which warms our hearts, when we reflect on the success which has attended the arms of your majesty and your allies, in fupport of a juft and equitable balance of power. But permit us, fir, in a more particular manner, and with all the fentiments of duty, gratitude, and veneration, to congratulate your majesty on your ever-memorable victory at Dettingen, where your majefty, with confummate wifdom commanded, and by your great example animated, the force of confederate nations in the cause of Europe."

CHAP. V.

Meeting of the BRITISH Parliament: Debates on keeping the HANOVERIAN Troops in BRITISH Pay. The Attempts of FRANCE to make an Invafion upon GREAT BRITAIN in favor of the PRETENDER: Thofe Attempts difappointed. Parliamentary proceedings thereon.

H

IS Britannic majefty having received addreffes

from the principal cities and corporate towns, congratulating him on the fuccefs of his arms at Dettingen; and finding all his fubjects defirous of profecuting the war for affifting the queen of Hungary; on the 1st of December 1743, he opened the third feffion of parliament, with a fpeech from the throne, wherein he acquainted both houfes, "That he had, pursuant to their advice, and in confequence of their fuppert, exerted his endeavors for the prefervation of the houfe of Auftria, and the maintenance of the balance and liberties of Europe: and that it had pleased God to give fuccefs to his arms, in conjunction with thofe of the queen of Hungary,

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Hungary, and as her auxiliaries *.” He declared, his views were to fee the public tranquillity re-established, and a general and honourable peace obtained; therefore, his majefty defired them to enable him to concert and carry on fuch measures proper for that purpofe; affuring them, that nothing could divert him from purfuing their true and lafting interest.

Both houfes prefented loyal, dutiful, and affectionate addreffes on this occafion; and thefe addreffes were paffed with an an immaterial contention: but the fpirit of oppofition was fo far from bring entirely dormant, that it foon after burst out with the utmost vehemence.

As a prelude to what the miniftry were to expect, lord Gower refigned the office of keeper of the privyfeal, which was conferred on the earl of Cholmondeley: the duke of Marlborough alfo withdrew his attendance as a lord of the bedchamber to his majefty, and the earl of Waldegrave, lately ambaffador at the court of France, was appointed in his room. About the fame time, feveral gentlemen of the minifterial party were appointed to fome of the most honorable employments ‡;

*His majefty alfo acquainted them, that the French had evacuated Germany; that the Dutch troops had joined his forces; and that a definitive treaty was concluded between him, the queen of Hungary, and the king of Sardinia.

The addrefs from the lords imported" That the anxious concern which filled the breafts of all his faithful fubje&s, upon the dangers to which his facred perfon had been expofed, redoubled their joy, on his fafe and happy return into the kingdom: That their first thanks were due to almighty God for the prefervation of his invaluable life; their next to his majesty,

to whofe magnanimity and unwearied labors for the good of the public caufe, they stood fo highly indebted; on which occafion, they defired permiffion to offer their fincere congratulations to his majetty on the fuccefs of his arms in the fupport of the house of Auftria, and in defence of the liberties of Europe."-The commons affured his majesty, "they would grant him fuch effectual fupplies as fhould be requifite for the honor and fecurity of the nation."

Mr. Sandys, lately created baron of Ombersley,was made cofferer to his majefty; and was fucceded as chancellor and under

and

and general Wade was promoted to the rank of a fieldmarfhal, as it was intended he should command the allied army in Flanders in the enfuing campaign, in the room of marshal Stair.

A motion was made in the houfe of commons, for an amendment to the land-tax bill," by laying a duty of eight fhillings in the pound, on all places and penfions:" but when the question was put, it paffed in the negative by a majority of forty-two.

Though the minifterial party fucceeded in defeating the first motion of their opponents, the country party meditated a more violent attack. In the former feffion, they had been difappointed in a motion, for addreffing his majelly to dismiss the fixteen thou and Hanoverians taken into British pay; but they were now determined to renew the attempt. Accordingly a motion was made t in the house of lords, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his majesty, that he would be graciously pleafed to give orders, that the fixteen thoufand Hanoverians, then in the pay of Great Britain, be no longer continued in the fervice of the nation, after the 25th of that inftant December; thereby to put a stop to the jealoufies and heart-burnings among his majefty's faithful fubjects at home, and his British forces abroad." The motion was introduced with heavy invectives against the disobe

treasurer of the exchequer by Mr. Henry Pelham: Mr. Winnington was made paymafter of the forces: the earl of Middlefex and Mr. Fox were made lords of the treafury; and Sir John Rufhout treasurer of the navy.

