the defence of his measure. The dangerous extent of the evil was too well known, and the neceffity of a new coinage was not denied. With refpect to the feason of paffing the late act, he fhewed the neceffity to have been fo urgent, as not to admit of any delay, and that the paffing it over to another feffion, would have been attended with the moft fatal confequences. The charge of injuftice he denied faid the lofs had fallen where it could best be borne, upon those who had been gainers by the fituation which occafioned it, and who had always profited by the public money. That in fact, it was a tax upon property; but upon that part of property, which was exempt from many others. That if a general tax had been laid to make good the deficiency, it would have been a very heavy charge to the public, and have opened a door for very grofs impofitions, which was actually the cafe upon a fimilar occafion, of the calling in of the filver coin in the reign of King William, by which the nation had been put to an expence of two millions and a half. The high peace establishment of the navy, and the vast increase of expence in every branch of that department, became a fource of debate in this fefiion, as it had in the two preceding. Twenty thoufand feamen were again moved for, and the fame caufes repeated for this large number, which were then given. The fleet from the Eaft Indies was not yet returned, and hopes were thrown out, that a reduction of 3,000 feamen would take place upon its arrival. The remaining peace eftablishment was, however, ftill objected to, as being higher than that which had been fixed at the conclufion of the late war, which itself had been much higher than at any former period. The œconomy of former adminiftrations was upon this occafion recalled with praise and regret, and ftrongly contrafted with the practice of the prefent times. The abfurdity of keeping up a ruinous, permanent, peace establishment, by way of preparation for unknown and uncertain war, was again exposed; and as the late extraordinary expences, were principally attributed to the ruinous ftate in which the navy was found in the year 1771, the minifter was called upon to anfwer, in what manner the fupplies which had been granted for the support of that establishment, from the year 1763 to the latter period, had been difpofed of; for as the navy had been fuffered to rot, either a fufficiency was not demanded, or the money granted was mifapplied. On the other hand, a general change of circumstances; the fleet in the Eaft Indies, the Turkish war, floops at Falkland's Islands, with fome extra fervice in the Weft Indies, were affigned as the caufes which rendered the propofed number of feamen neceffary. As to the queftion that had been proposed with respect to the application of the former fupplies, the minister obferved, that he had conducted public affairs, only during three years of the eight which had been fpecified, and that it could not be expected, that he should anfwer or account for the conduct of others. That, however, he was pretty certain he could align the true caufe for the ruinous ftate in which the navy was then found, without fup pofing any mifapplication of the fupplies, or imputing any mifconduct to others, any more than to himfelf; that he believed the great and dangerous defects which were difcovered in the year 1771, proceeded merely from the green timber with which fhips were haftily run up towards the conclufion of the late war, when the feasoned timber in the king's docks was exhaufted, in confequence of which they rotted in about half their ufual time of wear. He then expatiated largely upon the prefent flourishing and increafing state of our marine: faid that the docks were now full of feafoned timber, and that the great fums which had been applied to that fervice were not merely expended to repair, but to restore the navy. The motion for 20,000 Jan. 24th. feamen, was carried without a divifion; a divifion not having been usual for feveral years upon a matter of fupply. Many other debates arose in the fubfequent courfe of the fupplies during this feffion. Though thefe happened at different times, as the requifitions were made for the feveral aids; yet the general fubject being the fame, we thall throw the arguments which were used on the particular heads into one general view. It is to be obferved, that feveral articles of the public expence were much higher than ufual. The ordnance was fwelled beyond its healthy fize. The extaordinaries of the army for the preceding year, amounted to 288,000l. The civil lift expences, and fupport of government in fome of the colonies, run very high. The enormous fum of 444,000l. was granted for the ordinary of the navy, and above 420,000l. towards building, rebuilding and repairs. It was obferved and urged with great force, by a member of great knowledge in finance (Mr. Dowdfwell fince deceased) that economy was never fo neceffary in this country, nor fo little practifed as at prefent. That the land-tax was a thilling higher than in any other peace establishment, which thould naturally raife public credit in proportion; but that we unfortunately find it at a lower ebb than ever, of which no clearer