defeated. Not only our cfts at home, but our most valuab! poffeffions abroad, were fecured. There was but one branch of commerce which this country did not almost exclufively poflefs; namely, that of the Levant. Of that trade France would now be totally deprived: and this country would reap all the advantages which had before belonged to our enemy, in that quarter, which alone contributed to the fupport of her navy. Buonaparte was cut off from all means of retreat, and on every fide befet with obstacles. Thefe fucceffes bad already given fpirit and alacrity to several of the foreign powers, who had unequivocally declared their determination to join against the common enemy. Ruffia and the Ottoman Porte had already declared themfelves, and he had no doubt but Austria, though

unwilling,

unwilling, would find it her intereft to join in the great united exertion, which the example of our government had recommended to all Europe, and without which it would be vain to look for either fecurity or peace.

The marquis of Lanfdown joined moft heartily in the praifes juftly beflowed on our navy. It became all that houfe to join in merited thanks. But after that duty was performed, there would remain another duty to be performed by the king's minifters and by their lord hips: the duty of drawing from our naval victories the advantages they were calculated to fecare. He was fatisfied that it was of confequence, not only to the repofe and fecurity of Great Britain, but of the world in general, to check the progrefs of the French revolution. It was neither neceffary nor confiftent with found policy to load with approbrium even the enemy: but it was impoffible, he faid, to fpeak of the conduct of the French without ufing the language of the utmoft reprobation. Their courfe of havoc and devaftation, their unprincipled and deteftable tyranny, corruption, and bafe nefs, muft excite in every bofom that cherishes the principles of liberty as the fupreme good, and the happiness of human kind, as the end of every rational government, a fteady refolution to check their career, and to fave the world from the horrible calamity to which they doom it. But how was the progrefs of their atrocity to be checked? Had we not the experience of five years to prove to us that we had undertaken the talk in a way not calculated to obtain the end? It was never denied that, if at length, a fenfe of general

danger fhould bring the powers of Europe to a league, upon honeft principles, they must prevail over the revolutionary fyftem; and it was his hope, that his majesty's minifters had improved the late victory of the Nile to that great purpose; that they had difplayed to the powers the advantages of magnanimity, and before they came to parliament to announce the continuance of war, had incorporated thofe powers in a great and difinterefted league, in which, instead of difgracing themfelves, by looking to this country for fubfidies, they had refumed the dignity which became them, and at length refolved on proceeding directly to the object of restoring fecurity to Europe, without feeking, in its diforders, their own temporary profit. My lords, faid the marquis, I am difappointed to find none of this in the fpeech from the throne; I fee nothing held out to me on which I can repose; I hear no account of returning magnanimity, and wisdom.

His lordship proceeded to defcribe the mutual jealoufies that fubfifted among the great powers of Europe, and confequently that, while thefe lafted, no fyftem of co-operation againft France can be fuccefsful. As to the boafted vigour, manifefted by Ruffia and the Porte, it was impoflible to speak of fo monstrous an idea as a conjunction between the Ruffians and the Turks without ridicule. Their mutual diftruft and jealoufy exceeded that of other nations. And what, he afked, was the Ottoman Porte? Did we not know that the moft helpless of all the countries on earth was Turkey ? It was not only merely incapable of external operations, but even of domeftic defence. The grand feig[M2]

nior had been defeated in more than thirty attacks on one rebellious bafhaw. Experience ought to imprefs on our minds a conviction of the hollow principles on which political combinations are formed. We had affifted the great powers of the continent: one of these had contracted large engagements with us, and been enabled, through our means, to make valuable acquifitions. "I do not, from his majefty's fpeech, underftand that that power has come forward to difcharge its obligations; or to give any affurance that he will repay the loan, which he raifed under the guarrantee of the British government, and therefore, I fay again, my lords, that even if a new combination fhould be made, of thofe powers that have hitherto only looked to their own diftinct and individual objects, and who have deferted the common caufe, the inftant that they had obtained fome miferable acquifition to themselves, we can have no profpect of advantage from fuch a league. Nay, my lords, if the jealoufies of thefe great powers fhould again be ftifled for the moment, I fhould not think this all that was neceflary to the combined movement of Europe against France. I fhould demand the concurrence and exertion of the northern powIt is material that the powers of the Baltic fhould join in the confederacy; but I fee nothing of all this, and yet we are to continue the war upon the ground of hollow and disjointed combination, and that combination neither general nor difinterested. Are other powers lefs fenfible of their danger than we are? Are they lefs liable to feel the atrocity of the French fyftem? The fecurity we derive

ers alfo.

from our marine, from our infula fituation, and from public opinion, makes us certainly more fecure than any kingdom on the continent: and when we fee that the powers on the continent make ufe of us only for their own ends, can we again entangle ourfelves with fuch confederates? I anticipate the reply to all this." "How can we make peace? By repeated trials it has been fhewn, that it is impoffible to negociate to any purpofe with the French directory.” Minifters know beft whether they ought to have failed. I do not with to exafperate. If they were fincere, I only lament that they did not take the moft dignified courfe, nor the most likely to obtain the end. I would have your lordfhips to fhew, by your conduct, that you feek for no other object than fecurity and peace; that you will fupport the government who fhall act upon this fingle principle. And let it be made manifest to all the world, that England looks to nothing elfe, It is particularly dignified to make this declaration in the moment of conqueft. Political fituations are always, and at the prefent period, rapidly chang ing. The French of this day, are not the French of last year. And therefore, however indifpofed they were on the laft experiment, it is now worth the trial. I do not mean that you should fend to offer it, but choose the moment of victory to make it manifeft, that this is the only end you have in view; and that you are conftantly ready and prepared to make it. After fuch declaration, our courfe is clear and fate. Let us lay afide all idle plans of conqueft and acquifition, which we cannot maintain, witness

Cortica