XLII. 1799. CHAP. the answer sent by lord Grenville on the twentieth of January, the king expressed his concern, that the unprovoked aggressions of France, the sole origin of the war, were systematically defended by her present ruler: he refused to enter into a refutation of allegations universally exploded, and, as regarded his own conduct, utterly groundless: finally, the French minister was referred to the first note of the British government for his majesty's opinion of the present overtures. CHAP. XLIII. 1800. CHAPTER XLIII. GEORGE III. (CONTINUED.)-1800. Late correspondence of the French and English governments discussed in parliament-Message from the king relating to the ensuing campaign, supplies, &c.-Inquiry into the failure of the late expedition refused-Great scarcity of corn- Measures adopted in consequence of it-Lord Auckland's bill to prevent adultery-Affairs of the East India company-Completion of the union with Ireland--Votes of supplies for the whole year-Fresh subsidy to the emperor of Germany-The king's life attempted by Hadfield-Insanity bill-Parliament rises-Affairs of the continent-Massena in Italy-Surrender of Genoa-Bonaparte's preparations-Moreau in GermanyNapoleon passes the Alps-His operations in Italy-Battle of Marengo-Truce with the Austrians-Consequences of the campaign-Moreau's advance into Germany-ArmisticePreliminary treaty, broken off-Armistice expires, and the contest is renewed-Battle of Hohenlinden-Treaty of Luneville, &c.-Naval operations of Great Britain-Expedition under Sir Ralph Abercromby and lord Keith-Fails at Cadiz-A part proceeds to land troops at Minorca ; the other proceeds to Malta-Reduction of that island, with the capture of Le Généreux, Guillaume Tell, &c.-Events in Egypt after Napoleon's departure-State of affairs in Europe-Emperor Paul's hostility towards England-Re-establishes the northern confederacy against our maritime laws-Scarcity of bread continues in England-Riots, &c.-Negotiations for peaceParliament assembles Measures taken, &c.- Parliament prorogued. THE first subject of importance which engaged the Parliamentattention of parliament after its adjournment, was ary discusthe correspondence that had recently taken place sions. XLIII. 1800. CHAP. between the British and French governments: the minority animadverted on the precipitate haste by which the door was closed against all hopes of pacification; while ministers asked what advantages could result from a negotiation with France at the present moment; and whether the consular government offered a better guarantee for peace than any of those which preceded it? Their decision was approved by large majorities, and it was determined to prosecute the war to as great an extent as possible. Messages to both houses from the king stated, that his majesty was at present employed in concerting such engagements with the emperor, the elector of Bavaria, the duke of Wurtemburg, and other powers of the empire, as might conduce to the advantage of the common cause in the ensuing campaign certain advances, however, would be necessary, if the treaties were concluded; and he recommended provision to be made for such eventual engagements. The arguments against this demand were, the inefficacy of all former subsidies in the present war, and the distressed state of the country, arising from the enormous weight of taxation, and the unprecedented price of the necessaries of life: it was also inferred, that ministers were well assured of the secession of Russia from the coalition: a parliamentary majority, however, overruled all objections, and the required subsidies were voted. For two months, 120,000 seamen and 90,000 soldiers were granted, exclusive of subsidiaries; but for the rest of the year, 10,000 were deducted from each number: the income tax was continued; and there was a loan of £21,000,000, including a vote of credit. Amidst arrangements for the future campaign, opposition proposed inquiry into the past. An army of 40,000 men had been employed in Holland; had fought valiantly, but without effecting any good purpose; and had evacuated the country on the most humiliating conditions: did the miscarriage arise from weakness of plan, or defective execution, XLIII. 1800. or resistless bad fortune? and how was this question CHAP. to be ascertained without investigation? Ministers, however, asserted that inquiry was unnecessary, since the expedition could not be said to have failed; for, beside the acquisition of a large fleet, our army had effected a powerful diversion, and thence contributed to the signal successes of our allies: their opponents replied, that a capitulation to an inferior force ought to be investigated, both for the honor and interest of the nation; but the motion was rejected by a great majority. scarcity. While parliament manifested its liberality towards Alarming our allies, the poor of this nation suffered severely from the difficulty of procuring bread; since an unproductive harvest had greatly advanced the price of corn. Mr. Pitt, on sound principles of political economy, abstained from all interference with the corn market: the speculations of individuals, he conceived, were more likely to produce an adequate supply of foreign wheat than any parliamentary measure; the legislature therefore confined its attention to contriving substitutes for bread, and diminishing its consumption. Committees, appointed by both houses, made reports, in which they called the attention of individuals to the duty of reducing the consumption of wheaten flour in their families, and of encouraging economy in that article within their districts they also recommended that charitable and parochial relief should be distributed in soup, rice, potatoes, or other such substitutes: at their instance also a bill was passed, prohibiting the sale of bread which had not been baked twenty-four hours. In considering the causes of scarcity, opposition ascribed them chiefly to the war: various incidental debates took place on the subject; in the course of which, Mr. Pitt, from a detailed view of prices during the whole contest, argued, that if the scarcity had arisen from the war, the increase would have been progressive; whereas, the prices in 1796, and the two following years, had been as low as during peace; and the rise had not taken place 1800. CHAP. till 1799; being obviously due to an unproductive XLIII. harvest. Something might, perhaps, have been attributed to the operation of the income-tax, which impelled the farmer to raise the price of his corn; as also to the depreciation of the currency, which naturally raised the prices of all articles, while the wages of the poor were not proportionally increased. Not only the necessaries of life, but public morals also occupied the attention of parliament: the crime of adultery had become very prevalent; and it was thought by many political moralists, that intermarriage, permitted to the offending parties after a divorce, was one fertile source of crime. To remove that incentive, lord Auckland proposed a bill in the house of peers, to prohibit such intermarriage, according to the law of Scotland; arguing, that the hopes of a permanent connexion facilitated the temporary success of a seducer. The opponents of the bill, among the most strenuous of whom was the duke of Clarence, took a different view of the subject; thinking that the prohibition would not act as a discouragement of the vice; but, like other obstacles, might rather inflame the passions. Heinous and hurtful to society as the crime itself was, still the seduced person might not be intirely profligate and abandoned next to the preservation of virtue in the moral code, was recovery from vice before it became habitual and inveterate; but the present bill, if it became a law, would drive females to desperate licentiousness. The law lords, and the bishops in general, supported lord Auckland's proposition, which was devised with good intentions, and framed with great ability; but as it was doubted whether the prospect of restriction would be a preventive, it was rejected by a considerable majority. Among other parliamentary topics, the affairs of the East India company were repeatedly discussed. Mr. Dundas, having investigated the state of its finances, detailed them to the commons: he calculated the revenues of the three presidencies, for the year ending at Lady-day, 1798, at £8,000,000, |