(582) Lady Walpole.

254 Letter 67
To Sir Horace Mann. 
London, May 13, 1742.

As I am obliged to put my letter into the secretary’s office by nine o’clock, and it now don’t want a quarter of it, I can say but three words, and must defer till next post answering Your long letter by the courier.  I am this moment come from the House, where we have had the first part of the Report from the Secret Committee.  It is pretty long; but, unfortunately for them, there is not once to be found in it the name of the Earl of Orford:  there is a good deal about Mr. Paxton and the borough of Wendover; and it appears that in eleven years Mr. Paxton has received ninety-four thousand pounds unaccounted for:  now, if Lady Richcourt can make any thing of all this, you have freely my leave to communicate it to her.  Pursuant to this report, and Mr. Paxton’s contumacy, they moved for leave to bring in a bill to indemnify all persons who should accuse themselves of any crime, provided they do but accuse Lord Orford, and they have carried it by 251 to 228! but it is so absurd a bill, that there is not the least likelihood of its passing the Lords.  By this bill, whoever are guilty of murder, treason, forgery, etc. have nothing to do but to add perjury, and swear Lord Orford knew of it, and they may plead their pardon.  Tell Lady Richcourt this.  Lord Orford knew of her gallantries:  she may plead her pardon.  Good night!  I have not a moment to lose.

254 Letter 68
To Sir Horace Mann. 
May 20, 1742.

I sent you a sketch last post of the division on the Indemnity Bill.  As they carried the question for its being brought in, they brought it in on Saturday; but were prevailed on to defer the second reading till Tuesday.  Then we had a long debate till eight at night, when they carried it, 228 against 217, only eleven majority:  before, they had had twenty-three.  They immediately went into the committee on it,-and reported it that night.  Yesterday it came to the last reading; but the House, having sat so late the night before, was not so full, and they carried it, 216 to 184.  But to-day it comes into the Lords,-where they do not in the least expect to succeed; yet, to show their spirit, they have appointed a great dinner at the Fountain to-morrow to consider on methods for supporting the honour of the Commons, as they call it, against the Lords, So now all prospect of quiet seems to vanish!  The noise this bill makes is incredible; it is so unprecedented, so violent a step!  Every thing is inflamed by Pultney, who governs both parties only, I think, to exasperate both more.  Three of our own people of the committee, the Solicitor,(582) Talbot, and Bowles, vote against us in the Indemnity Bill, the two latter have even spoke against us.  Sir Robert said, at the beginning, when he was congratulated on having some of his own friends in the committee, “The moment they are appointed, they will grow so jealous of the honour of their committee, that they will prefer that to every other consideration."(583)