If this amendment did not afford all that was wifhed, the acceptance of the claufe, even in its prefent form, was, however, an object of great confequence with the minority, who now confidered the bill as having nearly loft two of its most dangerous fangs; the laft, though not entirely drawn, being now tolerably blunted. But this conceffion was far from being pleafing to that part of the majority, who had at all times been eager in the purfuit of the most violent measures against America, and who were alfo fuppofed, to be much difpofed to the fupport or eftablishment of a strong government at home. Whilft fome of the gentlemen under this defcription were reprobating the claufe, and contending that the bill, even in its original ftate, did not convey all the powers, with which it was neceffary to arm the crown in the prefent fituation of affairs, they difcovered, to their unfpeakable aftonishment, that the minifter had totally changed his tone upon that fubject. He now exculpated himself in particular, and adminiftration in general, from every intention of establishing any unconftitutional prece dents, or of feeking or withing any powers to be entrusted either to the crown or to themfelves, which were capable of being employed to bad or opVOL. XX. preffive purposes; difavowed all defign of extending the operation of the bill beyond its open and avowed objects; faid it was intended for America, not for Great Britain; that as he would afk for no power that was not wanted, fo he would tcorn to receive it by any covert means; and whilft he expreffed his concern for the jealoufy excited by any ambiguity that appeared in the bill, hoped that the prefent amended claufe would afford fuall fatisfaction to the gentlemen on the other fide of the house, and that the law would now meet with the approbation of all parties. This unexpected conduct caufed great diffatisfaction on his own fide. Thofe who had been the avowed fupporters of the bill, thought themselves particularly ill treated. They were engaged in a very unpopular, and what might have turned out a very odious bufinefs, and after they had worked through it with unusual toil, and encountered no fmall fhare of obloquy by the way, they were deferted at the very inftant of completion, and that in fuch a manner, as feemed calculated merely to difgrace the whole measure, to confirm all the charges and furmifes of their adverfaries, and to fix all the odium upon them. It was, however, observed before, that the court parties were far from being united; that adminiration did not draw kindly together; that the crown lawyers did not agree; thefe circumstances occafioned the humorous obiervation of a gentleman in the [E] mino minority, that adminiftration were as much at variance, as the title, preamble, and body of the bill. Though the amended claufe was much oppo ed in debate, it was, however, at length received without a divifion. The minority could not now conceal their joy and triumph. A gentleman eminent for his eloquence and abilities, felicitated the house and the nation, on the efcape they had from, at least a temporary ftate of tyranny, and which was perhaps intended, in good time, to have been rendered perpetual. He congratulated the minority, who notwithstanding their weaknefs in number, had accomplished that happy event, by their correction of fo reprehenfible and dangerous a bill; though a minority, the minifters were not on ly convinced, but afhamed, and had accepted of their alteration. The noble Lord at the head of affairs, he taid, was obliged to the minority alone, for digefting, altering, and correcting his bill; neither he nor the nation, owed any obligation to his numerous friends the majority, who were ready to fwallow it, with all its original crudities, errors, injuftice, and cruelty. Their gaining this favourite point, did not prevent their ftill continuing to combat, though more faintly, the principle of the bill, and carrying their oppofition, after a long and late debate, to a divifion upon the queftion of the third reading, which was carried against them, by a majority of 112 to 35. The main question being then put, that the bill do pafs, it was carried without a divifion. The bill paffed the Lords without debate or amendment; the minority peers having to generally abfented themselves from that houfe, that the Earl of Abingdon found himself alone in entering a protest against it. СНАР. CHAP. V. Accounts laid before the committee of Supply. Motions by the minifter. Contracts animadverted on. Payment of an unexpected demand made by the Landgrave of Heffe for levy-money. Debates. Meffage from the throne. The meffage referred to the committee of supply, Motion by Lord John Cavendish, that the order of reference be discharged. Great debates. The motion rejected upon a divifion. Refolutions paffed in the committee of fupply for the discharge of the debts incurred on the civil lift eftablishment, and for an annual augmentation of that revenue. Debates renewed upon receiving the report from the committee of jupply. First refolution paled without a divifion. Amendment moved to the fecond refolution. Amendment rejected. Second refolution carried upon a divifion. Meffage debated in the House of Lords. Address of concurrence moved by the Earl of Derby. Amendment moved by the Marquis of Rockingham. Amendment rejected upon a divifion. Previous queftion moved by the Duke of Grafton, and rejected. Address carried upon a divifion. Proteft. SEV EVERAL accounts of the extraordinary unprovided fervices of the war, having been laid before the committee of fupply, and two refolutions moved by the minifter, that the fum of Feb. 21ft. 970,000l. part of the million granted by the last vote of credit, and the farther fum of 1,200,000 l. fhould be granted for the discharge of thofe fervices, the enormity of the expence under this head, amounting to 2,170,000l. and which was faid to exceed that of any year of the laft war, when we fapported very great fleets and armies in every quarter of the globe, gave rife to fome warm and confiderable debate. A great number of objections were made, as well to the manner of ftating the accounts, as to the charges in various articles of the expenditure. It was faid, that the former were fo involved, perplexed, and obfcure, as to be in a great measure unintelligible. That thofe accounts which related to the difpofal of the money granted by the vote of credit, were fo twisted and involved with those which appertained to other grants and fervices, that they were abfolutely inextricable. That befides their general confufion, and