enthusiasm of public virtue. In fhort, the gentleman obtained more information than he might ultimately have wished to have brought in charge against a great delinquent. But how different was his fituation, when compared with that of this modern Cicero! He felt himfelf opposed in the fulfilment of a duty which it became them more efpecially to discharge. Unfupported by thofe in power, the ordinary means of information were denied him. He had even been informed, that not only Ministry discountenanced his effort, but that even the people of England difapproved of it. But could this allegation be well founded? Was it poffible that the people of England could difapprove of a perfon who was contending for the violated rights of men? The building of churches, and the erecting of hofpitals, were expreflions neither of patriotifm nor of charity, compared to the noble work of bringing to public juftice the man of ambition, or the tyrant who had trampled under foot the liberties of the human race, Such was the victim which the justice of this country required as an atonement. It was not from motives of private refentment that he acted in this matter, but from the pureft principles of benevolence towards mankind. In the 'prosecution of this bufinefs, reviled as he might be on account of the active part he had taken against Mr. Haftings, he was confcious to himself that he had been actuated by a fincere regard for justice; and in this fentiment he was confirmed by an old maxim, which he had learned in his earlier years, and which he hoped he would carry with him to his grave: Bleffed are ye when men fhall revile you and perfecute you, and fhall fay all manner of evil against you falfely for my fake: rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven." He had looked for affistance from thofe in power; but he faw that leffer objects interested them more deeply. He found that the adjuftinent of the three per cents. was to Minifters more an object of concern than the vindicating the violated rights of millions of the human species. The country of Oude was of no fmall extent. Its extent was fiftythree thoufand fquare miles; it contained ten millions of inhabitants; its revenues amounted to eight millions, and was of courfe greater than the whole unappropriated revenue of Great Britain. Was this, then, an object for the fport of ambition ? Or was fo large a portion of the human race to be allowed to perish for want of public justice? He for his own part felt the magnitude of the object too much to abandon it. Notwithstanding the obtruction that was thrown in his way, the incitements of duty would lead him to endeavour to furmount it. If it was the opinion of the Hufe that he should, he would bring forward as charge. He felt himicif fupported

by the intrinfic goodness of his cause, end is confidence of fuccefs founded on th, principle, he would hazard it against all that power and wealth could oppofe.

He made a few obfervations on the difagreeable fituation he was under, refpecting the crimination of Mr. Haftings, and said, that he was called upon and driven to the bufinefs he had now engaged to profecute.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer declared, that the prefent affair was of confiderable moment to the honour and dignity of the British nation; and therefore he hoped that every gentleman would readily give his affiftance on the occafion. He congratulated the Houfe on the apparent moderation of thofe gentlemen who flood forward on the business; and was perfuaded, that the temperance which marked their proceedings, would greatly conduce to accelerate the inveftigation. Every paper which was material to elucidate the fubject, ought to be prɔduced; but he was convinced, that the Hon. Gentleman who had undertaken the accufation would not infift upon the production of papers which might tend to expose our fyftem of Afiatic policy. He was neither a determined friend nor foe to Mr. Hattings, but he was refolved to fupport the principles of justice and equity. He recommended a cool and moderate deliberation; and that every gentleman ought to be governed by the free impulie of his own mind. If a Committee were appointed, he hoped that it would be decided by them, whether or not, after examination, the evidence or papers produced were fufficient to criminate the delinquent. If crimes of enormity were proved beyond à doubt, the character of that Houfe, the reputation of the British name, the honour and dignity of the human fpecies demanded fupport; and he hoped that the juftice which was fo loudly ap plauded from all quarters of the Houfe, would be roufed to vengeance. We ought to watch our honour with the frictest eyes of jealoufy, and fpurn at any project which might tend to the fubverfion of this laudable virtue. What has been advanced on the one fide of the Houfe, goes to a prefamption or fufpicion that Mr. Haftings has been guilty; and what has been stated on the other, operates as an exculpation. The causes and effects of the grievances complained of must be nicely diftinguished, and the decision fhould be regulated by the ftri&teft impar tiality. Mr. Hastings, notwithstanding the affertions to the contrary, may be as innocent as the child unborn of the matter with which he is accufed; but he is now under the eye and fufpicion of Parliament, and his innocence or guilt must be proved by incon teftible evidence. He was of opinion, that it would be neceffary to move for many fupplementary papers, in order to explain cer tain documents, which might ferve to illu!! trate the transactions in the Eaft. It would

be impoffible, from the multiplicity of written evidence, to avoid confufion; but if gentlemen proceeded to act cordially, the bufinefs would be greatly facilitated; and he declared that he would confider it as a daty incumbent upon him to give every al fitance in his power.

