compromised by a convention between the
king of England and Denmark.

The session of parliament was opened on the first day of February, when
the king in his speech to both houses, gave them to understand that a
convention was concluded and ratified between him and the king of Spain,
who had obliged himself to make reparation to the British subjects for
their losses, by certain stipulated payments; the plenipotentiaries were
named and appointed for regulating, within a limited time, all those
grievances and abuses which had hitherto interrupted the commerce of
Great Britain in the American seas; and for settling all matters in
dispute, in such a manner as might for the future prevent and remove
all new causes and pretences of complaint. The motion for an address
of approbation was disputed as usual. Though the convention was not vet
laid before the house, the nature of it was well known to the leaders of
the opposition. I Sir William Wyndham observed, that if the ministry
had made the resolutions taken by the parliament in the last session
the foundation of their demands; if they had discovered a resolution to
break off all treating, rather than depart from the sense of parliament,
either a defensive treaty might have been obtained, or by this time the
worst would have been known; but, by what appeared from his majesty's
speech, the convention was no other than a preliminary; and, in all
probability, a very bad preliminary. He supposed the minister had
ventured to clothe some of his creatures with full powers to give up
the rights of the nation; for they might do it if they durst. Sir Robert
Walpole, in answer to these suggestions, affirmed, that the ministry had
on this occasion obtained more than ever on like occasions was known to
be obtained; that they had reconciled the peace of their country with
her true interest; that this peace was attended with all the advantages
that the most successful arms could have procured; that future ages
would consider this as the most glorious period of our history, and
do justice to the councils that produced the happy event, which every
gentleman divested of passion and prejudice was ready to do; and which,
he believed, the present age, when rightly informed, would not refuse.
In a word, he extolled his own convention with the most extravagant
encomiums.

The house resolved to address the king, that copies of all the
memorials, representations, letters, and papers, presented to hi