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and evafive. Answer from the States General, in which they disapprove the

conduct and obstinacy of the States of Holland, and leave them to abide the con-

fequences, highly acceptable to the king. Court of Versailles condemn the conduct

of Holland, and justify the king in his demand of fatisfaction. Second

memorial from the court of Berlin, ftrongly expreffive of the king's furprize and

indignation at the answer and conduct of the States of Holland. M. de Thule-

meyer prefents a paper containing the form and terms of the fatisfaction which

the king infifts on. States of Holland, inflead of compliance, order every thing

to be in readiness for inundating the country in cafe of invafion. Preparations

for war on the fide of Pruffia. Sadtholder takes the towns of Wick Duerftede,

and Harderwycke. Province of Zealand declares for him. Ineffective attempts

on his camp by the Rhingrave of Salm. Scandalous invective against the prince

of Orange, in the form of a petition to the States of Holland. Licentiousness of

the rabble; deplorable fituation and depopulation of the country; States endea-

vour in vain to prevent emigration. Proclamation iffued by the States General,

probibiting the influx of French officers and foldiers daily arriving. Remonftrate

with the court of Versailles on that fubject. Duke of Brunswick, at the head of

a Pruffian army, enters the territories of the republic. Takes Gorcum. Attempt

made by the commission of defence, to inundate the country fails of effect. Shame-

ful flight of the garrison and armed burghers from Utrecht, without waiting the

fight of an enemy. Univerfal panic. The Pruffian forces, in a few days, over-

run and fubdue the greatest part of South Holland; most of the cities and fortreffes

falling into their hands without refiftance. Duke of Brunswick and general

Kalkreuth approach the strong posts of Amstelveen and Ouderkerp, within a few

miles of Amfterdam. Revolution at the Hague. States of Holland refcind all

their former refolutions against the Stadtholder, and invite him to return and take

poffefion of the government. Prince of Orange, and afterwards the princess,

arrive at the tiague. Short truce, to give time for a deputation from Amfterdam

to propofe terms of accommodation. Terms deemed inadmisible. Strong defences,

and inacceffible fitaation of Amflerdam, feemed to render it impregnable. Truce

being expired, duke of Brunswick gives orders for a general attack on all the

enemy's out-pofts at five o'clock in the morning. Admirable difpofitions made by

the duke. Important poft of Half Wegen taken, which opens the way to Amfter-

dam on the western fide. Amstelveen taken after a long and brave refiflance.

The approaches to the city being now fecured, the Prufian troops are called off

from the other attacks. Admirable temper, and great moderation, difplayed by

the duke of Brunswick, under various circumftances which occurred previous to

the capitulation of Amfterdam, and the furrender of the Leyden gate to the

Pruffians.
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Mr. Pitt's Speech on that occafion; confiders the treaty in three points of view,
commercial, financial, and political. Comparative view of the produce,
manufactures, and population of the two countries; conclufions in favour of
Great Britain. Anfwers to the objections of the chamber of commerce.
Remarks on the treaty of Utrecht. Tendency of the treaty with respect to
revenue; the advantage in favour of Great Britain. Political tendency
of the treaty. Abfurd prejudices anfwered. Causes of the change that bad
taken place in the political views of France.-Mr. Fox replies to Mr. Pitt;

contends for the importance of the political tendency of the treaty beyond any

other confideration. Relative political fituation of the two countries.

of the natural enmity fubfifting between them. Improbability of any change in

the defigns of France; her hoftile views in the prefent treaty. Defends

the refolutions of the chamber of commerce. Anfwers Mr. Pitt's arguments

relative to the revenue. Moves that the chairman report a progress; fup-

ported by Mr. Francis. Different lines of conduct of Lord Chatham and

Mr. Pitt. Effects of the treaty upon the navy. Opinion of Mr. Powys;

of Mr. Baring. Mr. Fox's motion rejected by a large majority. Refolu-

tion moved by Mr. Pitt agreed to. Committee fits again. Refolution moved

to lower the duties on French wines. Able fpeech against the treaty by

Mr. Flood; anfwered by Mr. Wilberforce. Principles laid down by Mr.

Wilberforce frongly condemned by Mr. Fox and Mr. Powys. Opinion of Mr.

Alderman Watfon. Treaty defended by Mr. H. Dundas. Amendment moved

by Mr. Fox, refpecting the duties on Portugal wines, rejected. Laft effort of

Mr. Fox in favour of the Methuen treaty; acquiefces in Mr. Pitt's declaration

on that fubject. Duty on brandy, on beer, on cottons, on glass; and debates

thereupon. Report of the committee. Converfation refpecting the omiffion of

Ireland. Refolutions agreed to. Motion for an addrefs to the king upon the

treaty frongly oppofed. Extraordinary difplay of eloquence by Mr. Grey.

