dinary, being made out of a Debt that we had by Treaty own'd to be due. The fame Article provides, that it fhall not be pretended that thefe reciprocal Discharges extend to the Accounts and Differences which fubfift, or are to be fettled between the Crown of Iberia and the Pacific Company. By this, my Lords, we fee that all the Accounts betwixt that Crown and the aforefaid Company are entirely diftinct from thofe that are fettled by the Commiffaries appointed by the Treaty of Sebfule, and that the Iberian Monarch has no manner of Pretence for detaining a Grull of this 95000 Sprugs on account of any Debt that may be owing him by the Pacific Company. On the other hand, my Lords, by this Article Care is taken that the Pacific Company fhall be intitled to all the Debts which they can claim of that Crown, or its Subjects. A B C E The fourth Article, my Lords, re lates to fome Ships, the Value of which was included in an Estimate made by the Commiffaries appointed by the Treaty of Sebfule, and which makes a Part of the 155,000 Sprugs ftipulated for the Relief of our Merchants. Nothing, therefore, could be more reafonable than it, in Confequence of the Orders dispatched to the Court of Iberia for that Purpose, the Whole or any Part of the Payment for thefe Ships has been made in Columbia, fuch Payment fhould be deducted out of the ftipulated Sum. Care is notwithstand. ing taken in the fame Article that the Payment of the 95000 Sprugs fhall not be for that Reafon in any manner delayed; ío zealous, my Lords, was our Miniftry for obtaining an immediate Relief for our fuffering Mer-G chants; and fo willing was the Crown of Iberia to grant it, that, by the latter Part of this Article, fhe entirely relies on the Faith of the Government here for refunding what fhall appear to have been already paid. The next Article, my Lords, provides that the Ratifications of this Convention fhall be delivered or exchanged at London within the Space of fix Weeks, at fartheft, after they are figned. This, my Lords, is as fhort a Time as could have been allowed for that Purpose, and fhews, that our Miniftry here were refolved that not à Day fhould be loft in bringing this Affair to a fpeedy Issue. The first feparate Article, my Lords, is calculated to remove the common Objection of the Tedioufnels of all Negotiations with that Court. By this Article the Minifters Plenipotentiary, who are to meet at Mardit within the Space of fix Weeks, to be reckoned from the Day of exchanging the Ratifications, are named on the Part of Iberia as well as of Liliput; and, by the latter Part of the faid Ar ticle, a very fhort Term is appointed for the Payment of the 95000 Sprugs. In fine, my Lords, to conclude this fhort View of the Stipulations of the Convention, the Miniftry has had fo juft a Regard to the Intereft of the Subjects, that an exprefs Provifion is made for the Reflitution of a Ship, the Value of which is not comprehended in the Eftimate made by the Commiffaries, because, it feems, the Circumftances of her Capture were, on the Part of Iberia, more inexcufable than thofe of any of the other Captures. From this impartial Survey, my Lords, I hope it will appear to your Lordfhips, that his Majefty, in the whole Courfe of this Negotiation, has had nothing fo much at Heart as the InF tereft of his Subjects; and that the fame has been faithfully and fuccefsfully profecuted on the Part of his Miniftry. This Negotiation, my Lords, therefore, may be juftly looked upon as the Performance of thofe Promifes and Affurances which the Senate has received from the Throne, as often as it has addreffed it on this Head. And as the Profperity of his Majelly's Subjects, and the Honour of his Imperial Crown are infeparable, a juft Regard in all the Stipulations has been. had to thofe important Points. Care H has been taken that all the Conceffions that are made in this Treaty have been made on the Part of Iberia. There. Therefore, my Lords, I hope on this Occafion all Contentions and Animofities will cease amongst us, fince his Majesty has now removed the Caufes which have fo long and fo unhappily A divided us. C lation for a speedy Payment, and in lay ing a Foundation for accomplishing the great and defirable Ends of obtaining future Security, and preferving the Peace between the two Empires. Alfo to declare to his Majefty our ConfiThis, my Lords, is the only Means dence and Reliance an his Royal Wisdom, of making a juft Return to the Regard and feady Attention to the Honour of his which his Majefty has always expreffed Crown and the Welfare of his Empire, for your Lordships Refolutions and Ad- that in the Treaty to be concluded, in vice, fince every Step of this Negoti- B Purfuance of this Convention, proper ation has been conducted according to Provifion fhall be made for Redress of what appears to have been the Senti- the Grievances fo juftly complained of: ments of the Senate. and particularly that the Freedom of NaYour Lordships, in all your Deli-vigation and Commerce in the Columberations upon this great and important bian Seas may be effectually fecured to Affair, have express'd a just Sense of his Lilliputian Subjects, that they may the Miferies which War entails upon a enjoy unmolested their undoubted Right Trading People; you have expreffed of navigating, and carrying on Trade your Defire of fecuring the Bleffings of and Commerce from one Part of his MaPeace, if they could be fecured with jefty's Dominions to any other Part therethe Dignity and Intereft of this Em- of, without being liable to be stopped, pire. This Negotiation, my Lords, vifited, or fearched on the open Seas, or crowns