Great Britain, he resolved to make some bold effort, even
without the assistance of Louis, in whose sincerity he had no faith, and
forthwith took proper measures to obtain exact information touching the
number, inclinations, and influence of his father's adherents in England
and Scotland. The French king no longer preserved any measures with the
court of London; the British resident at Paris was given to understand,
that a declaration of war must ensue; and this was actually published
on the twentieth day of March. The king of Great Britain was taxed with
having dissuaded the court of Vienna from entertaining any thoughts of
an accommodation; with having infringed the convention of Hanover; with
having exercised piracy upon the subjects of France, and with having
blocked up the harbour of Toulon. On the thirty-first day of March, a
like denunciation of war against France was published at London amidst
the acclamations of the people.

{1744}

BILL AGAINST THOSE WHO SHOULD CORRESPOND WITH THE PRETENDER'S SONS.

The commons of England, in order to evince their loyalty, brought in a
bill, denouncing the penalties of high treason against those who should
maintain correspondence with the sons of the pretender. In the upper
house, lord Hardwicke, the chancellor, moved, that a clause should
be inserted, extending the crime of treason to the posterity of the
offenders, during the lives of the pretender's sons. The motion, which
was supported by the whole strength of the ministry, produced a warm
debate, in which the duke of Bedford, the earl of Chesterfield, the
lords Talbot and Horvey, argued against it in the most pathetic manner,
as an illiberal expedient, contrary to the dictates of humanity, the law
of nature, the rules of common justice, and the precepts of religion; an
expedient that would involve the innocent with the guilty, and tend
to the augmentation of ministerial power, for which purpose it was
undoubtedly calculated. Notwithstanding these suggestions, the clause
was carried in the affirmative, and the bill sent back to the commons,
where the amendment was vigorously opposed by lord Strange, lord
Guernsey, Mr. W. Pitt, and other members, by whom the original bill had
been countenanced; * the majority, however, declared for the amendment,
and the bill obtained the royal assent. The session of parliament was
closed in May, when the king told them that the French had made vast
preparations on the side of the