A defultory converfation then took place between Mr. Burke, Major Scott, Mr. Dundas, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Francis, &c. &c. when the motion having undergone a trifling amendment, was agreed to.

Mr. Burke then fubmitted to the Houfe a number of other motions for the production of various papers, fome of which were agreed to, and others rejected; after which the Houle adjourned.

FEB. 21.

Ordered that the minutes of Col. Stewart's examination before the Select Committee be laid before this Houfe.

Mr. Bastard moved, that there fhould be laid before the House a copy of the reports of the Board of Enquiry, inftituted in the year 1784, to difcufs the propriety of a system of fortification. By comparing their opinions with the decifion of the prefent Board, the House may possibly obtain fome lights to direct them on this important and difficult business. It would at leaft enable them to diferiminate between thofe fituations, where, as a landing was a matter of facility, fortifications were abfolutely requifite, and thofe inacceffible places, the fortifying of which had been unneceffarily fubmitted to the present Board: which, after a fhort debate, was rejected without a divifion.

rous fand banks, and its expofed fituation, caufed it to be avoided by our own veffels, and it could never be an object of choice with an enemy; as even if a landing were effected, no ships could ride there for the purpose of covering the retreat. He therefore moved, "That there should be laid before the Houfe a copy of the opinions of the naval officers diftinctively on the subject. of the reports of Lieutenant Hawkins; thefe reports to be included as the bafis of faid opinions." After a fhort converfation, the motion was withdrawn.

Capt. M'Bride then faid, that as he did not conceive the opinions of a majority of that Board, to which he had the honour to belong, were binding on the whole, and as he had found himself in a minority on their decifions, he thought he should be juftified in giving to Parliament his reafons for fuch diffent. At prefent he would only obferve, that he with the other naval officers had entirely dilagreed as to the neceflity of forifying Whitland-Bay, and other places in its vicinity, and had concurred in the report of Lieutenant Hawkins, which pronounced it (nacceffible. Its bad anchorage, its nume

General Burgoyne, after a fhort fpeech, confifting chiefly of a comparative flatement of the amount of our land forces at different periods, and a calculation of the numbers which had been deemed necellary for the defence of the country, moved, that there be laid before this Houfe an account of the numbers of the effective infantry, the fate of their establishment, and the deficiencies of each corps in the year 1779.-Mr. Pitt extended the motion to comprehend" an account of the effective forces in Great-Britain in the years 1779, 1780, 1781, and 1782, diftinguishing each half year, and the deficiency of each corps during that period;" which was agreed to.

Several motions were then made by Colonel Norton, Mr. Dundas, and others, for different accounts of the forces in British pay at different periods of the late war, which received general affent.

The bufinefs was then poftponed until Monday, to give time for the preparation of thofe papers; after which the House adjourned.

FEB. 23.

The order of the day being read, the House went into a Committee on the fhop-tax, Mr. Angelo Taylor in the chair.-Mr. Mingay appeared as counfel for the shopkeepers of the city of London, and in a moft elegant and copious fpeech opened the cafe of his clients, which he divided into three heads; firft, the cruelty and partiality of the tax; fecondly, the impoffibility of his clients being reimbursed by the articles of trade in which they dealt; and thirdly, the exceeding weight of taxes under which the inhabitants of this metropolis at prefent laboured. Mr. Mingay expatiated upon each of these heads with great force and ingenuity, and called to the bar Mr. Stock, of Ludgatehill, who was examined in fupport of the petition by Mr. Bower. In the courfe of two hours examination, he gave a regular, diftinct, and decided evidence, that the hop-tax is a perfonal tax-falling imme diately upon the occupiers of the shops, without a probability of their being reimburfed by their cuftomers. He flated, that there were upwards of fix thoufand retail shopkeepers in the city of London-that he had, upon this occafion, confulted with above two thousand of them, all of whom

