and which left no hope or profpect of punishing him for the enormity of his crimes. Influence fo employed his lordship declared to be a curse far greater, and more to be deprecated, than peftilence or famine. The prefent motion, the noble earl obferved, was not of a nature novel to parliament; in former times, particularly in the years 1702, 1703, and 1717, there had been commiffioners of accounts appointed by act of parliament. The object of the propofition now before the house was of a nature exactly fimilar, and it went to the abolition of all offices, whatever their falaries or appointments, that answered no other end but that of increafing the undue and unconftitutional influence of the crown." In fupport of the motion, the duke of Grafton declared, "that from his own knowledge and immediate obfervation, he could affert with confidence that the spirit of discontent and diffatisfaction was almost univerfally gone forth, and that the petitions recently prefented expreffed the genuine fenfe of the people." On the other hand, lord Chefterfield, a young man not AS YET diftinguished by the eminence either of his knowledge or talents, and who had lately taken his feat in the houfe on the decease of his illuftrious relation, the famous earl of Chesterfield, affirmed, with fingular temerity, that "the majority of the people were well contented under the prefent government, and that the county petitions and affociations were the last struggles of an EXPIRING FACTION." The lords Stormont, Manffield, and the lord chancellor, maintained with far more plaufibility," that the prefent motion was a violation of the inherent exclufive privilege of the other house to controul the public expenditure, which no compofition, compromife, or compact, would induce them to part with. They infifted that the motion was brought forward to embarrafs government, and to throw an odium upon his majefty's confidential advisers; and that the petitions with which the motion was connected were filled with abfurd

and

and impracticable notions of public reform, and fpecious theories calculated to mislead the nation, and to introduce univerfal confufion." The marquis of Rockingham diftinguished himself in the debate by an animated speech in defence of the motion. His lord fhip faid that a lordship " fyftem had been formed at the acceffion of his prefent majefty to govern this country under the forms of law, but in reality through the immediate influence of the crown. This was the origin of all our national misfortunes; the measures of the prefent reign wore every internal and external evidence of that dangerous and alarming origin; and, when combined, they prefented fuch a fyftem of corruption, venality, and defpotifm, as had never perhaps been known under any form of free and limited government. This fyftem he had for seventeen years uniformly and vigorously oppofed, and particularly during the short time he had prefided at the head of the treasury, but to very little purpofe. As he had come into office at his majefty's defire, fo he had quitted it in obedience to his authority. His lord fhip implored the miniftry not to perfift in that blind and hitherto invincible spirit of obstinacy, which had brought the nation into its prefent calamitous fituation, but to pay fome attention to the voice of the people, and the interefts of their country." On the divifion the numbers were, NON CONTENTS 101, CONTENTS 55, five-and-thirty of whom entered their proteft on the Journals. This was the largest minority that had for many years been known in the house of peers in oppofition to the court; and, exclufive of place men, pensioners, and bishops, this expiring faction conftituted a clear and decifive majority of the lords present at this interesting difcuffion.

On the 6th of April the house of commons refolved itfelf, on the motion of Mr. Dunning, into a grand committee, in order to take the petitions of the people into confideration, and on this occafion a most extraordinary

and

and memorable debate arofe. "The first object, Mr. Dunning faid, which he meant to fubmit to the house, was a propofition collected from the feveral petitions, which, if agreed to, would eftablifh the grounds of their prayer for redrefs. His fecond propofition should include the means of that redrefs. Should the house concur in his propofitions, he meant to follow them up with real, fubstantial, and practicable measures. But, fhould they diffent from them, or endeavour to evade or procrastinate, there would be at once an end of the petitions and a full anfwer to the petitioners. His first motion was, that it fhould be refolved by this house, " that the INFLUENCE of the CROWN had increafed, was increafing, and ought to be diminished." This motion was, by a fingular fortune, warmly supported by the speaker of the house, who, though rarely accustomed to take part in their debates, declared, "that, on an occafion like the present, he fhould deem himself criminal in remaining filent; the refolution propofed contained an allegation which was too notorious to require proof-which in its full extent did not admit of proof. It could be known only to the members of that house, as they were the only perfons competent to refolve it; they were bound as jurors by the conviction arifing in their own minds, and were obliged to determine accordingly. The powers conftitutionally vefted in the executive part of the government were, he faid, amply fufficient for all the purposes of good government, but its undue influence had increased to a degree absolutely incompatible with every juft idea of a limited monarchy, What the petitioners demanded fhould have originated within thofe walls; they were fitting as the reprefentatives of the people, folely for their advantage and benefit, and were pledged to them for the faithful discharge of their truft." Notwithstanding the determined oppofition of the minifter and of the courtiers in general, particularly of the lord advocate of Scotland, Henry Dundas,