proof is requifite than the prefent price of 3 per cents, which were fome years fince confiderably above 90, and were now fallen to about 86 per cent. That the land and malt tax were now totally fwallowed up by the navy, and the finking fund almost abforbed by the other fupplies, fo that the whole unappropriated revenue was little more than equal to our peace establishment; where then were the neceffary funds to be found in cafe of a war. That it was not fufficient to fay, that the application of certain fupplies would be useful or neceffary, the first object of confideration was our ability, or inability to provide for them. That former minifters used to fuperfede the neceffity of parliamentary animadvertion, by enquiring themselves minutely into the nature of the fupplies that were demanded, and cutting off tuch as were fuperfluous, or paring thofe that were redundant. That now, on the contrary, immenfe fums were demanded in the grofs, and granted without account or enquiry. The careless inattention of the houfe to fubjects of fuch great importance, was as much complained [D] 3 of of and reprehended, as the general profufion of government was thought grievous and ruinous. It was faid to be fhameful and feandalous, as foon as the fupplies came to be read or debated, to see fuch univerfal diforder and confufion prevail, fome going out and others talking, as if no matter of confequence was before them, while millions of their conftituents money were paffing away without examination: That in proportion as our inability increased, and as if it were thought that no common course of profufion could compleat our ruin, new fources of expence feemed in duftriously, and even at the price of national honour and juftice, to be fought after; of which there could not be a more ftriking inftance, than the expedition, equally unjust and ruinous, which was undertaken against the poor Indians at St. Vincent's. But that if neither prudence in adminiftration, nor a fenfe of duty and the truft repofed in the reprefentatives, were fufficient to restrain this headlong prodigality, the excefs of the evil would in a little time produce its own remedy, as the nation would be found unable to support so ruinous a state of expence. It was faid, that the navy and admiralty boards had not been able to align any fatisfactory reafons for their enormous demands; that their expences were every year increafing, and the excels of their accounts ftill growing farther beyond their estimates; that it would therefore he highly fatisfactory, if not neceffary, to appoint a committee previous to the granting of the fupplies, to infpect their accounts, and to report what favings might be made, and whether the prefent demands were neceffary. That though it was readily acknowledged, that a formidable navy was effential to the power and fecurity of Great Britain, and it was as well known, that nothing could be held out more flattering to the people, nor no other expence which would be so chearfully borne; yet there must be limits affigned to that, as to all other regulations. That 、 we were not to lay out all we were worth in the building of great fhips, and thereby part with the means of rendering them ufeful; that we must retain the ability of manning, providing, and fupporting them in action, or they would become the contrary to defence: for however tremendous their looks or number, without those essential requifites, they would only prove a lure to our enemies, and a tempting prize to rapacity. On the other fide, the minister acknowledged and regretted the heaviness of our burthens, the low ftate of public credit, the neceffity of œconomy, and the greatness of the expence which was now complained of. With refpect to the latter, he hoped, if favourable circumftances occurred, to leffen it for the future; but that the ftate of public expence depended fo much upon thefe, that it must always be variable and uncertain. He wished to reduce the national expence, to leffen the burthens of the people, and to fupport public credit, as much as any of thofe who had exprefied fo much anxiety upon thofe fubjects; but the effect of fuch withes muft depend upon time, feafon, fituation, and circumftance. As to the fums hitherto applied to the naval fervice, neceflity was faid to preclude all argument upon that that fubject; from whatever caufes the navy was reduced into the late ruinous condition our existence as an independent nation depended upon its immediate re-establishment expences then, or any diftreffes they occafioned, were not to be thought of. That, however, the money that was applied was not buried, or loft to the nation; it afforded a stock in hand, not only of fecurity but of property; it was only a profitable anticipation of future expence, and would, in the natural course of things, be repaid to advantage by future favings in that service. In this manner ministry in general defended the greatnefs of the public charges. But it was remarked, that when the navy eftimate was moved, and those charges urged with the greatest heat and energy, the minister in the House of Commons was abfolutely filent. This gave room for a fuppofition that he difapproved of the establishments, but had