Captain Macbride's opinion. Mr. Burke, upon the political tendency of the

treaty, and its remote effects. Treaty defended by Mr. Grenville, Lord Mor-

nington, and Mr. Pulteney. New objection to the addrefs from Mr. W. Ellis ;

anfwered and overruled by a majority of 236 to 160. Addrefs agreed to, and

communicated to the lords. Decifion of the house of lords upon a motion by Lord

Stormont, refpecting fuch of the fixteen peers as should be created peers of Great

Britain. Motion oppofed by the lord chancellor; defended by lord Lough-

borough, and carried by a majority of 52 to 38. Debates in the house of lords

upon the commercial treaty. Altercation between the duke of Richmond and the

marquis of Lanfdown. Addrefs of both boufes to the king.

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Confolidation of the duties of cuftom and excife. The fpeech of the chancellor of
the exchequer upon that subject; fates the origin of the duties of tonnage and
poundage; the nature and inconveniences of thofe duties; the methods hitherto
adopted for remedying them; their infufficiency. Explanation of the new plan of
confolidating the duties of custom, and of excife. Provifions to be made for the

fecurity of the public creditors. Upwards of three thousand refolutions to be

moved. General concurrence of the boufe in this meafure. Mr. Burke's speech

on the occafion. Sir Grey Cooper mentions the progrefs made in it during the

adminiftration of Lord North. Bill brought in for the confolidation of duties.

Provifions relative to the French treaty included therein; objected to on that

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account. Motion for feparating the latter from the former, rejected. Motion to

the fame effect, by Mr. Baftard, rejected. Warm debate, and motions on the

fame fubject rejected in the house of lords. Bill receives the royal affent. Inno-

vation in the mutiny bill again carried, after much debate. Penfion of Sir John

Skynner; Mr. Burke's Speech on that bufinefs. Motion in the upper house, by lord

Rawdon, relative to the Spanish convention, and the evacuation of the Mofquito

fbore; fpeeches of lord Carmarthen and the lord chancellor on the fame fubject.

Motion by Mr. Beaufoy, for taking the corporation and test acts into confideration;

endeavours to prove that the latter was never defigned to include proteftant

diffenters, and that the reafons for the former had ceased; that no man ought to

be punished for opinions; that difqualifications are punishments; that the difqua-

lifications were not defenfible by any ftate neceffity. Diffenters vindicated from

the charge of republicanism, and of aiming at the revenues of the church; tefts,

that would remain after the repeal, fufficient. Objection anfvered relative to

the union. Remark on the impiety of a facramental teft. Mr. Beaufoy anfwered

by Lord North, and by Mr. Pitt; supported by Mr. Fox; bis remarks on the late

conduct of the diffenters. Mr. Beaufoy's motion rejected by 178 to 100. Budget;

flourishing fate of the finance; controverted by Mr. Sheridan. Notice given by

Mr. Alderman Newnham, of a motion relative to the embarrassed state of the af-

fairs of the Prince of Wales. Retrospect of various matters relative to that affair;

first establishment of the Prince's boufbold; difference of opinions on the allow-

ance to be made him; debt contracted; meritorious conduct of the Prince of Wales.

Application to the king for affiftance rejected. Reduction of all his establishments

and favings appropriated for payment of the debt. Mifunderstanding between.

the King and the Prince. Generous offer of the duke of Orleans. Application to

parliament. Converfation on the fubject in the house of commons; numerous

appearance of the Prince's friends. Mr. Pitt's declaration, that he should have

to difclofe circumstances of an unpleasant nature. Mr. Rolle's menace, to bring

forward an enquiry concerning the connection between the Prince and Mrs.

Fitzherbert. Prince of Wales demands to have the whole of his conduct enquired

into; authorizes Mr. Fox to explain certain parts thereof. Mr. Rolle's beha-

viour warmly cenfured, and defended by Mr. Pitt. General difpofition in favour

of the Prince. The matter privately accommodated with the Prince the day

before Mr. Newnham's motion was to be made. Meffage from the King; ftate

of the Prince's debts; addrefs to the King for their payment.
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and Mr. Pitt; rejected without a divifion. Motion in the house of lords, reld. tive to the votes of the dukes of Queensberry and Gordon, in the election of the fixteen peers; oppofed by the chancellor; fupported by lord Kinnaird; opinions of lord Douglas, earl of Moreton, and duke of Richmond; motion carried. Motion in the boufe of commons, relative to the right of the fons of Scotch peers to reprefent Scotch boroughs or counties; opinions of Sir John Sinclair, Mr. Dundas, Sir James Johnstone, and Sir Adam Ferguffon, in the negative; of lords Beauchamp, Maitland, and Elcho, in the affirmative; carried for the negative! [131