were

were finally of opinion, that the tax in question was to all intents a perfonal tax: That the great number of adventurers who are daily starting up in every street, would by a competition prevent the retail dealer from railing the price of his commodities. That even were that circumftance practicable, there would be no poffibility of fixing the rate, because the leaft addition in price apon the various articles, would amount to perhaps twenty, thirty, or even forty times more than the tax.-Mr. Stack's evidence then turned on the weight of taxes already impofed on the inhabitants of this city; which he stated to be in fome parishes, in which he had made fome enquiry, in the proportion of 14s. 6d. in the pound. He further flated, that from the infinite variety of articles, and the ftill greater variety of prices, that many fhopkeepers dealt in, it was impoffible to afcertain fuch an advance in price as would be equal to the tax, without impofing on the public: as a proof, the witnefs himself dealt in upwards of two thoufand different articles.

The witness had paid one quarter's tax, amounting to 11. 10s. 6d. which he confider ed as fo much money levied upon hin per fonally, and in this partial way the tax would affect the whole body of retail dealers. He further ftated, that the tax would fall hea vieft where it could leaft be borne; that is to fay, on the dealers of low condition; whereas the very extensive dealer, by means of his large returns, would not feel it; and therefore, partial as the tax was upon one body of men, it would be rendered ftill more partial by its operating upon a particular part of that body.

Being asked whether a houfe tax would not be more equitable to his fellow citizens, he replied he thought it would.

A great number of questions were afterwards put to Mr. Stock by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Drake, Mr. Joliffe, Mr. Alderman Watson, Sir Jofeph Mawbey, Sir Thomas Hallifax, Mr. Martin, Mr. Alderman Sawbridge, Sir Watkin Lewes, Sir Edward Dering, and several other members the answers to which went to establish one great point, That the tax under confideration is a perfonal tax, partially laid upon the fhopkeeper.

The further confideration of this important bufinefs was, at half after nine o'clock, poftponed.

FEB. 24. Ordered out a new writ for Eaft Grinftead, in the room of Mr. Herbert, who hath accepted the Chiltern Hundreds.

Major Scott informed the House, that he had made particular enquiries at the India Houfe refpecting the papers which had been ondered; and that he there had learned that they were in general ready, and were only

delayed until a few were copied, of which they were in poffeffion of duplicates. He therefore moved, "That the papers now in readiness fhould be laid before the House; and that those that remained should be forwarded with all poffible dispatch."

The Speaker mentioned, that as the papers were moved for feparately, they should feverally be forwarded as soon as in readinefs; it was therefore fufficient that this fhould be known at the India House, and any additional order would be perfectly fu perfluous.

Major Scott then withdrew his motion. Mr. Rolle, after adverting to the confe quences of the new regulations of the militia, moved, "That the order for going into a committee on this bill, which flands for Wednesday fe'nnight, should be deferred until Monday the 3d of April," that the fentiments of the country gentlemen may be more fully known.

Mr. Pitt did not think that any delay of the third reading would be extremely neceffary. All parties were of opinion, that this conftitutional defence fhould be fupported with the utmost attention; and the only dif ference was as to the mode. The question would be fimply thisWhether the ne ceffity of calling out the militia annually would be fuch as to outweigh the confideration of the added expence ? Or whether, if called out at more infrequent periods, they would not be ftill equal to every purpose of defence? And to the difcuffion of this point he was of opinion, that the Houfe of themfelves were fully adequate―The order, therefore, ftands.

General Burgoyne, on feeing the papers which he had moved for, laid on the table, moved, that they might be printed.

Mr. Pitt objected; and, after a fhort converfation, the General withdrew his motion.

FEB. 27.

The Select Committee appointed to determine the undue election for Lancafter, made their report in favour of Abram Raw, linfon, Efq. the fitting member,

A new writ was afterwards moved for the borough of Lancaster, in the room of Francis Reynolds, Efq. now Lord Ducie.

Mr. Pitt rofe, and expreffed his with, in the prefent important and complicated bufinefs of the fyftem of fortification, to introduce a mode for their difcuffion, which he apprehended could not difplease either thole who were friendly or adverfe to the present fyftem, as it only tended to place the oppofite fides more clofely at illue. He then moved two refolutions in the House at large, which fhould ferve as a more regular basis for the proceedings of the Committee.

