Page:The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war.djvu/41

 Rh and to support her government; and Lord Barrington, who is known in his heart to have disapproved of the general conduct of the administration, and to have been in vain urging the king to accept his resignation, supported the motion on similar grounds. Recruits could be obtained on no other terms. He confessed that the bargain was not advantageous, but it was the best that could be made.

On the other side, Lord John Cavendish reprobated the measure in all its parts, Britain was to be disgraced in the eyes of all Europe. He objected to the terms of the treaties, particular by particular, and pointed out that a body of twelve thousand foreigners was to be introduced into the dominions of the British crown, under no control of either king or parliament; for the express terms of the treaty were “that this body of troops shall remain under the orders of the general to whom his Most Serene Highness [the Landgrave] shall have intrusted the command.” Lord Irnham doubted the competency of the princes to make such treaties. He held it inconsistent with their duty to the Empire, which must thereby be rendered vile and dishonorable in the eyes of all Europe, as a nursery of men reserved for the purpose of supporting arbitrary power, whenever grasped by those who had more money, though not more justice and virtue, than the others whom they could pay for oppressing. He compared the princes to Sancho Panza, who wished that if he were a prince all his subjects should be blackamoors, as he could by the sale of them easily turn them into ready money.

Mr. Seymour answered Mr. Cornwall, and defied him