in several points: and this I was the better able
to do, having been formerly almost ruined by a long suit in chancery,
which was decreed for me with costs. He asked, "What time was usually
spent in determining between right and wrong, and what degree of expense?
Whether advocates and orators had liberty to plead in causes manifestly
known to be unjust, vexatious, or oppressive? Whether party, in religion
or politics, were observed to be of any weight in the scale of justice?
Whether those pleading orators were persons educated in the general
knowledge of equity, or only in provincial, national, and other local
customs? Whether they or their judges had any part in penning those
laws, which they assumed the liberty of interpreting, and glossing upon
at their pleasure? Whether they had ever, at different times, pleaded
for and against the same cause, and cited precedents to prove contrary
opinions? Whether they were a rich or a poor corporation? Whether they
received any pecuniary reward for pleading, or delivering their opinions?
And particularly, whether they were ever admitted as members in the lower
senate?"

He fell next upon the management of our treasury; and said, "he thought
my memory had failed me, because I computed our taxes at about five or
six millions a-year, and when I came to mention the issues, he found they
sometimes amounted to more than double; for the notes he had taken were
very particular in this point, because he hoped, as he told me, that the
knowledge of our conduct might be useful to him, and he could not be
deceived in his calculations. But, if what I told him were true, he was
still at a loss how a kingdom could run out of its estate, like a private
person." He asked me, "who were our creditors; and where we found money
to pay them?" He wondered to hear me talk of such chargeable and
expensive wars; "that certainly we must be a quarrelsome people, or live
among very bad neighbours, and that our generals must needs be richer
than our kings." He asked, what business we had out of our own islands,
unless upon the score of trade, or treaty, or to defend the coasts with
our fleet?" Above all, he was amazed to hear me talk of a mercenary
standing army, in the midst of peace, and among a free people. He said,
"if we were governed by our own consent, in the persons of our
representatives, he could not imagine of whom we were afraid, or against
whom we were to fight; and would hear my opini