the source of no peculation or oppressive gain should be cut off,—­if, by the omission of the opportunities that were in our hands, our Indian empire should fall into ruin irretrievable, and in its fall crush the credit and overwhelm the revenues of this country,—­we stand acquitted to our honor and to our conscience, who have reluctantly seen the weightiest interests of our country, at times the most critical to its dignity and safety, rendered the sport of the inconsiderate and unmeasured ambition of individuals, and by that means the wisdom of his Majesty’s government degraded in the public estimation, and the policy and character of this renowned nation rendered contemptible in the eyes of all Europe.

* * * * *

It passed in the negative.

FOOTNOTES: 

[59] See King’s Speech, Dec. 5, 1782, and May 19, 1784.

[60] “I shall never submit to the doctrines I have heard this day from the woolsack, that the other House [House of Commons] are the only representatives and guardians of the people’s rights.  I boldly maintain the contrary.  I say this House [House of Lords] is equally the representatives of the people.”—­Lord Shelburne’s Speech, April 8, 1778. Vide Parliamentary Register, Vol.  X. p. 892.

[61] In that Parliament the House of Commons by two several resolutions put an end to the American war.  Immediately on the change of ministry which ensued, in order to secure their own independence, and to prevent the accumulation of new burdens on the people by the growth of a civil list debt, they passed the Establishment Bill.  By that bill thirty-six offices tenable by members of Parliament were suppressed, and an order of payment was framed by which the growth of any fresh debt was rendered impracticable.  The debt on the civil list from the beginning of the present reign had amounted to one million three hundred thousand pounds and upwards.  Another act was passed for regulating the office of the Paymaster-General and the offices subordinate to it.  A million of public money had sometimes been in the hands of the paymasters:  this act prevented the possibility of any money whatsoever being accumulated in that office in future.  The offices of the Exchequer, whose emoluments in time of war were excessive, and grew in exact proportion to the public burdens, were regulated,—­some of them suppressed, and the rest reduced to fixed salaries.  To secure the freedom of election against the crown, a bill was passed to disqualify all officers concerned in the collection of the revenue in any of its branches from voting in elections:  a most important act, not only with regard to its primary object, the freedom of election, but as materially forwarding the due collection of revenue.  For the same end, (the preserving the freedom of election,) the House rescinded the famous judgment relative to the Middlesex election, and expunged it from the journals.