HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



105 



for transferring the examination of 

 West India accounts from the au- 

 dit office to the commission, was, 

 the necessity of inquiry and in- 

 vestigation on the spot, which the 

 auditors were unable to effect. It 

 was also declared to be tempoi-ary 

 and directed to a specific object. 

 Yet, notwithstanding the avowal 

 of these plain grounds for its ori- 

 ginal establishment, another com- 

 mission of much greater extent, 

 and attended with much greater 

 expense had been formed, the 

 greater part of which, with a large 

 establishment, is fixed in London; 

 and seems from the report of the 

 military commissioners, to liave 

 no other employment than that 

 of receiving and transmitting to 

 the lords of the treasury the reports 

 they received from their colleagues 

 in the West Indies. As the whole 

 of the ninth report of the com- 

 missioners of military inquiry re- 

 fers to the acts of the first com- 

 mission, it appears that the prac- 

 tice or S3fstem of peculation in the 

 West Indies, though brought un- 

 der the notice of government has 

 not been effectual!}' altered. Nor 

 does government appear to have 

 hitherto acted with any degree of 

 vigour and efficacy, if at all, on 

 the reports of the second commis- 

 sion ; which burthens the nation 

 with an annual expence of 13,000^. 

 a year. 



There does not appear to be 

 any indolence or remissness on the 

 part of the different boards of in- 

 quiry, whose importance, continu- 

 ation, or permanence, may be sup- 

 posed to depend, in some mea- 

 sure, on their own conduct. They 

 are diligent and active, and suc- 

 cessful in their researches ; which, 

 if not suffered to lie as a dead let- 



ter on the table of the house of 

 commons, might conduce, in a 

 very high degree to the benefit of 

 the public. If, indeed, the im- 

 portance of such boards were to be 

 measured by the quantum of resti- 

 tution that might be extorted from 

 peculators by force of law, they 

 would do but very little, if any 

 thing at all, more than repay the 

 expence of their establishments. 

 But they may be of infinite ser- 

 vice in unmasking the tricks of 

 peculators, in tracing the ease, se- 

 cresy, and safety with which they 

 have gone on from year to year 

 up to some specific abuse or de- 

 fect in the different departments 

 of government, and enable minis- 

 try, if they are so inclined, to 

 new reform or new model them. 

 They will facilitate the detection 

 of frauds and peculation, and thus, 

 by diminishing the chance of se- 

 cresjs lessen the number of pub- 

 lic delinquents. Nay, if such ac- 

 curate and minute reports should 

 not be made any use of by govern- 

 ment, still the nation will be benefit- 

 ed by their publication. There are 

 few men who, for the sake of ac- 

 cumulating wealth, would encoun- 

 ter public and universal indigna- 

 tion, scorn, and contempt. It is 

 .in fact a desire of being the ob- 

 jects of attention, distinction, and 

 of the sympathy or complacent re- 

 gards of mankind, that is at the 

 bottom of most of the cares, and 

 the whole of the bustle of the 

 world. It is this sense of honour 

 and dishonour, that is, in a luxu- 

 rious, corrupt, refined, and scepti- 

 cal age, the grand cement of co- 

 ciety. It pervades, in a greater or 

 less degree, all ranks and classes. 

 It is stronger, as well as more ge- 

 nerally prevalent, than any practi- 

 cal 