who

who moved, as an amendment, to prefix the words," it is now neceffary to declare," it appeared on the divifion, which took place at midnight, on the amended refolution, that the numbers were in favour of the motion two hundred and thirty-three, against it two hundred and fifteen; fo that the court was left in a minority of eighteen. Mr. Dunning then moved, " that it was competent to that houfe to examine into and to correct abuses in the expenditure of the civil lift, as well as in every other branch of the public revenue, whenever it shall seem expedient to the houfe to do fo." This was again oppofed by lord North, who, in the strongest terms, expreffed his wishes that the committee would not proceed. The motion was nevertheless agreed to by the house. Mr. Thomas Pitt then moved, that it was the duty of that houfe to provide, as far as might be, an immediate and effectual redrefs of the abufes complained of in the petitions prefented to the house from the different countries, cities, and towns, in this kingdom." The minifter once more earnestly implored the committee to defift, but with no effect; the motion was agreed to. It was laftly moved by Mr. Fox,

that the refolutions fhould be immediately reported to the house;" which was deprecated and protefted against by lord North, as violent, arbitrary, and contrary to the established ufage of parliament. The motion, however, was carried, and the chairman reporting the resolutions accordingly, they were feverally agreed to by the house.

On the 10th of April, the committee being refumed, Mr. Dunning congratulated the house upon the late decifions, which he however faid could avail little unless the houfe proceeded effectually to remedy the grievances complained of by the people. The alarming and increafing influence of the crown being now admitted by a folemn decifion of that houfe, it was incumbent upon them to go from generals to particulars. With a view therefore of extirpating that corrupt influence, he should move, "that

"

there

there be laid before the house every feffion, within feven days after the meeting of parliament, an account of all monies paid out of the civil revenue to, or for the use of, or in truft for, any member of parliament fince the last recefs." This was objected to by lord North, the lord advocate of Scotland, the attorney general Wedderburne, &c. but was carried without a divifion. Mr. Dunning then moved, "that the perfons holding the offices of treasurer of the chamber, treasurer of the houfehold, cofferer of the household, comptroller of the household, mafter of the household, clerks of the green cloth, and their deputies, fhould be rendered incapable of a feat in that houfe." This was again oppofed, and by the fame perfons as before; but on a divifion was carried by a majority of two hundred and fifteen to two hundred and thirteen voices. So far the patriotic part in parliament had triumphantly proceeded, to the infinite joy of the difinterefted and independent party of the public, when the fudden illness of the fpeaker obliged the houfe to adjourn to the 24th of April; on which day, the committee being refumed, Mr. Dunning moved for an addrefs, "that his majesty would be pleafed not to diffolve the parliament or prorogue the prefent feffion until the objects of the petitions were answered." When the house, after a vehement debate, came to a divifion on this important question, it was at once difcovered that the unfortunate illness of the fpeaker," whofe health was never better worth than "now." had infected" the very life-blood of their en"terprife;"-the motion being rejected by a majority of 254 to 203;

During the recess, a sudden and fatal change had taken place in the temper and difpofition of the house, and that influence of the crown which the parliament had determined ought to be diminished, was, as it now appeared, too firmly established to be in danger of diminution. Mr. Fox rofe after the divifion, and in the most poignant language