Hall---An universal clamour ensues---An attempt is made

to stab him with a dagger---He is rescued by the Grena-

diers---Conduct of Lucien Buonaparté, President of the

Council of Five Hundred---Speech of Tallot---The Mem-

bers are expelled from their Hall by the Troops, with

fixed bayonets---The Council of Elders declare them-

selves the entire Legislative Body---Memorable speech of

Boulay de la Meurthe---The Constitution annihilated, and

a Consular Government established---New oath adminis-

tered to all Public Officers---Reflections on the constant vio

lation of oaths by the French-Buonaparté made (by him-

self) First Consul---Meeting of the British Parliament

---Means taken for recruiting the Army---Supplies voted

for Three Months---Parliament adjourned for the Holidays

---Buonaparte's Letter to the King, on the subject of

Peace---Supposed object of it---Reasons for doubting the

Consul's sincerity---Lord Grenville's answer---The Con-

sul's reply---Talleyrand's falsehoods and contradictions

confuted by the declarations of his Brother Patriots,

Robespierre and Brissot---The subject discussed in Parlia-

ment---The Duke of Bedford and Lord Holland defend the

First Consul, and arraign the British Ministry---Conduct

of the Cabinet supported by Lord Grenville---Debates in

the Commons---Address moved by Mr. Dundas---Oppo-

sed by Mr. Whitbread---Mr. Whitbread's errors corrected

by Mr. Canning---Mr. Erskine condemns the conduct of

Ministers---Mr. Pitt's speech-Confutes the arguments of

Mr. Erskine Takes a comprehensive view of the

question of aggression---Shews the arguments of Mr.

Erskine to have been extracted from his pamphlet,

which had been long since confuted---Mr. Pitt asserts the

rigid neutrality of this Country towards France previous to

the War---States the causes of the failure of the last nego-

tiation---Considers the conduct of France to the Powers of

the Continent---Describes the ruling principles of the

French Revolution---Delineates the Character and Con-

duct of Buonaparté---Proves the necessity of entering into

his personal character in the present disscussion---That

character affords no security for the observance of treaties

---Mr. Pitt combats the objections of Mr. Tierney---Mr.

Nicholl's observations on the scarcity of Corn answered

by Mr. Pitt---Mr. Pitt justifies the Cabinet against the

charge of Inconsistency, in having negotiated in 1797

with France, and in refusing to negotiate at the present

moment---He is answered by Mr. Fox---Address, appro-

ving of the conduct of Ministers, carried by 265 votes

against 64---Subsidy to Foreign Powers---Opposed by Mr.

Tierney, Mr. Sheridan, and Mr. William Smith---Sup-

ported by Mr. Pitt---Granted by the House---Motion for

compelling Ministers to open a negotiation with France.

rejected by both Houses---The Budget---Motions relative

to the Dutch Expedition, by Lord Holland, and Mr. She-

ridan, negatived---Renewal of the Suspension Bill---Bill

for preventing the consumption of New Bread---Sir Henry

Mildmay introduced a Bill for preventing British Subjects

from taking the veil---Supported by Mr. Pitt---Opposed by

Mr. Windham---Observations on the conduct of Mr.

Burke's Friends on all subjects relating to the Papists---

Bill passes the Commons---Is rejected by the Lords---

Bill for preventing the marriage of an Adultress with the

object of her criminal Attachment, brought into the Upper

House by Lord Auckland---Debate on the subject---The

Bill supported by Lord Eldon, Lord Grenville, and most

of the Bishops---Opposed by the Duke of Clarence, Lords

Westmoreland and Mulgrave---Remarks on an extra-

ordinary passage in a Speech of the Duke of Clarence

---Thoughts on this Discussion.

VOL. VI.

1

1

CHAPTER XLVI.