The first refolution was, "That it is the opinion of the House that, to fecure the dock-yards of Plymouth and Portfmonth

by

objection to copper as a mere fheathing, which might be put on in one day's time, and taken off whenever the fhip was laid up: but experience would compel him to condemn the practice of keping fhips in ordinary in copper during the peace; for though a veffel might appear in fill water to be in good condition, yet when a rolling fea fhould beat off the copper, the timbers might be rotten, and the fattenings corroded. For his part, he was of opinion, that an inquiry ought to be inftituted into this very important bufinefs; and if no one in office would undertake to move for it, he would.

Sir Charles Middleton faid, had the Hon. Member called at the Navy Board, he would have received every information he could have wifhed for; but he muft easily conceive that such a subject as the actual state of the Navy, was rather too delicate to be difcuffed in a public affembly.

Capt. Levefon Gower paid many compli ments to Capt. Macbride, but faid, at the fame time, he was furprized the Hon. Gen. tleman was such an enemy to hips of 64 guns; for though an offer had been made to him during the laft war, of a ship of 74 guns, he had refused it, in order to keep a 64.

Capt. Macbride replied, that his reafon for the refufal was this: A fet of very gallant fellows had entered with him as volunteers; he wished to have them turned over with him to a large fhip that had been offered to him; but as he could not procure that fevour, and would not, on the other hand, leave his brave crew behind him, he chofe to remain with his people, and retain the Bienfaifant.

Capt. Luttrell faid he concurred with the Hon. Member who spoke lait in every thing he had faid about the coppering of ships.

Capt. Berkeley agreed in general with Capt. Macbride, in what he had faid about 64 and 74 guns; but he obferved, that in fixing the rate of our fhips, due attention ought to be paid to the depth of water in our ports, and the other places where their fervice might be wanted. If thips of 74 guns could be fo built as to draw no more water than thofe of 64, then indeed the former would be every way more ferviceable.

Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Drake, and Mr. Holdfworth faid a few words; and the queftion was put on the Supply, and carried without oppofition.

The Houfe was then refumed, and Mr. Drake, jun. moved, That there be laid before the Houfe an account of the produce arifing from the fale of condemned fhips, ftores, &c. for fome years back. The motion was carried, and the Houfe adjourned.

MARCH 2.

Sir J. Jarvis, when the Report of the Commitee of Supply was brought up, reverted to fome parts of the converfation

which had paffed yesterday on the subject of the Naval Eftimates. He was of opinion that the prefent manner of examining ships was exceedingly faulty. He went into a long defcription of what is technically called taking a veffel, when after piercing her in different parts for infpection, the found parts were marked with an S. and those which were decayed were branded with an R. From the mode in which this was performed at prefent, the grossest mistakes had repeatedly occurred, and in fome inftantes, which he recited, had been detected, when orders for breaking up the hips had actually been iffued. He concluded with his ftrongeft affent to the opinions which had yester day fallen from an Hon. Gentleman, (Capt Macbride) and recommended the circum ftances to the attention of thofe to whole department it more particularly belonged.

Mr. Brett vindicated the Estimates and the inquiries into the ftate of fhips, as being done with all poflible circumfpection; and proceeded to justify the ufe of 64 gun fhips, which that Hon. Gentleman had yesterday reprobated, by faying that our harbours were not in general deep enough for the re ception of veffels of a fuperior rate.

Capt. Macbride continued to fupport the opinions he had given. It was by no meant his with that good fhips of that fize fhould be broken up; but that, in the building of new ones, the fyftem fhould be laid afide of building veitels of an inferior rate to that of our enemies.

Mr. Huffey paid many compliments to Capt. Macbride, and wished him to profe» cute the inquiry which he had fo happily begun.

The Report was then received.

The House next refolved itself into a Com mittee, Mr. M. A. Taylor in the chair, to receive the Report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the ftate of the British Fisheries.

Mr. Beaufoy arose to state the outlines of the plan which the Committee had chofen to adopt, as the most eligible for giving effect to the wishes of the nation on this fubject. The first principle of the plan which be had to propofe, and which the Houle food pledged in fome manner to fubftantiate, went to transfer the turbot fishery from the Dutch to our own countrymen, who would be willing to engage in it. No good reafon could be alledged why the Dutch, who were always our rivals, and frequently our enemies, fhould be employed in a fervice which our countrymen were fully as competent to execute. This end, he thought, would be bett accomplished by taxing the foreigners engaged in this bufinefs, or laying fuch a duty on the importation of their filh into our markets, as would nearly amount to a prohibition. If they were more induftrious than our fifhers, that induftry

fhould