., that you state to me the rea- 
ons. You did so when you called 
or the augmentation of the navy, 
you had it; but donot ask 
thing to carry on the war 
ad, under the mask of defend- 
¢ us at home; for, in that ease, 
are asking, under a false title, 
t, under a real one, the people 
‘this country wouid not grant to 
; for, I know, they will grant 
ou to prevent an invasion at 
€ what they would refuse with 
dignation, if asked to carry on 
3 war abroad.’ But, sir, it seerns 
€ are to have the responsibility of 
Ministers for the due application 
VR 
f the grant which they now call 
Look at the extent to which 
e principle of voting such extra- 
ordinary measures as this, upon the 
ea of responsibility, may lead you, 
sy it you will introduce a practice 
that must deprive the people of all 
eir rights, and all their property : 
it should turn out (not an extra- 
ant hypothesis) that all this sto- 
y about an invasion is a mere pre- 
fence to gain the consent of the 
eople to the measure now propo- 
ed, and that the real object is ex- 
: en ely different : what then will 
‘become of the boasted responsibility 
F ministers ? > how are we to make 
:m responsible ? We may say,and 
; truly, that, “the event has proved 
jere was no danger of an invasion 
hen this measure was adopted.’ 
9 Which the ministers may an- 
ver, and be assured they will, 
‘True, there was no invasion, but 
en it was owing to the very mea- 
ires which we proposed, and you 
di pted, that the invasion was Hie 
. ted.’ “How, then, are we tumake 
Phe idea BP resiondibility, in sucha 
4) 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
[123 
case, is perfectly ridiculous. Why, 
sir, at this rate, you may go on, and 
do every thing that the minister 
may ask you, until you have to- 
tally destroyed the constitution; the 
principles have. already been too 
much invaded by the measures of 
the present ministers, There are 
some inconyeniences that necessa- 
rily arise out of a free constitution. 
I know that many authors, of great 
eminence, have pointed out those 
inconveniences. I do not deny it, 
although I have never seen them 
in so. strong a light as the authors 
I allude to say they did; but the 
advantages resulting from a free 
constitution are so great, so nume- 
yous, and, to me, so clear, that 1 
cannot patiently argue upon.them, 
when they are put ina scale against 
the supposed advantages of a con- 
trary form. Be that as it may, in 
the opinion of others, I say, you 
cannot argue that subject in this 
house; for the people of this coun- 
try have made their election : they 
have chosen a - free government, 
and it is your duty to preserve it, 
with all its ineonveniences, if there 
be any that are worth mentioning. 
lf, therefore, when ministers -pre- 
tend an alarm, you are to give 
them whatever power they may ask 
for, when it is impossible you can 
attach any responsibility to them, 
as | have proved already. in this 
case you cannot, why then, you de- 
serl the point on which the people 
of the country have already made 
their election ; and, instead of the 
blessings which your ancestors in- 
tended for you, you take what may 
appear to you, but what never ap- 
peared to me, the advantayes of 
despotism. . This would be a fraud 
upon the people of this country. 
L know~-the eloaguence that has 
ofien 
