is too large a fum for any Administration to have expended, without a previous authority from Parliament; and that, I am fure, was never asked for: what the prefent age may think of such a fum, I do not know, but I am fure our ancesters, even of the very last age, would have been extremely fhy of loading the people with at least fix-pence in the pound upon all the lands in Great-Britain, for building houses for the Officers belonging to the Admiralty and I must think it a little extraordinary to fee Minifters, of their own heads, undertake to do that, which even Parliaments of old would scarcely have thought of doing. It is true, that Parliaments have of late become very good-natured; they have put great confidence in Ministers, and have generally, I fhall not say blindly, approved of all minifterial measures: this may, perhaps, have made Ministers prefume a little farther than they would otherwise have done; but I am very fure, that till very lately, no Minifter would have dared to have drawn the nation into fuch an expence, without an authority from Parliament for fo doing.

Sir William Wyndham, Feb. 24, 1735

THAT there are discontents among the people, Sir, and that thofe difcontents are too general, I fhall readily agree; but whether they are owing to difaffection, I shall not pretend to determine; I am fure they are not owing to reafon: for there is no country in the world where the liberties and properties of the fubjects are facredly preferved, nor are more there any subjects who pay lefs for the ease and security they enjoy, than the subjects of this kingdom: but there are fome men who seem to think they ought to pay nothing, nor be at any trouble, for preferving to themselves the bleffings of peace and fecurity. To please fuch men, or to prevent their being diffatisfied, is impoffible; for government must always be expenfive > fome men must be employed for managing and transacting the affairs of the fociety; and fome muft now and then expofe themfelves to danger for the defence of the fociety: and it is both reason

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able and necessary, that those who spend their whole time, or a great part of their time in government affairs, as well as thofe who venture their lives for the preservation of others, fhould be rewarded by those, who by their means are enabled to profecute their own private affairs with safety, and without interruption. There are other men, and thofe not a few, who are fo fond of novelty and change, that they are continually wishing for public convulfions and revolutions: fuch men are of fo odd a temper, that they become diffatisfied with the fecurity they enjoy; and a long uninterrupted course of public happiness, renders them completely miferable; and there are others who never can be pleased, unless they have the entire direction of all public affairs; therefore when they are not employed, and chiefly employed, they are continually spreading virulent libels and feditious pamphlets against those that are; by which means many unwary perfons are caught, and are made to believe that the nation is ruined and undone; though every man in the nation, who is tolerably frugal and induftrious, finds himself in an eafy and thriving condition.

Col. Mordaunt, Feb. 3, 1738.

I HATE, Sir, all expedients, and I difdain all Minifters (looking at Sir Robert Walpole) who use them. Some Minifters, Sir, there are, who live upon expedients, and who cannot do their dirty work without them. Expedients, Sir, in the hands of weak Minifters, are the inftruments of defeating the moft beneficial, and promoting the most destructive measures. Mr. Pulteney, May 12, 1738.

THOUGH the manner in which the Honourable Gentleman who spoke laft delivered himself may well excufe me from faying any thing in answer to a speech so very unparliamentary, and fo very inconfiftent with all the rules of common decency; yet I think I ought to fhew fo much regard to the Houfe as to declare, that I abhor dirty expedients as much the Honourable Gentleman

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Gentleman would be thought to do: as for his common-place railing against Minifters, it gives me very little trouble, fo long as I am confcious I do not deferve to have it applied to me. Were I ambitious of fhewing my wit, I might have à fair opportunity of doing it, by railing against mock-patriots as much as the Honourable Gentleman has been pleased to do against corrupt Minifters, and both perhaps might be equally inftructive to the Houfe. But, railing of all kinds, Sir, has always been looked upon as the last expedient of disappointed ambition, and a poor expedient it is. Were I one who for many years had unfuccefsfully endeavoured, by all the arts that malice and falfhood could fuggeft, to work myself into thofe pofts and dignities that I outwardly affected to despise, I know not how far, Sir, my temper might be foured, as to make use of such an expedient; but really, Sir, if I did, I fhould make but a very poor figure in the world.

Sir Robert Walpole, May 12, 1738.

