by the advocates of the
administration, under pretence of supporting the government, or
affrighted with unreasonable clamours by the opponents of the court,
under the specious appearance of protecting liberty. The people, my
lords, are in either case equally miserable, and deserve equally to be
rescued from distress.

By what method, my lords, can this be effected, but by some publick
assurance from this house, that the transactions of the nation shall no
longer be concealed in impenetrable secrecy; that measures shall be no
longer approved without examination; that publick evils shall be traced
to their causes; and that disgrace, which they have hitherto brought
upon the publick, shall fall for the future only upon the authors of
them.

Of giving this assurance, and of quieting by it the clamours of the
people; clamours which, whether just or not, are too formidable to be
slighted, and too loud not to be heard, we have now the most proper
opportunity before us. The address which the practice of our ancestors
requires us to make to his majesty, may give us occasion of expressing
at once our loyalty to the crown, and our fidelity to our country; our
zeal for the honour of our sovereign, and our regard for the happiness
of the people.

For this purpose it is necessary that, as we preserve the practice of
our ancestors in one respect, we revive it in another; that we imitate
those in just freedom of language whom we follow in the decent forms of
ceremony; and show that as we preserve, like them, a due sense of the
regal dignity, so, like them, we know likewise how to preserve our own,
and despise flattery on one side, as we decline rudeness on the other.

A practice, my lords, has prevailed of late, which cannot but be allowed
pernicious to the publick, and derogatory from the honour of this
assembly; a practice of retaining in our address the words of the
speech, and of following it servilely from period to period, as if it
were expected that we should always adopt the sentiments of the court;
as if we were not summoned to advise, but to approve, and approve
without examination.

By such addresses, my lords, all inquiries may be easily precluded; for
the minister by whom the speech is compiled, may easily introduce the
most criminal transactions in such a manner, as that they may obtain the
approbation of this house; which he may plead afterwards at our bar,
when he shall be called before it, and either involve us