been over-ruled by others. This caufed feveral reflections upon him from the oppofition, as having been wanting to the proper dignity of his station on all which reflections he was likewife filent. : The motion (which was now become annual) for fhortening the Feb. 15. duration of parliament, was again repeated, by the gentleman, Mr. Sawbridge, who first introduced, and had pledged himself for its renewal in every feffion. This motion produced no debate; but the queftion being called for, was rejected by a great majority, the numbers being 221 against, to 94 who fupported the queftion. On the fame day, Sir George Saville's annual motion relative to the Middlefex election, was alio renewed, and leave was defired to bring in a bill, for more effectually fecuring the rights of the electors of Great Britain, and to secure to that houfe the eligibility of perfons to ferve in parliament. This motion brought on a confiderable debate, and produced a closer divifion than might have been expected. The mover obferved, that he would not recapitulate the arguments which he had formerly ftated, as he trufted, from the importance of the fubject, that the impreffion it had made was not worn out of mind. That he had at prefent fome glimmering hopes of carrying his queftion; that as the houfe was not now in that heat and ferment which it formerly was, truth had a better chance for prevailing; that the houfe was now in cool deliberation, and he did not doubt, that the question being calmly confidered, might meet with friends, who, in times more heated than the prefent, were of another opinion; that this was not a ministerial question, it was a queftion of the people at large; and he concluded, by obferving the unhappy fituation to which they were brought by the late measures, of being confidered as having an intereft diftinct from the people; but that he hoped, by an acquiefcence in this motion, it. would not be too late to reconcile matters, fo that the people of England and their reprefentatives might not be divided against each other. The question was ably fupported; and oppofed upon the fame ground we have formerly fhewn. It was rejected upon a divifion in a full houfe, only by a majority of 59; the numbers being 147, to 206. CHAP. VI. Motion for rendering the bill for the trial of controverted elections perpetual; ftrong oppofition; Debates; the motion carried by a great Majority. Melage relative to the transactions in America. American papers laid before the House. Petition received from Bollan the agent. Bofton Port Bill. Second Petition from Bollan, refufed. Debates. Petition from feveral natives of North simerica, refident in London. Great debates upon the third reading of the Boston Port Bill. The Bill pafed. THE HE utility of the late act for the trial of controverted elections, had by this time appeared evident to the greater part of the nation. The few inftances in which it had hitherto operated, had given great fatisfaction; and it was rightly judged, that no time could be better chofen, for fecuring to the people this palladium of their liberties, by rendering the law perpetual, than while the enormities which attended the former mode of deciding upon elections, and the benefits arifing from the prefent, were contrafted to the view, and fresh upon the memory. The popularity of the subject, and the equity of the principles upon which the law was founded, seemed a fecurity against any violent oppofition. Notwithstanding thefe Feb. 25 favourable appearances, the motion for rendering the Grenville bill perpetual met with a confiderable oppofition, which was rendered the more formidable, by the minifter's appearing at its head. It was contended, that the bill in queftion was intended, at the time of paffing, and even by its framer, only as temporary and experimental; that though perhaps the particular inftances in which it had hitherto operated might appear in its favour, no conclufion could from thence be drawn of its general effect, until, at leaft, a general election took place; and that when that experience was obtained, the bill would live or die by its own merits. But that poffibly in that trial, which could alone perfectly delineate its nature or effects, it might be found incumbered with many evils or inconveniencies, which could not now be easily foreseen. That its operation with respect to county elections was not yet fuffi ciently understood; that in fuch cafes, where it frequently happens that fome hundreds of witneffes are to be examined on both fides, and perplexed complicated queftions on the right of voting, in a great number of inftances to be fcrutinized and decided upon, a committee could fcarcely go through the bufinefs of a fingle county in a feffion; and that when a number of thefe, with a much greater of boroughs, were thrown at once upon their hands, the whole house would be abforbed in committees, and the whole feffion occupied by elections. It was further urged, as an exception to the principles both of the prefent and the proposed bill, that they deprived the houte of that dernier right of determination upon elections, which was faid to be effential to its nature and exiftence. On the other fide, it was faid that |