Military operations on the Continent---Genoa surrenders to the

Austrians---Buonaparté enters Italy---Drives the Austrians

from Milan and Pavia---Unaccountable inactivity of the

Austrian Commander, General Melas---Battle of Maren-

go---The French defeated on every side---Battle restored

by a masterly manoeuvre of General Desaix-- Victory

finally declares for the French---Impatience of the Aus-

trian troops to attack the French the next morning---

Disgraceful Convention concluded by Melas--- Moreau

enters Germany and overruns Saxony---An Armistice---

Renewal of military operations in Germany---The Battle

of Hohenlinden--- Peace concluded at Luneville---By this

treaty the French realize the projects of Brissot and

Robespierre by extending their boundary to the Rhine---

Affairs of Egypt --Treaty of El Arish--- Kleber assas-

sinated---He is succeeded in the command of the Army

by Menou---State of Public Affairs at the close of the

eighteenth century---View of Mr. Pitt's policy--- Con-

siderations on the probable state of the country had a

different system of policy been pursued--- The argument

illustrated by a reference to the actual state of those

powers who had procured peace with France---The origin

of the war, its progress, and its partial failure, considered

in relation to Mr. Pitt's conduct--- Effect of the war upon

England beneficial on the whole---Scarcity of Corn---

Reflections on its causes---War proved not to increase the

price of Corn-- Popular commotions in the Capital---

Parliament convened---The King's Speech-- Legislative

measures adopted for averting the effects of the scarcity---

Wise principles of political economy entertained by Mr.

Pitt---Mr. Tierney moves an inquiry into the State of the

Nation---Motion rejected by one hundred and fifty-seven

to thirty-seven----Principles avowed by the Northern

powers---Incompatible with the maritime greatness and

commercial interests of Great Britain---Contrary to the

established Law of Nations---Meeting of the Imperial

Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

Ireland---New title assumed by the King---Reflections on

the abandonment of the old title of King of France---

Mr. Addington again elected Speaker of the House of

Commons---Difference between the King and his Minis-

ters on the Catholic Question---Mr. Pitt's former decla-

rations on this subject referred to---Remarks on the

conditions which Mr. Pitt had declared to be necessary

for the adoption of the proposed measure---These condi-

tions shewn not to exist---No pledge given by Mr. Pitt to

the Irish Papists to bring forward the Question of giving

them further indulgences---Mr. Dundas commissioned to

open the matter to the King---Result of the conference---

Examination of the arguments in favour of the Question

---The Coronation Oath---The King complete master of

the subject---Refuses to yield his conscience to the force

of metaphysical subtleties---His Majesty resolutely rejects

the proposal of his Ministers---Mr. Pitt a sincere friend to

the Established Church---Remarks on the new Test, which

he meant to introduce as a substitute for the existing Test---

Its efficacy denied--- Mr. Pitt deceived as to the Catholic

Question---Inefficacy of the proposed measure maintained---

That measure at variance with the general principle of Mr.

Pitt's policy---Probable cause of his conduct on this occasion

---Reflections on the imputed change in the principles of

modern Papists---Existence of such change disproved by the

pastoral letter of Dr. Troy---The fourth Council of Late-

ran imposes obligations on a Papist incompatible with

his duty to a Protestant Government--- The Papists of

Ireland should have been called upon to renounce the prin-

ciples contained in the decrees of that Council---Distinction

drawn between toleration and encouragement--- Mr. Pitt

and his principal colleagues tender their resignations to the

King; but offer to remain in place till a new Ministry is

*formed---The Imperial Parliament opened by the King---

Speech from the Throne---Debate on the Address in the

House of Commons--- Speech of Mr. Grey-- His senti-

ments incompatible with the principles of the Old Whigs

--Ministers defended by Mr. Pitt---Address carried---

Lord Grenville, in the House of Peers, avows the Catho-

lic Question to be the cause of the change of the Ministry

---Mr. Pitt opens the Budget---Takes a view of the pros-

perous state of the Country--- New Ministry- Mr. Ad-

dington, Premier--- Mr. Pitt and his friends promise to

support the new Ministers---General character of the new

Administration---Mr.Pitt and Mr.Dundas explain their con-

duct in the House of Commons---Papers circulated among

the Papists of Ireland by Lord Cornwallis--- Animadver-

sions on these papers---General remarks on the conduct

of Mr. Pitt.

CHAPTER XLVII.

Progress of the disputes with the Northern Powers--Embargo

laid on all their ships in British harbours-The British

Envoys recalled from their courts-Plans of the confede-

rates-Seizure of Hamburgh by the Danes-The King

of Denmark a tool of Buonaparté-Hanover invaded by

Prussia-A British fleet passes the Sound-Battle of

Copenhagen-The King of Denmark abandons the

Northern Confederacy-Assassination of the Russian

Emperor, Paul-Accession of Alexander to the Throne

of Russia-Peace with the Northern Powers-A British

force lands in Egypt-Military operations in that country

-Battle of the 21st of March, 1801-Defeat of the

French-Death of Sir Ralph Abercrombie-General Hut-

chinson succeeds to the command of the army-Reduction

of Grand Cairo Capitulation of Alexandria - Final