Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

aggravation of insult upon insult which rapidly followed each other in daily succession; could shake the stubborn constancy, and the immaculate confidence which that noble Lord reposed in P. P. The late administration seemed resolutely bent on bearing with the patient docility of mules, the load of infamy which was continually heaped on their backs, by what Mr. Burke has so eloquently termed, "the tyranny of a licentious, ferocious, and savage multitude, without laws, manners or morals; and which, so far from respecting the general sense of mankind, insolently endeavoured to alter all the principles and opinions, which had, till then, guided and contamed the world; and to force them into a conformity to their views and actions." Like affrighted cowards, they shut their eyes whenever the enemy appeared before them; and suffered themselves to be spit upon, and mocked, rather than not be the last to unsheathe the sword. Accordingly they were gratified in their wish. The Low Countries, whose inportance they pronounced to

* It is necessary here to observe that these initials mean profound peace, and that they were first adopted by a great dealer in conundrums in a certain place, to the vast entertainment of his admiring auditors.

be conclusive in respect to peace, they permitted to be over-run and ransacked; Holland to be invaded in the month of January, and after the French had declared war against us, on the 1st of February following, they, at length opened their eyes, and began to think seriously of fighting.

Let us now see what was our military state previous to, and at the commencement of that war. On the 31st Jan. 1792, they stated that his Majesty was induced to think some immediate reduction might safely be made in our naval and military establishments." After this solemn declaration they also will not deny that they were mightily deceived in their confident hopes of the continuance of P. P. However, on the 10th of August, the King of France was dethroned; on the 17th our ambassador was recalled: on the 2d and 3d of Sep, the Parisian massacres commenced; in the months of October, November, and December, those denunciations of hostility, which I have already enumerated, occurred, and the King of France was brought to trial. What was the state of our force during all these menacing events? If I were not conscious that what I assert, cannot be contradicted, I should fear the

answer would not be believed by one man in the country.

In the month of August, 1792, the whole armed force of this kingdom consisted, only of three thousand three hundred and sixty five cavalry, and twelve thousand five hundred and fifty-four infantry, amounting in the whole to fifteen thousand nine hundred and nineteen men. In December following, we had four thousand six hundred and thirty-nine cavalry, and thirty-five thousand seven hundred and fifty-one infantry, making a total of forty thousand three hundred and ninety men, or an increase, during the space of five months, (in the course of which the Low Countries, and the electorate of Treves had been overrun and pillaged) of one thousand two hundred and seventy-four cavalry, and twenty three thousand one hundred and ninety-seven infantry ONLY; So that with forty thousand three hundred and ninety men, we were considered to be in a very competent attitude to repel the aggressions of a country containing one million of armed fanatics. For at that period the volunteers and militia which you execrate had not been embodied * At length, after the enemy had invad

* The proclamation for calling out the militia, did not appear until Dec. 1st, and the reason assigned was, not as a mea,

ed Holland, and publicly declared war against us, ministers thought it adviseable to embody the militia ;and in February 1798, this admirable institution brought us an accession of force to the amount of thirty-five thousand eight hundred and sixtyfive men, well disposed, but certainly not in a state of disciplinet. Hence, after eight months of preparation, our whole force amounted to seventy six thousand two hundred and fifty-five men.

Perhaps, I may be told, that the danger was not so great then, as it is now; that the enemy had not equal means of attack and invasion. This, if admitted, would not alter the question; for the point at issue relates to the comparative exertions of the two administrations; but I deny the fact. The state of France in 1792 and 1793 was infi

sure of security against foreign war, but that "the utmost in dustry is still employed by evil disposed persons within this king'dom, acting in concert with persons in foreign parts, with a view to subvert the laws and established constitution of this realm, and to destroy all order and government herein." So that they were still afraid of venturing to give offence to the French.

I have your own authority for declaring that the militia cannot be fit for service in less than twelve months, from the time of its being embodied. See your own speech in March, 1803, and its echo in Cobbett's Register, of the 12th of the same month.

nitly more alarming to this country, than at the present moment, as I shall now prove..

In the first place, there was a marked difference in the condition and relative strength of the navies of the two nations. Our naval force at the end of the year 1793 exhibited a more shameful degree of inadvertence than even our military strength; for it then amounted to two second rates, nine third rates, four fourth rates, fourteen fifth rates twelve sixth rates, thirty sloops, nine yachts, and other vessels, and eighteen cutters, total ninety eight, with eleven thousand five hundred and sixty-three seamen, and one thousand seven hundred and forty seven marines. The navy of France was in actual service in Jan, 1793; for, by the 10th of that month, the French had a greater number of ships in commission than were at that time fitting in all the ports of England. It follows, therefore, from the above statement, that within a month of the commencement of the last war, the late ministers had in commission precisely one hundred and fortysix ships, and thirty-three thousand five hundred and ten seamen and marines less than their succes_ sors within a similar period, previous to the present war; with this remarkable difference to the discredit of the former, that in 1793 the French navy was in a very formidable condition, count

« AnteriorContinuar »