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Accufation of Mr. Haftings. Celebrated fpeech of Mr. Sheridan on the third charge, refpecting the Begums of Oude; its remarkable effects; house adjourn thereon; debate refumed; opinion of Mr. Pitt respecting the matter of the charge-voted by a large majority. Mr. Burke proposes to come directly to the question of impeachment; oppofed by Mr. Pitt. Converfation relative to the evidence and profecution of Sir Elijah Impey. Fourth charge, relative to the Nabob of Farruckabad, opened by Mr. T. Pelham, Reafons of Mr. Dundas for voting for the charge. Speech by lord Hood in favour of Mr. Haftings; anfwered by Mr. Pitt. Difficulties under which the accufers of Mr. Haftings laboured. Fifth charge, relative to contrails and falaries, opened by Sir James Erskine. Mr. Pitt objects to a great part of the charge; moves to have it confined to three points. Mr. Burke moves, that two others fhould be added. Mr. Burke's amendment carried. Altercation between Mr. Francis and Mr. Pitt. Sixth charge, refpecting Fyzoola Khân, opened by Mr. Wyndham. Criminal parts of the charge flated by Mr. Dundas. Explanation by Mr. Burke. Propofal of Mr. Pitt for bringing forward the question of impeachment; acceded to by Mr. Burke. Seventh charge, relative to bribes and prefents, opened by Mr. Sheridan; fupported by Lord Mulgrave and Mr. Grenville. Report from the committee on the charges read a first time. Conversation reSpecting the mode of proceeding. Opinion of Mr. Fox-of Mr. Pitt-of Mr. Burke. Motion to read the report a fecond time, objected to by Major Scott. Paper read containing the fentiments of Mr. Haftings refpecting the profecution. Committee to prepare articles of impeachment. Eighth charge, refpecting the revenues of Bengal, opened by Mr. Francis; he vindicates bimfelf from fufpicions of perfonal enmity to Mr. Haftings. Mr. Pitt's obfervations on the eighth charge. Converfation between Mr. Barwell and Mr. Burke, refpeling bis impeaching the former. Articles of impeachment read a first time; motion for reading them a fecond time oppofed by Lord Hood, Mr. Wilkes, Mr. Smith, lord advocate for Scotland, and Mr. Alderman Townbend-supported by Mr. Pitt-carried by a great majority. Question of impeachment oppofed by Mr. Sumner-carried without a divifon. Mr. Montagu moves, that Mr. Burke do impeach Mr. Haftings at the bar of the House of Lords-ordered. Motion for taking Mr. Haftings into cuftody oppofed by Mr. Nicholls-ordered. Lords acquainted therewith. Mr. Haftings delivered to the Black Rod-brought to the bar; articles read; ad. mitted to bail; ordered to give in his answer the fecond day of the next meeting of parliament. Speaker's addrefs to the King. King's Speech. Parliament prorogued.

CHAP.

CHA P. VII.

France. Various caufes, conducing to that revolution which has taken place in the political fentiments and public opinions of that nation. How far the American war and its confequences might be supposed to operate in producing that revolution. Unequalled expences and heavy debts produced by that war, added to the previous enormous burthens of the ftate, clog and embarrass all the movements of government, and involve the financial fyftem in inextricable diforder. Financier fucceeds financier without effect. Patriotic and generous endeavours of the king to relieve the diftreffes of the people, by curtailing in an unexampled degree the expences of his court and household, prove equally fruitless. The monarch, difappointed in all the hopes held out by his minifters, finds it necessary to throw himself for council and affifiance upon the reprefentatives of the nation. Difficulty of re foring the ancient affemblies of the flates, through the manner of their election, their number, and the form of their proceedings being totally forgotten. Affembly of notables convened. King meets them in great flate. Proceedings. M. de Calonne finds himself obliged to refign the adminiftration of public affairs, and to retire to England. Convention of notables diffolved, without their having anfwered all the hopes of the court. Oppofition of the parliament of Paris to the new taxes laid on by the crown. Celebrated remonftrance by that body. King, by the exertion of his authority in a bed of justice, obliges them to regifter the land-tax and ftamp-duty edicts. Extraordinary proteft, which renders them of no effect. Parliament banished to Troyes. Great difcontents. Turbulence of the Parifians occafions a frong armed force to enter that city. Flame of liberty bursting forth in different parts of the kingdom. Parliament recalled. Combination of circumftances which nearly compelled France to fubmit to the measures pursued by England and Pruffia with respect to Holland. Convention with England for mutually difarming. King meets the parliament with two edicts for a new loan, amounting to about 19 millions of English money. King fits nine hours to hear the debates; and at length, departing hastily, orders .be edicts to be registered. Duke of Orleans thereupon protefts against the whole proceedings of the day as invalid. Proteft confirmed by the parliament. Duke of Orleans banished to one of his country feats, and two members of the parliament to remote prifons. Strong and repeated remonftrances. Some relaxation obtained with respect to the imprisoned magiftrates. [17+

CHAP. VIII.

Causes of the difcontents in the Auftrian Netherlands. Ecclefiaftical reforms filently acquiefced in, until they were involved with invafions of the civil rights and political establishments of the provinces. Two imperial ordinances published on the first day of the year 1787, which went in their immediate effect to the fubverfion of the established tribunals of justice, and tended more indirectly to the overthrow of the ancient conftitution. Sketch of the conflitution of Brabant, and of the established fyftem of jurifprudence. Council of Brabant fuppreffed by the new edits. Great feal transferred from the hands of the chancellor to the imperial minifter. Low Countries divided into nine circles, and intendants and commissaries, quith arbitrary and undefined powers, appointed to rule thefe circles. Standing comVOL. XXIX.

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