conduct of the 4th of wards the his succes Crown. Grandfather, king Henry the fourth, of France, who, of the wise after long Wars, coming to his right, befides his relief and upright from Q. Elizabeth, by no other humane aid, but the re- king Henry lenting and late wifdome of his own people; and, being France toforc'd to make a peace, by many particular treaties, party that ftill was exact in keeping them; and received into his had opposed entire favour, and folid friendship, all thofe who had sion to the fought against him; and govern'd his most important affairs, both Civil and Military, by the counfel and conduct of his fometimes Enemies; fuch as were not onely the Duke of Nevers, Villeroy, and Prefident Jeannin, but even the head of the League, the Duke of Maine himself; to whom he committed the conduct of all the force of France, (though then perfonally prefent) when the prince of Parma came to relieve Amiens; and after, to make good his own promise of Indempnity, protected him, being questioned for the Murther of Henry the third, by interpofing his own. fupreme power, when the chambers of Parliament were ready to condemn him; though thereby he was fure to undergoe the imputation of refcuing fo great a Malefactor, against the clamours of the people, the regular process of the Law, the paffionate demands of a difconfolate Widow-Queen, and his own particular neerneffes of the highest mark, his relation to him both in Blood and in Succeffion. Yet, by doing this, he not onely settled himself, but attained that greatness which no other method could have contrived for him. And why we should think the King refoly'd not to consult as well for himself, as his Grandfather did, I fuppose it will puzzle the wifeft patrons of diftruft, to give the leaft pretence, or fhew, of reafon; as alfo it would do, why we fhould not take pattern by that part of the Story which as neerly concerns us; for, they being exactly in the fame cafe we now are in, crumbled into as many divifions and fubdivifions, as fo great variety of Intereft and Religion in that long Civil war could make; bearing an inveterate, mortal, hatred each to other, and almoft all of them to the King; yet, feeing the ruine approaching both from themselves and ftrangers, the whole French Nation did fubmit to its Prince again, at whofe throat their fword had fo often pointed, and whom they had for fo many years devoted to hell as well as death, under the title of Heretick and Apoftate; and, by fo doing, they became fuddenly the most flourishing and the most potent people of Europe. But, befides this, the King has yet a farther motive to offer Grace to all that will accept it, and religiously to make it good, that is peculiar to himself, and of proportionate value with him; the command and ftrict injunction of his dying Father, whofe memory he too much efteems, not to fulfill that legacy and laft bequest of his, were there no other motive to perfwade him. His fcrupulousness in this particular is known to be fuch, as to become a charge against him, and that with more than ordinary vehemence, from the hot-fpurs of the two extreme parties he has had occafion to deal with, the Catbolick and the Presbyterian. The injunction I mean is notorious to every person, making-up a great part of the Miffive directed to the now present King, under the ftyle of Prince of Wales; I cannot forbear to infert a few lines, as they fell from the pen of the incomparable Author. They run thus: I bave offered Acts of Indempnity and Oblivion in so great a latitude as may include all that can but suspect themselves to be any way obnoxious to the Laws, and which might serve to exclude all future jealousies and insecurities. I would have you alwayes propense to the same way; whenever it shall be desired and accepted, let it be granted, granted, not onely as an act of State-policy and necessity, but of Christian charity and choyce, It is all I have now left me, a power to forgive those that have depriv'd me of all; and I thank God I have a beart to do it, and joy as much in this grace which God has given me, as in all my former enjoyments; for this is a greater argument of God's love to me, than any prosperity can be. Be confident, as I am, that the most (of all sides) who bave done amiss, bave done so, not out of malice, but misinformation, or misapprehension of things. None will be more loyal and faithful to me and you, than those Subjects who, sensible of their errors and our injuries, will feel in their own souls most vehement motives to repentance, and earnest desires to make some reparations for their former defects *. But, if all this be not enough to fuperfede fufpicion and doubt, let me yet add a farther teftimony. The King admits at this day to his bosome and neerest trust, feveral perfons, that have been engaged against his father, and fome of them in actions most fatal to his affairs; an infallible affurance, that it is only the fault of the reft, that they are not there too. More then this, concerning a future performance, to affure it, can not be faid or done, except it fhould pleafe God to work Miracles; which, I hope, no body does now expect. The fhort of all is. Without trufting fome one or other, the Nation is certainly destroyed: and no perfon in the world, befides the King, is in a capacity to avert the impendent ruin, or can give the like fecurity of himself, as he can do. I will not pow preferibe unto the reader's understanding, in dictating an inference; *The King's Book, sect. 27. but, but, from the Premises, defire him at his leifure to drawout the conclufion. Having thus without paffion, partiality, or prejudice, endevoured clearly, to lay-down the exact cafe of the Nation, both in respect of its difcafe and cure; 'twill be fuperfluous to add perfwafives: for men do not use to be importuned to leave their torment or disease, or want rhetorical Enducements, after the pleadings of Intereft and Profit. I forbear therefore to addreffe myself unto Affection, and to beg that thing, which vifibly it concerns them that are courted, to render their importunate requeft and fuit: Nor will I enlarge upon the motives yet untoucht, drawn from Religion, and the refpects of Proteftations, Covenants, and Oaths; as alfo native Allegiance; or (what is infinitely confiderable,) motives taken from the ftate of publick affairs abroad; our neighbour Nations being now at peace among themselves, and looking-out for forraign war, thereby to employ their ufeleffe forces; pretence, and colour, and defire too, for the undertaking of which, we have given to every one about us, in our late attempts on them; and [our prefent unfettled ftate] likewise yeelds [them] affurance, that they fhall fucceed by our difagreement here among our felves. Let all this be feriously weigh'd: I am factor for no Intereft or Party, nor feek the thanks, or favour, of any perfon, but rather expect the fate of Reconcilers, " to difplease every body." But let that fucceed as it shall happen: the injury that I have done cannot certainly be esteemed great; all that is faid, amounting but to this very reasonable defire, "that my fellow-fubjects will remember thefe two plain truths, firft," that they are Englishmen," and fo confider the good of the Nation; and then, "that they are men," and fo purfue their own. SUBSTANCE OF THE SPEECH OF THE EARL OF SELKIRK, On Monday, the 13th of April, 1807, on the Motion of the Marquis of Stafford, That the House should come to a Resolution, "That "this House, feeling the necessity of a firm and stable Government "6 at this most important crisis of publick affairs, is impressed with "the deepest regret at the change which has taken place in his "Majesty's Councils, and that such regret is greatly increased by "the cause to which such change has been ascribed, it being the "opinion of this House, that it is contrary to the first duties of the "Ministers of the Crown to restrain themselves by any pledge, "expressed or implied, from giving to his Majesty any advice, "which, in their judgement, the course of circumstances may "render necessary for the honour and security of his dominions," THE Earl of SELKIRK declared, that the propofitions contained in the Refolution moved by the noble Marquis had, in the abftract, his unqualified affent. He had no dobt of the principle, that a privy Counsellor, who should reftrain himself by a pledge, from advifing His Majefty to the beft of his judgement, would be guilty of a high breach of duty. He was alfo fatisfied, that the late Adminiftration poffeffed and deferved the confidence of the country. He did not mean to imply an unreserved approbation of all their proceedings; but he did not expect to fee an Adminiftration of more than human perfection. The fair criterion, by which to judge the late Administration was to compare their conduct with that of others; and in this view he was ready 2 G4 to |