the Wifes of the Senate, by anfwering all these great Ends; and it has been conducted in fuch a manner, as to convince those with whom we were treating, that his Majefty was as ready to do himfelf Juftice by Arms, as he was willing to receive it by NegcE tiation. No fooner, my Lords, was this Convention concluded, than his Majefty laid the Treaty before this Houfe. All that now remains is, for your Lordships to add Strength and Weight to his Majefty's Negotiations, by your Approbation. Therefore, my Lords, I take the Liberty to move, Ꭰ F to any other Violation or Infraction of the faid Treaties; the mutual Obfervance thereof, and a juft Regard to the Privileges belonging to each other, being the only Means of maintaining a good Correspondence, and lafting Friendship between the two Nations: To defire PermiTon at the fame Time, in the most dutiful Manner, to express their firm Dependance that, in the Treaty to be concluded in Pursuance of the faid Conven tion, the utmost Regard shall be bad to the Rights belonging to his Majesty's Crown and Subjects, in adjusting and fettling the Limits of his Majefly's Do minions in Columbia; and to give his Majefly the frongest Affurances, that in cafe his juft Expectations fhould not be answered, that Hoxfe would heartily and zealously concur in all fuch Meafures as fhould be neceffary to vindicate bis Majefty's Honour, and to preferve to his Subjects the full Enjoyment of thofe Rights to which they were entitled by Treaty and the Law of Nations. H That a bumb'e Address (See p. 101) be prefented to his Majefty to return him our hearty Thanks for gracionfly condefcending to lay the Convention, together with the feparate Articles, beforeG this Houfe. To declare that we think it our indifpenfable Duty, on this Occafion, to express our just Senfe of his Royal Care of the true Interefts of his Empire, and to acknowledge his great Prudence in bringing the Demands of the Lilliputian Subjects for their past Loffes, which have been fo long depending, to a final Judgment by the faid Convention, and procuring an exprefs Stipu This AccoUNT of PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES will be continued in our next. The Behaviour of the Roman People A VIII. p. 356.) That Reputation contri- fubject themselves to the Payment of To apply that Money which the Sub. jects pay for Protection, to the enriching one Family or more, is public Robbery ;to waste it in Bribes amongst a Faction to fupport the Intereft of fome one or more Members of the Commonwealth, is Rob. bery and fomething worse, it is destroying the End and Inftitution of all Society.It is the very Cafe that Mr Lock fuppofes, which, he fays, diffolves all Government, and leaves the People to take Care of themselves, and provide for their own Defence and Protection as well as they can." The fuffering Infults and Injuries to pafs unregarded is a Proof that thofe ap. pointed tn act for the Society are careless of its Affairs, and negligent of its Interefts.It may be understood alfo to proceed from Want of Courage, which is a tatal Imputation when it is fix'd upon a People; but nothing hurts a Nation fo much in the good Opinion of its Neigh. bours, as an ignominious and difhonourable Treaty, because it makes a Discovery extreme Weaknets of Counfel within, and gives the World a Notion, that thofe appointed to adminifter Affairs have not Talents to govern.I believe it hath been found, by Experience, that the Lofs of many Battles does not render a Nation fo contemptible, as one ignominious Treaty. of an But there may be Circumstances wherein a State mulf be obliged to give Way; where the People (for Example) are wafted by an unfuccefsiul War, thofe who act for them may be excufed a little for yielding to the Neceffity of Affairs :—-----It is no Difgrace to let go a Fart to preferve the Whole, and to give up a fmal. Point to fecure a greater. If a Nation couches only to wait fome favourable Event to rife again, when its D E G exhaufted Spirits fhall be recover'd, the Governours ought not to be cenfured, but even in this Cafe all poflible Care mult be taken to make the Thing look well, that nothing difhonourable may appear-Ac worst, it is much better your Neighbours fhould think you want Strength, than that you want Conduct. The Rife and Grandeur of the Commonwealth of Rome was, the keeping up a nice Senfe of Honour in all Things relating to the Publick The preferring of Honour to prefent Profit was no Chimera, as fome would make us believe:-It was a wife as well as generous Maxim. There are but two Examples in the Roman Hittory, wherein they came off with Difgrace in Matters of Negotiation.→→→ The firft was with Brennus, King of the Gauls, after he had gain'd a compleat Victory over the Roman Army, had taken the City, and belieg'd the Capitol. In this Diftrefs, they treated with him, and agreed to pay him a certain Quantity of Gold to raife the Siege and march off-It was looked upon as difhonourable to purchafe their Safety with Gold, at a Time they had not a Spot of Ground left in the World which they could call their own, except what was within the Wails of the Capitol.The fecond was, a Convention made with the Samnites, the Circumstances very well worth relating. The Romans being at War with the Samnites, their Army was commanded by T. Veturius and P. Pofthumius, the Confuls for the Year they were drawn into an Ambulcade by Pontius, General of the Samniter, who difgulfing feveral of This Soldiers like Herdfmen, he instructed them to give a falfe Account of the Samnite Army:-Thefe, being taken by the Romans, told them, that the Sammités had march'd towards