148 Parliamentary Proceedings. Od. f* 



■were entertained of the value of that fur-trade, which had givert 

 rife to this difpute, as well as of the importance of that fifhery 

 which the Convention had apparently obtained. Thefe doubts 

 it would be at Icaft proper to remove. 



Mr Sergeant H'atfon contended, that thofe papers which had 

 been already produced were fufficiently adequate for explain- 

 ing the grounds and termination of the late difputes, and 

 blamed the motion as being calculated merely to fatisfy an idle 

 cnriofity. 



Mr Lambton, with fome warmth, contended, that fo far was 

 - the motion calculated to fatisfy an idle curiofity only, that un- 

 lefs the prayer of it was granted, it was impoffible for the Houfe 

 on any rational grounds to grant their approbation of the Con- 

 vention. 



Mr Biirdon reviewed the conduift of adminiflratton, in the 

 light o'c meriting the confidence of the Houfe. 



Lord North declared, that bethought the feafon of confidence 

 was paft, and that iiifteaJ of ufing that plea now, the Houfe 

 fliould rather require the conviftion of their own fenfes, to 

 iuftify that confidence which they had in times paft repofed in 

 "the prefent admiuiftration. 



Lord Carysfort, while he admitted that the Houfe had a fu- 

 perintending power, and duty equally binding upon them to 

 watch over the executive government of the country, yet was 

 decidedly adveife to the prefent motion, as being Wholly unne- 

 ccflary, and withoirt any I'pecific object ;— he contended, that as 

 Parliament had had no doubt of the propriety of arming at 

 firft, it was not neceflary for adminiftration now to clear up 

 that point. 



Mr Po-wys oLftn-ed, that during the negociation, the Houfe 

 with propriety confided in adminiftration, becaufe, at that time, 

 it would not have been proper to divulge the fecrets of Govern- 

 ment ; minifters knew what they were, and the Houfe placed 

 confidence in the.m conditionally, that they Ihould at a proper 

 period (ho-.v that this confidence had not been mifplaced. 

 This was the refponfibility of minifters, of which they often fo 

 much boafted ; then was the time of confidence, that the hands 

 of the excctitive government ihould not be (hackled; wow is 

 the time of expluiation, to (how that that confidence was not 

 miftilaced. The do(51rine, therefore, that had been now adduced, 

 that becaufe confidence had been given once, it ought to be al- 

 ways continued, was at the fame time the moft unconllitutional, 

 and the moft contradiiilory to common fenfe he had ever heard 

 urged in that Houfe. 



Mr Drake, without combating the arguments, contented him- 

 felf with complimenting the oratorical powers of the oppofilion 

 members, and giving a warm eiilogium on tlie minifters. 



Lord Belgrade declared himfelf decidedly againft the motion. 

 What if gentlemen Ihould obtain thofe papers, ot the nature of 



