HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
too late, and» when the retrospect 
of past errors forced. them upon 
‘ministers.and; their followers ; but 
then;they served only to fill them 
with repentance at their havghtiness 
_.and folly. Till then they persisted in 
scorning to place any advice ona 
level with their own councils, and 
in giving these an exclusive prefer- 
ence, not only. to, the admonitions 
of all other men, but to the expe- 
tience enfozced upon them, by the 
disasters arising from their own,ob« 
stinacy. 
' Insupport of the suspension, it 
was argued by Mr. Pitt, that it 
was a constitutional remedy, the 
application of which had always 
proved effectual in cases similar to 
the present ; it was prudent, there- 
fore, to apply it before the evils ap- 
prehended became incurable : | pre- 
_ yention was proverbially preferable 
tocure. Through the measure pro- 
posed, the revolution that seated 
William on the throne was confirm- 
ed, and the accession of the house of 
Brunswick secured. The times re- 
guired that a discretionary power 
should be lodged in government, 
_and that a speedy execution of mea- 
sures should follow the determina- 
tions that circumstances pointed out 
as indispensable. Were legal proofs 
of inimical designs to be waited 
for, they might be carried into ex. 
ecution with the most fatal facility, 
as they would then be only known 
_ by being executed. It were, nu- 
‘gatory to deny the existence of 
. Fostile projects to the constitution ; 
| allowing that nothing had been 
|| Btriétly proved, all nevertheless was 
puspected that had been alleged 
@gainst the parties accused. It 
would, therefore, be unpardonable 
in government to remain ina¢tive 
in the midst of so much danger. 
PAH 
[163 
This'was the greater, for the in- 
dustry aid art with which it had 
been kept out of the reach of legal 
proof; for that was the utmostthat 
could, be affirmed of the conspiracy 
alluded to; in every other respett 
it was evident and notorious. Those 
who were parties, those who were 
privy to it, did not; in general, seem 
yn the Jeast anxious to. conceal the 
plans they had in contemplation 5 
they did not direAly. avow. them, 
but their hints and insinuations were 
easily comprehended, and left no 
room to doubt of their intentions. 
The actual necessity of the sus. . 
pension-ac&t was denied, by Mr. 
Grey, on the ground that no prece. 
cedent could be cited of its being 
put in force, unless in cases of 
manifest and pressing danger to the 
state, or to the person of the so. 
vereign. Neither of these could 
now be said, with any propriety, to 
be exposed either to public or pri- 
vate machinations, worthy of the 
least attention. To pretend ap- 
prehensions, while none were en- 
tertained, was a deception which 
could not be pragtised upon the 
public, without weakening its con- 
fidence and attachment: the pre- 
servation of which depended on the 
openness and candour of its rulers, 
but would irrecoverably be lost, - 
whenever co unwarrantable an im- 
position was detected. The sus. 
pension-aét was justified, it. was 
said, by the necessity of guarding 
against jacobini:m ; but how could 
the seizure and imprisonment of in. 
dividuals prevent the propagation 
of their principles? experience, in 
all ages and countries, had in 
variably proved, that harsh treat. 
ment had always a contrary effect, 
Public murmurs were not to be si- 
lenced by such ineans ;--the discon. 
[M2] tents 