Lucoria. The Confu's not doubting but they were gone to beliege the Ciry, then in Alliance with the Romans, it was refolv'd, in à Council, to follow them, and oblige them to raife the Siege. Thus the Romans were drawn into a Snare; for, taking the thorret Way (as was natural) they march'd to the Streights of Cardium, where they were enclosed, fo that they could neither march out, nor come at the Enemy to engage theim. The Confuls, not knowing what to do, fent a Herald to Pontias, to challenge him to come to a Battle; but he wifely anfwer'd, that the Samnites had no Occafion to fight, having already gain'd a Victory,-The Confuls then propofed a Treaty, Pontius anfwer'd, he would not fo much as treat with them, unless the Romans, by Way of Preliminary, would Core. deliver deliver up their Arms, and their whole Army would fubmit to march under the Gallows. The Confuls having call'd a Council of War, and it appearing that there was no Alternative, but either to fubmit to thefe haid Conditions, or to pevich by Famine, the Majority were for fuffering the latter, when they were turn'd from it by L. Lentulus, who deliver'd himfelf in these Terms: . I have heard my Father fay, that, when the Capitol was befieged by the Gauls, he was the only Man in the Senate who oppofed redeeming the City B with Gold, because there was a Poffibi lity (tho' attended with infinite Difficul ty) of fallying out.-Were the Cafe the fame with us at prefent,-were it poffi ble for us to make Sallies,-could we fo much as come at our Enemy, or was there a bare Poflibility of our forcing a C Paffage thro' them, I would convince all here, that I have the fame Refolution, and fhould declare for fighting under any Difadvantage. Could we devote ourfelves for the Prefervation of our Country, we ought molt certainly to do it but Rome is at prefent in this Place; D its Strength and Support lies within thefe Streights. What can a weak unarm'd Multitude of old Men, Women, and Children, left behind, do, for the Prefervation of the City? The Wails and Honfes cannot defend them;-if all that are here perifh, thofe that remain in the City muit fall of Courfe. foon as the Conditions of this Convention were known at Rome, the whole City put on Mourning, which is more than would have happen'd had the Army perifh'd in Battle to the laft Man: But a A public Difgrace was, to them, a more public Calamity than Sword or Pestilence. When the Confuls and the Reft were return'd to Rome, and this Convention came under the Confideration of the Senate, the unfortunate Pofthumius was the firft Man who fpoke to it, who rising up and addrelling himself to the Affembly, with the Air of the greateft Modesty and Humility, confefs'd, it was a moft infamous Convention; but, as he had declared to the Samnites, that the Arti cles were only conditional, and were not binding unless the People fhould approve them; and if the People did not approve of them, (as he confefs'd they had no Reafon to do) nothing more 'could be expected from the Republic 'than to deliver into, the Hands of the Samnites all thofe that had fign'd this infamous Convention: That this was all the Samnites could ask, or expect. His humble Advice therefore was, that himfelf, his Colleague, and all the Reft that had a Hand in this profane Conven tion, should be deliver'd up to the Sam nites by the new Confuls; and that, as foon as this was done, they might raise another Army, and renew the War. The whole Affembly was ftruck with Admiration and Refpect at the Generolity of Poflumius; their Efteem for the heroic Vertue of a Man, who was willing to devote himself for the Good of his Country, turn'd the Refentment due to his Error into Compaffion. The Propofal appear'd juft and honourable; it met with no Oppofition except from two Tribunes of the People, who had figned the Convention, and were elected into their Office fince their Return from this unfortunate ExpeIt was therefore refolv'd to come to a dition; they objected, that the Propofal Convention with the Sammites upon the of Pofthumius was irregular, because the Foot of the Preliminaries before mentiTribunes being facred Magiftrates, their oned. As to the other Articles, the G Perfons were inviolable, and therefore Confuls they had not à Power of they could not be deliver'd into the Hands concluding that fhould be binding on of an Enemy without an Offence against the Roman People, without their own Law and Religion. Poflbumius, conceivApprobation, and the Miniftry of the F- ing Indignation again!t them for railing ciales or Heralds; however, the Stipu- an Objection which only concern'd their lation was accepted by the Samnites upon own Safety, anfwer'd, It was true, their Offices were facred, therefore the Senate thefe Terms, and Hoflages were accord-H ingly exchang'd. This difhonourable Con- might wait till their Offices were expir'd, vention caufed a greater Confternation in then caufe them to be whipp'd with Rods Rome than when the City was belieged in the Public Forum, by way of Ufury by Pyrrhus, or actually taken by Brennus for the Delay, and then they might be feat For fo much Magnanimity poffefs d the to the Sammites. The Tribunes were fo Minds of this brave "People" that as fenfibly touch'd with Shame at this Re E It hath been faid, that it is shameful our to give up Arms without fighting; I fay fo too: But fince facrificing our Lives can be of no Advantage to Rome, we muft facrifice our Glory for its Prefervation For the Sake of Rome, I fay, we must fubmit to the fhameful F Condition's impofed upon us. -We 'muft yield to Neceffity, from which the Gods themselves are not exempt. proach, |