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SHISTORYS OF EUROPE. 
circumstances were foreseen, and 
had been laid before parliament. 
The discovery, that this'sam had 
been advanced, came out ina very 
suspicious mannerindeed. It could 
no jJonger be concealed. There 
seemed to have been a desire of 
concealing the fact as iong as’ possi- 
ble, and a disclosure was only com- 
‘pelied by necessity. Hecould not, 
however, go the !ength of stopping 
the supplies, though he was of opi- 
nion, that a very strong mark of 
censure ought to be inflicted by the 
house, ‘The right honourable gen- 
tleman said, that there were quali: 
fications :to the general principle, 
and that ministers were allowed to 
exetcise their discretion) “It must 
be. confessed that cireomstances 
may. arise, when government was 
perfectly justifiable in remitting sup- 
plies abroad, for se*vices béneficial ’ 
to this country ;, and when such a 
measure was adopted by the present 
minister some years since, in hisin- 
terference with regard to Hoiland, 
that conduct received his most hear- 
ty approbation. ‘This present case, 
however, was of a very different 
description ; and, by neglecting to 
consult parliament, at a time when 
it wassitting, on the expenditure of 
the public money, the minister ap- 
peared to set himself above their 
controul, and be indifferent as to 
_ their approbation. Upon the whole 
he trusted that this proceeding 
would not pass the house of com. 
mois, without receivingsomestrong 
marks of its disapprobation. He 
was very glad that the subject had 
been brought forward in the way 
it had been done; and he hoped, 
_ that the house would never witness 
in future, a similar violation of the 
pepepics of the constitution. The 
mense navy debt which had been 
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contracted, in his opinion, proved 
great mismanagement, and want of 
foresight, in that department. It 
appeared, that great abuses prevail- 
ed in the transport-service ; and the 
house oughtseriously to inquire into 
the causes which had occasioned 
the shameful prodigality which had 
been observed, and endeavour: to 
find a remedy. fr 
Mr. Grey said, that much pain, 
and many apprehensions, hadarisen, 
from the fear of a threatened inva- 
sion, but he would venture to say, 
thatno invasion or attack, that could 
take place, would go so decidedly 
to the destruction of all that was 
valuable, namely, the liberty of the 
country, as such a power, if lodged 
in the hands of ministers. _ Viewing 
thesubject in this light, he thought 
it his duty to oppose, at least to sus- 
pend the supplies. He theretore 
moved, that tae second reading of 
the resolutions should be put off till 
to-morrow; and if the house shouid 
agree to this motion, he would, to- 
morrow, move the house to resolve 
that, in makingthese advances with- 
out the consent of parliament, the 
minister had been guilty of a high 
crime and misdemeanor. A debate 
was continued for some time with 
great warmth on this subject; but, 
on a division of the Louse, Mr. 
Grey’s motion’ was negatived by 
164 against 58. 
This’ subject was brought again 
into the house of Commons, on the 
fourteenth of December, by Mr. 
Fox, who moved, ‘* That his ma- 
jesty’s ministers, having authorized 
and directed, at different times, 
without the consent, and during the 
sitting of parliament, the issue of 
various sums of money, for the ser- 
vice of his Imperial majesty, and 
also for the service of the army un- 
der 
