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the Parliament in fuch national embarraffments has been occafioned by their wishes and expectations to extend the means of that influence, which is neceffary to unite the members in a firm and folid majority, without which they can purfue no measures of public utility with steadiness or fuccefs, by the capture of Dunkirk, St. Maloes, or fome other parts of the French territories, fo providentially favouring the increase of the necessary influence of the British Minister. This naturally accounts for the refolution of the British Cabinet after the capture of Valenciennes to divide the forces: here British blood and British treasure were spent, to procure national advantages for a foreign people: Auftrian not British commiffioners were fent to Valenciennes.

How industriously have the docile pupils of Mr. Burke laboured to verify the doctrines of their infallible master, that the power of the King of England is more folid, real and extenfive, than what the King of France was poffeffed of before this miferable revolution. They are refolved, that in future no empty vain title fhall difgrace the efcutcheons of our Monarch. In future the territorial poffeffions of the French Monarch fhall at least feed the prerogative of the King of Great Britain, France and Ireland.

CHAR

CHAPTER XIX.

OCTOBER, 1793.

CONTENTS.

Energy and activity in the French-Siege of Maubeuge raised-French army 170,000 ftrong - Nieuport defended by Major Matthews-Cowardice of the Dutch-The Lines of Weiffenbourg forced-Lord Howe in Torbay-Treaties with Sardinia and Naples-Fresh Treaty with Prussia-Negociation to bring Denmark into the Confederacy-Genoa forced out of her neutrality-Tufcany forced by England to declare war against France-Manifefto of our King -The Emprunt Forcé-British property seized and British fubjects arrested-Death of the Queen-Mr. Burke's Reflections thereupon.

HOWEVER

OWEVER it may ferve the views of certain persons at home to keep up the irritation of the Nation against the French Republicans; and

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however largely the minifterial prints and the affociation publications may for this purpose have indulged in invective and imprecation against that nation, and every measure adopted by it; yet is it a truth of too fatal confequence to this unfortunate country, that our anger has precipitated us into a labyrinth of ruin and difgrace. Such in fact was the infatuation of our deluded countrymen, that our failures of the preceding month had produced no other effect upon their minds than the increase of a blind and desperate abandonment of their caufe to thofe, who were feeking to juftify their error in engaging them in the war, by multiplying the difficulties of extracting them out of it. Those who disapproved of the commencement of the war, were more anxious than its advocates for its conclufion; but they faw. no other road to honourable peace, than by carrying it on with vigour when it was once begun. Though comparisons may be always odious, they are not always fruitless. Let the tardinefs of co-operation from our Board of Ordnance and Admiralty be contrafted with the fpirit and energy of that Government which has raised our pity or excited our indignation: thousands of troops conveyed in waggons drawn by poft-horfes to the place of defence with unknown celerity befpoke the real earneftnefs with which their Executive Council attended to the welfare of the Nation. Their vic

torious

torious General Houchard was with his whole Staff put under arreft for not having pursued with advantage the difcomfited enemy in their precipitate and diforderly retreat. There fuccefs was punished, because it might have been more complete here the caufes of a failure, which could fcarcely have been worse, were not even looked into. The contempt of the example which humbles us is the extremity of folly. The Warren and Dock-yard of Woolwich are lefs diftant from Dunkirk than the Rhine or the Mofelle. Wurmfer and even Brunswick are more terrible enemies to France, than the oppofers of Mr. Reeves's Affociations to Great Britain.

The expectation of the whole confederacy feemed to hang upon the fate of Maubeuge, which the Prince of Saxe Cobourg had for fome weeks blockaded with an army of 70,000 men. He was attacked by the French, and though the Auftrians behaved with their ufual fteadinefs and bravery they were forced to raise the fiege and cross the Sambre. After this defeat the Prince became ferioufly apprehenfive for the fate of Flanders, and applied for a reinforcement of 50,000 men. The French army of the North now confifted of 170,000 men. They again entered Furnes and laid fiege to Nieuport: they were however fortunately checked by the fteadiness and refolution of Major Matthews: he opened the fluices though opposed

oppofed by the Magiftrates, and with a handful of men defended the town till reinforcements arrived. Such was the terror through all Flanders of an invafion, that immenfe quantities of stores were deftroyed to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy,

Such of the Dutch troops as were engaged before Maubeuge difgraced themselves by the most infamous flight whether it were from difinclination to the fervice or from want of difcipline or courage, thefe troops have never flood with the steadiness, of foldiers: they appeared nevertheless to have been piqued at the reflections of the combined armies upon their retreat from Menin; and through the intereft of their Hereditary Prince they infifted upon General Beaulieu's being called to a court martial for not having fupported them as it was pretended he might. The notoriety however of the good conduct of this veteran General and of the daftardly behaviour of the fugitive Dutchmen was fuch, that they were prevailed upon prudently to drop the attempt to disguise their own cowardice by criminating the brave Beaulieu.

More favourable accounts were received from the army of the Rhine. General Wurmfer after an engagement of eleven hours forced the lines of Weiffenbourg and took the French camp by affault; the Duke of Brunswick attacked them at

the

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