he had never feen a queftion of fuch importance treated with indifference or filence, or what was full as bad, with fome feeble attempt which meant nothing, and feemed intended to mean nothing.

This at length drew out fome vindication of the character of the noble minister in the other Houfe; who was faid to be clean handed in the most eminent degree; and who would go out of office in a flate of poverty, if it were to happen on the following day. They chiefly relied on the defect of proof to fupport the facts or charges; that the motion reverfed the order of things; it proceeded to punishment before it convicted, and was therefore prepofterous; that every part of the public expenditure was already fubject to check and controul at the exchequer. That fuch enquiries, and fo conducted, would be in fact to establish a new committee of fafety, and, under pretences of correfting the abufes of adminiftration, would tend to the fubverfion of the conftitution; that we were befides engaged in a great war, and must not starve it; if a proper confidence was not placed in our commanders, it could not at all be carried on; and, that the principal precedent brought to fhew the former interference of parliament on fimilar occafions, was drawn from the fcandalous adminiftration of the year 1711, which fhould alone be a fufficient motive for reprobating the prefent motion.

It was was accordingly rejected, upon a divifion, by a majority of 81, including 21 proxies, to 41, including four proxies; being as VOL. XXIII.

The noble carl, after the divifion, having informed the House of the purport of his fecond intended propofition, which went to the appointment of a committee for enquiring into the several parts of the public expenditure, and confidering what reductions or favings could with confiftency be made, then moved, that it should be taken into confideration on the 8th of the following February, which was agreed to.

to

The rejection, however, of his firft motion, together with that of the Duke of Richmond's, on the 7th inftant, ferved much to increase the public diffatisfaction, which, whether with or without reafon, did now, much more than at any former period, certainly prevail without doors, and to give ftrength and confirmation to that opinion which was alfo very generally prevalent, that no hope of obtaining redress now remained, until fuch measures were purfued by the people at large, as would, by diffolving that unnatural combination which was charged fubfift between minifters and the reprefentative body, reftore the antient dignity and the former energy of parliament. Thanks from the city of London were voted to the noble duke and earl for their paft motions, accompanied with the fulleft approbation of that announced for the 8th of February, and an affurance of every conftitutional fupport in their power to thofe neceffary plans of reformation propofed by them. The bufinefs was likewife foon adopted in the counties; and from this time that fpirit of reformation be[F]

gan

gan to appear, which we have fince feen produce fo many meetings, affociations, and projects, in almost all parts of the kingdom, though with different degrees of warmth, and different extent of objects, for correcting the fuppofed vices of government, and for reftoring the independency of parliament. The city of London likewife fent feparate letters of thanks and acknowledgment to all the lords who had voted in fupport of the two paft motions, including his Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland, whofe name appeared at the head of the minority on the last divifion; these letters, with their refpective anfwers, were published in most of the papers at that time.

It was on the very day of Lord Shelburne's motion, that Mr. Burke opened in the Houfe of Commons fuch parts as it was yet thought fitting and neceffary to expofe, of that celebrated plan of public economy, and attempt towards a reform or leffening of corrupt influence, which afterwards afforded fo many fubjects of parliamentary difcuffion, and was, for a long time, an object of fo much general admiration. He likewife gave notice, that he would bring on the bufinefs as foon after the holidays as poffible; and amidst a variety of obfervations and arguments, to enforce the propriety, expediency, and neceffity of the propofed measure, particularly alluded to the bufinefs then carrying on in the other Houfe.

He faid, that the defire of reformation operated every where, but where it ought to operate most strongly, in that Houfe. That

It

the propofitions which had been lately made, and were that day making, in the other Houfe, although highly laudable in themfelves, were no less than a reproach to that in which he fate. To them, who claimed the exclufive management of the public purfe, all interference of the lords, in their peculiar province, was, at leaft, a reproach. might be fomething worfe; for, if the lords fhould affume or ufurp the performance of a duty of theirs, which they neglected, they would be fupported in an ufurpation which was become neceffary to the public. Privileges were loft by neglect, as well as by abuse. That old parliamentary forms and privileges were no trifles, he would freely grant; but the nation called for fomething more fubftantial than the very best of them; and if form and duty must be feparated, they would prefer the duty without the form, to the form without the duty. If both lords and commons should confpire in a neglect of duty, other means, ftill more irregular than the interference of the lords might be now confidered, would be undoubtedly reforted to; for, he conceived the nation would, fome way or other, have its bufinefs done; or otherwife, that it could not much longer continue to be a nation.

