HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



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237 



cure subscriptions without appli- 

 cation to parliament, had, in the 

 mean while, created much dissatis- 

 faction. It was Yia;orously opposed 

 in several counties ; and counter- 

 rrsohuiors entered into by meet- 

 ings tor that purpose. That which 

 was pHbHshed by the county of 

 Surrey, on the 27th of March, 

 merits recor<.ling. It was conceiv- 

 ed in the follow ing terms : " Re- 

 solved, That it is the opinion of 

 this meeting, that it is their duty 

 to refuse any countenance to pri- 

 vate subscriptions at \hc requisi- 

 tion of ministers, for public pur- 

 poses ; but that we are ready at all 

 times to stand forward in any con- 

 stitutional manner, in support of 

 our King and country, against all 

 foreign and domestic enemies. 



On the 28tli of March, Mr. She- 

 ridan, agrteably to the notice he 

 had given, moved in (he House, 

 that it was dangerous and uncon- 

 stitutional for the people of this 

 country to make any loan of 

 money to parliament. He asserted 

 that ministers had, in the business 

 of the subscriptions, aimed rather 

 at establishing the legality, than 

 at deriving any present utility from 

 them. Were the Sovereign en- 

 titled to procure supplit;* from the 

 meetings of couiUles, or of pri- 

 vate individuals, he would be re- 

 leased from the necessity of ex- 

 plaining for what purposes he 

 wante^l them, to the reprcsentatires 

 of the nation ; of whom he would 

 immediately become independent, 

 or, in other words, absolute. It 

 was prudent, therefore, to prevent 

 any popular intaiuation from pro- 

 ducing £uch efil'cts, by limiting 

 the power of granting mone/ to 

 *be nation at large, regularly con- 

 vened iu pai'liiunetit ; but in tUp 



instance now before tlie House, it 

 was well knov%n that the subscrip- 

 tions were not so voluntarj'^ as re- 

 presented. Persons employed in 

 the collection of the revenue, and 

 the other numerous dependants 

 and emissaries ofministr}', chiefly 

 composed tlie list of subscribers : 

 but were Hucli a measure not re- 

 pugnant to the constitution, still 

 it was attended with an impro- 

 priety that would soon be mani- 

 fested. The sums already required 

 for the expeiices of the year, 

 amounted to no less than thirty- 

 live miUions, This surely was an 

 coormous requisition, without re- 

 curring to further ex.actions. But 

 so great was the zeal of this nation 

 presumed to be for the important 

 objects held out to it, as the mo- 

 tives of the war, tJiat the very ex- 

 tremest exertions of which it was 

 cnpable were conlidently looked 

 for ; but ministers misreckoned, if 

 they relied on those causes as pro- 

 ductive in the degree that some of 

 their most zealous advocates ex- 

 pected. Numbers ra'ght doubt- 

 less subscribe ; but what a propor- 

 tion of them would act from mere 

 compulsiun ". The induencc of go- 

 vernment and of its many adhe- 

 rents, together with the dread of 

 being considered as disatfected, 

 could not fail powerfully to help 

 out the subscription. Personal os» 

 tentation and interested motives 

 would also contribute towards it ; 

 but the aggregate of its produce 

 would not arijwer the prospect of 

 those who might indulge sanguine 

 hopes of its being very consi- 

 derable. 



These reasonings were opposed 

 by the Attorney General, w^ojus- 

 tified tlie conduct of ministers, as 

 agreeable to precedents aud con- 

 stitutional 



