subjects? If the policy of that part of the treaty Chap.

was just, which extended the British colonies in XXII.

America, what benefit could be derived from ljfij. those colonies, if these ideas of restraint were maintained i

CHAP,

Extraordinary preparations for the meeting of Parliament—Preliminary articles of Peace laid before Parliament—Mr. Pitt's Speech against them.

± ARMAMENT met on the 25th of November, 1762 "f". '1 he most extraordinary provision was made for this event. The roval household had been encreased beyond all sormer example. 1 he lords and grooms of the bed-chamber were doubled. Pensions were thrown about indiscriminately. Five and twenty thousand pounds were issued in one day, in bank notes os one hundred pounds each. 'she only stipulation was, Give us your vote. A corruption of such notoriety and extent had never been seen besore, 'lhere is no example in any age or country that in any degree approaches to it. The

f In the evening of the day preceding the menting of parliament, the members of the House of Commons met, as usual, at the Cockpit. Mr. Fox took the chair, and produced to the company a paper, which he only called a speech, and which he said he would, as usual, read to them. He asterwards produced an address, which he read; and then said, that Lord Caryssort and Lord Charles Spencer had been so kind to undertake to move and second that address. The same ceremony is observed with respect to the House of Lords. The speech is read by some Peer, who is supposed to conduct the business of that House. The manager of the House of Commons takes the chair at the Cockpit.

dole

dole was lavish beyond the probability of ac- etur". count, or possibility of credit. Mr. Fox had the XXIII. management of the House of Commons, with ,762. unlimited powers.

On the 29th of November the preliminary articles of peace with Francs and Spain were laid before both Houses.

On the orb of December they were taken into Prelimi

. . . naries laid

consideration, and a motion was made, to return {,eforc his Majesty thanks for his gracious condefeen- parliasion in ordering the preliminary articles of peace raent" concluded between his Majesty and their most Christian and Catholic Majesties, to be laid before them. To assure his Majesty, his saithsul Commons were impatient to express to his Majesty their approbation of the advantageous terms, upon which his Majesty hath concluded preliminary articles of peace. And to lay before his Majesty the hearty applause of a saithful, affectionate, and thanksul people, &c. &c.

&C.

On this memorable day, Mr. Pitt attended in parliament, notwithstanding ht was at th.it moment afflicted with a severe fit of the gout. He spoke in reply to Mr. Fox, who made the motion.

He began with lamenting his ill state of health, Mr. Pitt's which had confined him to his chamber; but a!ihough1 speech he was at this instant sussering under the most t xcru- against the dating torture, yet he determined, at the hazard of his prehminalife, to attend this day to raise up his voice, his hand, znd his arm against the preliminary articles of a treaty that obscured all the glories of the war, surrendered the dearest interests of the nation, and sacrisiced the public

saith

Chap, saith by an abandonment of our allies. He owned, that XXIII. the terms upon which he had consented to conclude a s^-p*/ peace, had not been satissactory to all persons; it •was 1762. impossible to reconcile every interest; but he had not, he said, for the mere attainment of peace, made a sacrisice os any conquest; he had neither broken the national faith, nor betrayed the allies of the crown. That he was ready to enter into a discussion of the merits of the peace he had ofsered, comparatively with the present preliminaries. He called for the most able casuist amongst the minister's friends, who, he saw, were all mustered and marshalled for duty to oppose him; they made a most gallant appearance, and there was no doubt of the victory on the main question. If the Right Honourable Gentleman, (Mr. Fox) who took the lead in this debate, would risk the argument of comparison, he •would join issue with him, even under all the disadvantages of his present situation. His motive was to stop that torrent of misrepresentation which was poisoning the virtue of the country.

(No answer being made, he proceeded. )*

He

* The following paper will, in some degree supply this chasm:

Mr. Pitt's negotiation. Lord Bute's peace.

Mr. Pitt, and all the King's Gives the French "The servants insisted, "That the liberty to fish in the Gulph of French shall abstain from that St. Lawrence, on condition particular sishery on all the that the subjects of France do coasts appertaining to Great not exercise the said fishery, Britain, whether on the con- but at the distance of three tinent, or on the islands situ- leagues from all the coasts beated in the said Gulph of St. longing to Great Britain, and Lawrence; which sishery the sifteen leagues from the coast proprietors only of the said or the island of Cape Breton, coasts have constantly enjoy- together with the liberty of ed, and always exercised, sav- ('fishing and drying on a part ing always the privilege grant- of the coasts of she island ed by the 13th article of the of Newfoundland."—If the treaty of Utrecht." French are as attentive to

their interests as we have ever

found them to be, they will

Mr. doubtless He perceived that the Right Honourable Gentleman and his friends were prepared for only the present question.

doubtless call this a grant of

the WHOLE FiSHERY.

The islands of St. Peter and Miquelon are both ceded to the French in sull right, without any one of the four in/lispensible conditions. No English commissary is allowed to reside there; our security is on the present French King's royal word; but not a syllable is mentioned of any engagement for his successors.

Mr. Pitt absolutely refused to cede the island of Miquelon to the French; and the French minister told Mr. Stanley "He would not insist on it." To the cession of the island of St. Peter OnLy, four indifpenfible conditions were annexed *. The cession of the island of St. Peter was- not agreeable to Mr. Pitt's own inclination; for it is a sact, that both H E and Lord Temple earnestly contested for the Whole ExClusive Fishery, which they said ought to be insisted upon. But in this, as Many other things, they were over ruled.

Mr. Pitt insisted on keeping both Senegal and Goree, on the coast os Africa, "For that Senegal could not be securely maintained without Goree," and M. Bujfy "was authorized to consent to the cession."

Mr. Pitt positively refused to cede the island of St. Lucia to France." His negotiation declares " the cession by no means admissible."

Mr. Pitt treated the King of Prussia with essicacy and good faith. The answer to the French ultimatum says, "As to what regards the reft.

Lord Bute gave away the island of Goree, which was of the greatest importance to France, as it serves her as a security in the supply of negroes for the French West Indies.

Lord Bute ceded St. Lucia in sull right to France.

Lord Bute both deceived and betrayed the King of Prussia. He first broke the saith os the nation, by resusing the subsidy to that monarch.

* See in the Appendix, the aiswerof Mr. Pitt to the ultimatum of France, delivered to M. Bujsy on the 16th of August, 1761.

f