THE measures which the Gentleman who spoke last (Sir William Wyndham) and his friends may purfue, afford me no uneafiness. The minds of the nation and his Majesty, are pbliged to them for pulling off the mafk. We can be upon our guard, Sir, againft open rebellion, but it is hard to guard against fecret treason. The faction I speak of, Sir, never fat in this House; they never joined in any public measure of the government, but with a view to diftrefs it, and to ferve a popish intereft. The Gentleman who is now the mouth of this faction was looked upon as the head of these traitors, who 25 years ago, confpired the deftruction of their country, and of the Royal Family, to fet up a Popifh Pretender upon the Throne. He was feized by the vigilance of the then government, and pardoned by its clemency: but all the use he has ungratefully made of that clemency, has been to qualify himfelf according to law, that he and his party may, fome time or other, have an opportunity to overthrow all law.

I am afraid, Sir, that the Honourable Gentleman (Sir William Wyndham) and his friends, will not be fo good as their word, to withdraw themselves from Parliament, for I remember that, in the cafe of a favourite Prelate who was impeached of Treafon, the fame Gentleman, and his faction, made the fame refolution. They then went off like Traitors as they were, Sir, but their retreat had not the detestable effect they expected and wished, and therefore they returned. Ever fince, Sir, they have perfevered in the fame treasonable intention of serving that intereft by diftreffing Government. But I hope their behaviour will unite all the true friends of the present happy Establishment of the Crown in his Majesty's Person and Family, more firmly than ever; and that the Gentlemen who, with good intentions, have been deluded into the like measures, will awake from their delufion, fince the Trumpet of Rebellion is now founded.

Sir Robert Walpole, March 13, 1739

AFTER what had paffed laft Seffions, and after the repeated declarations of the Honourable Gentleman who spoke last, (Mr. Pulteney) and his friends, I little thought that we should have this Seffion been again favoured with their company. I am always pleased, Sir, when I fee Gentlemen in the way of their duty, and glad that these Gentlemen have returned to theirs; though, to say the truth, I was in no great concern left the fervice either of his Majefty, or the Nation, should fuffer by their abfence. I believe the Nation is generally fenfible, that the many useful and popular Acts which passed towards the end of laft Seffion, were greatly forwarded and facilitated by the feceffion of those Gentlemen; and if they are returned only to oppose and perplex, I fhall not at all be forry if they fecede again.

Sir Robert Walpole, June 14, 1739

I MUST Own, Sir, I can fee but one reason for raising, at this prefent juncture, this additional number of troops; and that is, to ftrengthen the hands of the Minifter against the next Election, by giving him the power of difpofing of Commiffions to the fons, brothers, nephews, coufins, and friends of fuch as have interests in Boroughs, into fome of which, perhaps, troops may be fent to procure the free election of their Members, in imitation of the late Czarina fending her troops into Poland to fecure the free election of a King.

But ftill there is one thing more fatal than all I have yet named, that must be the confequence of fo great a body of troops being kept on foot in England, and will be the finishing stroke to all our Liberties. For as the towns in England will not be able much longer to contain quarters for them, moft of those who keep public houfes, being nearly ruined by foldiers billetted on them; fo on pretence of the neceffity of it, barracks will be built for quartering them, which will be as fo many fortreffes, with ftrong garrisons in them, erected in all parts of England, which can tend to nothing but by degrees to fubdue and enflave the kingdom.

But if ever this fcheme fhould be attempted, it will be incumbent on every Englishman to endeavour to prevent it by all methods; and as it would be the last stand that could ever be made for our Liberties, rather than fuffer it to be put in execution, it would be our duty to draw our fwords, and never put them up till our Liberties are fecured, and the authors of our intended flavery brought to condign punifliment.

Lord Gage, Nov. 29, 1739.

NOTWITHSTANDING the bad fuccefs of my laft Motion, for inquiring into the late conduct of our public affairs, it shall not difcourage me from offering another of the fame nature; becaufe, I think, our making fome fort of inquiry, during this Seffion of Parliament, abfolutely neceffary for quieting the minds of the People, and for reftoring, in fome degree, the

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