Other arguments, on different grounds, but tending to the fame object, will appear in their proper place. A noble lord, of a family highly confidered for its conftitutional principles, and who always draws great attention in the House of Commons, where he is looked on as a leader of the Whigs, de

clared,

clared, that Mr. Burke had communicated his plan to him, fo far as it was yet perfected; and that it not only met with his warmeft approbation, but that he was convinced (from reafonings and facts which he stated, tending to fhew the public diftreffes and expectations) that it was become abfolutely neceffary that fomething of the kind fhould be done, in order to remove the prefent diffatisfactions, by meeting the wishes of the people. He had, however, told his honourable friend at the time, that although he highly approved of his plan, wifhed it all poffible fuccefs, and was fully fenfible that fome remedy of the fort was earneftly expected by the public from that houfe, and more particularly from his fide of it, yet he much doubted, whether parliament had virtue enough at that time to bring fo right a measure to perfection.

A gentleman, from the northern part of the united kingdom, diftinguished for his candour, temper, and moderation in oppofition, declared on his confcience he was firmly perfuaded, that the undue influence of the crown was the true caufe of the mischievous origin, the destructive progrefs, the abfurd conduct, and the obftinate profecution, without view or hope, of the accurfed American war; which was now univerfally felt, and generally acknowledged, as being in itself the caufe of all the other misfortunes of Great Britain, and particularly of the prefent naval greatness of the houfe of Bourbon. He faid, that from the cordial affection he bore to his fovereign, he felt himself bound, fo far as he was able, to remove that evil. He thought himself bound to it by his

faith, by his allegiance, and by the facred oath he had taken to his majefty. By that facred bond and indiffoluble obligation, he was compelled to do every thing in his power to fecure the ftability of the throne. "This influence shakes " it; it may fubvert it; and no"thing can be undertaken more "worthy of a good fubject, than "to remove, in time, this means "of mischief and danger to the king."

Upon this difcourfe, Mr. Fox, who was just come in from the Houfe of Lords, faid, that the first men in the kingdom, the firft in abilities, the firft in eftimation, were then libelling that house. Every inftance they gave (and the inftances he faid were many and ftrong), of uncorrected abuse, with regard to public money, was a direct libel on that houfe. Every argument they used for the reduction of prodigal expence, and their ar. guments were various and unanfwerable, was a libel on that house. Every thing they flated on the luxuriant growth of corrupt influence (and it was never, he faid, half fo flourishing), was a moft severe and direct libel on that house.

But that houfe, he faid, would be brought, by proper means, to wipe off all thofe imputations. The people had for a long time been flow and torpid. They had, however, at length, been quickened by their feelings to a fenfe of their fituation and fufferings. He accorded with the opinion of a noble lord, that there was not virtue enough within thofe walls, to go through with the plan of reformation which his honourable friend had to propofe. But the virtue of neceffity would at last ani[F] 2

mate

mate the people; and, through them, it would likewife animate and correct that house. The virtue of neceffity, fure in its principle, and irrefiftible in its operation, was an effectual reformer. It awakens late; but it calls up many other virtues to its aid; and their joint exertion will infallibly bear down the greatest force, and will infallibly diffipate the ftrongeft combination, that corrupt men have ever formed, or can ever form, against them.

He applauded the fentiment of the gentleman who fpoke juft before him, that his duty and allegiance to the king were ftrong motives with him for wifhing fuccefs to the prefent propofition. Thefe motives, he faid, muft undoubtedly operate in the fame manner with every good fubject. Could the king, he faid, poffibly enjoy the affection and confidence of his people, when his intereft was wholly diffociated from theirs, and put upon a bottom perfectly feparate? It is but one and the fame principle, which cements friendhip between man and man in fociety, and which promotes affection between king and fubject; namely, that they share but one fortune; that they flourish by the fame profperity, and are equal fufferers by the fame diftrefs; that the calamity of the people is the depreffion of the prince. On any other terms, there can be no fympathy between men in any relation of life.

He concluded, by hoping, that his honourable friend would add perfeverance, to the diligence and ability which he had already employed, in his plan for leffening the public expences, and for re

3

ducing the ruinous influence of the crown; and that all men who had an intereft in their country, who profeffed a zeal for her welfare, a regard for the honour of parliament, and an affection for the conftitution, would now have but one mind, and heartily unite, in promoting a measure fo highly useful, and at this time fo abfolutely neceffary.

While the scheme of reformation was thus warmly patronized and commended by the oppofition, and drew out no fmall fhare of praise and applaufe to its author from all fides of the house, the minister was totally filent; an appearance of indifference, which did not pass without fome fevere comments from his adverfaries.

The estimates of the army, and the augmentation of the land force, had (as ufual of late), drawn out much debate, cenfure, and fome attempts at particular enquiry, in the House of Commons. The eftimates of the ordnance likewife, which amounted to the fum of 1,049,000l. and exceeded the expence of the preceding year by 132,0col. afforded room for animadverfion and conteft. On these occafions, much extraneous matter, relative to the conduct of the commander in chief of the army, the alledged neglected and dangerous ftate of Plymouth, and the general means of national defence adopted through the fummer, was repeatedly brought up. In other refpects, the matter of argument, of charge and defence, as well as the iffue in all cafes, were fuch as we have had already more occafions than one of ftating.

Such were the grounds of debate, and fuch the state of the war

fare