By Henry Archer, Efq. on the 7th of December.

On the 9th cf December, by the earl of Sandwich,--The motion

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was feconded, in turn, by the earl of Halifax, lord Talbot, the duke of Bedford, the ea 1 of Chesterfield, the earl of Litchfield, and fome others. It was oppofed by lord Carteret,the earl ofCholmondeley, the earl of Winchelféa, lord Bathurit, the lord chancellor Hardwicke, lord Morton, and the magquis of Tweedale.

dience

dience and infolence of the Hanoverian troops towards the British general, and the national forces under his command. But, after a long debate, agitated with many warm and violent expreffions, on the question being put, the motion was rejected by a majority of twenty-five. There were 107 lords prefent at the debate, of whom 36 were for the address, and 71 against it; which occafioned a proteft figned by feveral lords *, who declared, they did it, to prove themselves Englishmen.

A motion was also made in the house of commons for difcontinuing the Hanoverian troops: but after a debate, profecuted with great spirit and acrimony, it was carried in the negative, on a divifion, by 231 to 181.

Another motion was alfo made † in the houfe of Common, "To address his majesty, that he would not engage the British nation any further in the war on the continent, without the concurrence of the States-General, on certain ftipulated proportions of force and expence, as in the late war. This, after a ftrenuous debate, alfo paffed in the negative, by 209 to 132.

The limited time for which the Hanoverian troops were hired was now elapfed, and another contract was made for the continuance of fixteen thousand two hundred and fixty-eight of these troops for another year; which occafioned a fresh debate in the house of Lords, on the 27th of January 1744, when the earl of Sandwich moved the houfe, "That an humble addrefs be

The dukes of Marlborough, Bedford, Beaufort and Bridgwater; the earls of Cheflerfield, Weftmoreland, Northampton, Stanhope, Rockingham, Coventry, Huntingdon, Abingdon, Denbigh, Sandwich, Ailefbury, Shafte foury, Litchfeld, and Thanet vifcount Here

ford; the lords Haverfham, Gower, Manfel, Talbot, Foley and Masham.

ton.

By Mr.Grenville, on the 15th and it was feconded by Mr. Lyttel A motion was made "For bringing in a bill to make parlia ments annual," which was rejected, though only by a majority of 32. prefented

prefented to his majefty, earnestly intreating him, that, in confideration of the jealoufies and difcontent of his faithful fubjects at home, and his British troops abroad, he would be gracioufly pleafed to give orders, that the fixteen thoufand Hanoverians be no longer continued in the pay of Great Britain; being prejudicial to the public fervice, inconfiftent with the true intereft of his majesty, and dangerous to the tranquillity and welfare of the nation *" This motion was contrary to the ftanding rules of the house; as the question had been already decided this feffion. However, the earl of Sandwich renewed his motion, on the 31ft, in these terms, "That the continuing fixteen thoufand Hanoverians in British pay, was prejudicial to the true intereft of his majefty, ufele's to the common caufe, and dangerous to the welfare and tranquillity of the nation." The question was again carried in the negative, by a majority of eighty-fix against forty-one; which occafioned a new proteft, by the fame lords who had figned the former, with the addition of fome others t; wherein feveral ftrong allegations were laid against the Hanoverians.

When it was originally debated in the houfe of lords, whether the Hanoverian troops fhould be taken into British pay, those who oppofed it alledged, that they were not to be employed; and that they were intended only to receive pay, but not to march against the enemy; therefore they ought not to be received, because they were to

*This occafioned a long debate in which the principal fpeakers for the motion were, the dukes of Bedford and Montrofe; the carls of Chesterfield and Halifax; viscount Lonfdale; the lords Gower, Talbot and Hervey. Thofe who op

pofed the motion were, the dukes of Newcastle and Argyle; the earls of Cholmondely and Bath; the lords Carteret, Delawar and I hefter:

The duke of Ancaster; the earls of Stafford, Halifax and Orrery; the lords Montjoy and Hervy.