that face of darkness which overfpread the whole, great fums of money were charged in the grofs to fundry fervices, without any explanation, or the fmalleft fpecification of particulars. That it was one of the first duties of parliament to enquire in the strictest manner into the expenditure of the public money; they were fent there by their conftituents to watch over their interests, and to controul the executive power; if they failed in the execution of this trust, they were no longer the reprefentatives of the people, and they had no longer any pretence to fit there. And, they [E] 2 faid, faid, that it was a mockery of the Commons, to lay a heap of indigetted, ambiguous, or unintelligible papers before them, under the colour and name of giving a fair statement of the difpofal of the public money. higher than the market price. But this impofition upon the public was not fufficient. The fame perfon, whofe charge had been allowed for the purchase and keeping of horfes without tale, had also been favoured with the privilege and benefit of supplying rum in the aggregate, without the trouble or inconvenience of ascertaining any quantity. This perfon had obtained credit for the grofs fum of 35,000l. wrote off in two lines, "For rum delivered the With respect to particular charges, the contracts for horfes, for tranfports, and for rum, afforded the principal fubjects of animadverfion. It was faid, that round fums of money were charged in a fingle line, for the purchase, or the keeping of the former, in America, for the use of the without any fpecification of price or number. That the charge made for the hire of fhipping in the transport service, was very confiderably above the ufual price, without any adequate caufe for the rife. That in the beginning of the prefent troubles, whilst trade was ftill flourishing, and a greater demand confequently for fhipping, they were hired at the rate of 9s. per ton, but now, when trade is nearly annihilated, and a vast number of merchant fhips confequently out of employ, government generously rifes the price without regard to the mar ket, and faddles an already ruined and plundered nation, with an unwarranted additional expence of four or five fhillings in the ton, and that for every month, in the year, merely to gratify and enrich a few rapacious contractors. But the contracts for supplying the army in America with rum, afforded a wider field for animadverfion, and were more feverely fcrutinized than any others. Thefe, it was faid, so far as their terms were acknowledged, were rated at about four fillings a gallon, which was full a shilling "forces there," without fmalleft fpecification of the quantity, the quality, the price, the time when delivered, or the perfons by whom received. Such. faid they, are the accounts laid before parliament, to enable the commons to do juftice to their conftituents, and to afford them the fatisfaction of knowing, that their money was not more wifely bestowed, than frugally applied. They can no longer entertain any doubt of the integrity of their governors, or the watchful attention of their representatives, when they fee fuch an item as 35,000 1. ftruck off at once to an obfcure perfon, without the accompanyment of a fingle ray of light, or the fmallest collateral proof or circumftance, which might tend to fatisfy them that the tranfaction was a fair one, or, if foul and difhoneft, which might lead to the detection of the fraud. This difcuffion led to much fevere reflection upon contractors in general, and the under influence obtain ed, and the pernicious confequences that attended, the granting of contracts to members of that houfe. houfe. This, they faid, carried the dangerous properties of a twoedged fword, which cut fatally both ways at once. The national treafure was fquandered in an iniquitous contract, and the contractor was bribed with their own money to betray the interetts of his conftituents. The ruinous confequences of the tranf, action were extended ftill farther, and impeded all the parts of the public fervice. The contractor, fully fenfible of the conditions upon which he obtained the favour, well knowing that it was eftimated to him at all the money which it could poffibly produce, that the manner of fulfilling the contract was not at all thought of, and that he would be entirely covered from all enquiry into his conduct, laid himfelf out, without caution or apprehenfion, to make the most of his bargain. Thus it was, they faid, that our armies and fleets were rendered incapable of fervice; and thas, without fighting, our brave feamen and foldiers were deftroyed by bad and unwholefome provisions. The very excess of the calamity, and the confequent increase of hofpitals, which proceeded from one job, filled up the measure of intended profit for others. From hence it was, that lean beef and carrion pork, were falted in the heat of the dog days, and fent off from IreJand to New York and Canada. From hence, damaged American four, which having out-paffed the market, had lain in the warehouses of London and Briftol, till it became totally unmerchantable, was bought up at a con temptible price, and fent back to the continent which produced it, to fpread infection and death through the British army and navy, whilst the nation was paying for that trafh, the higheit price that was given for the best English flour. And thus, they faid, was a most unhappy and ruinous civil war prolonged, and rendered ftill more fatal, by the corrupt, and fhameful manner in which it was conducted. The minister took very confiderable pains to obviate the intricacy of the accounts, and to fupply their deficiency by explanation. He ftated the num ber and price of the horses, and infifted that they were purchased in the most advantageous manner, and upon the most reasonable terms. He denied that the hire of fhipping had advanced fo much in price as had been flated. He faid the price given by government for tranfports, and which it did not exceed, was twelve hillings and fix-pence per ton. That however confiderable that rife was, beyond the standard price in time of peace, nothing could be more reasonable or equitable. Infurance had rifen to an enormous pitch. Seamens wages were more than doubled. Government employed none but the best and flouteft fhips. Thefe were armed, and provided for war and defence. Thus, befides the advance on wages, the merchant was obliged to employ a double number of hands. And that it was evidently impoffible for him to fupport all thofe extraordinary charges, without a confiderable advance on the price of tonnage. [E] 3 The |