ar to see
honours, favours, and preferments, distributed by the direction of one
universally suspected of corruption, and arbitrary measures; or will
look only with silent envy upon the affluence of those whom they believe
to be made great by fraud and plunder, swelled to insolence by the
prosperity of guilt, and advanced to wealth and luxury by publick
miseries.

Such of your lordships who join with the people in ascribing our present
unhappy state not to the errours, but to the crimes of the minister, and
who, therefore, think a bare removal not sufficient to satisfy the
demands of justice, must, doubtless, give their consent to the motion,
for the sake of obtaining proper evidence of his wickedness, which
cannot be expected while he stands exalted in prosperity, and
distributes the riches of the nation, and the gifts of his sovereign at
his own choice; while he is in possession of every motive that can
influence the mind, enforce secrecy, and confirm fidelity; while he can
bribe the avaricious, and intimidate the fearful; while he can increase
the gratification of luxury, and enlarge the prospects of ambition. For,
my lords, if it be considered from whom this evidence must be drawn, it
will soon appear that no very important discoveries can be made, but by
those whom he has intrusted with his secrets, men whose disregard of
virtue recommended them to his favour, and who, as they are moved only
by interest, will continue faithful while they can hope for recompense;
but may, perhaps, be willing to buy their own security by sacrificing
their master, when they shall see no farther prospect of advantage from
serving him, or any other method of escaping punishment.

But, my lords, all must allow this motion to be reasonable, whatever
they think of the minister's conduct, who are of opinion that a free
people have a right of complaining when they feel oppression, and of
addressing the crown to remove a minister that has incurred their
universal detestation. That such is the condition of the present
minister, I believe, will scarcely be denied, or may be discovered by
those who find themselves inclined to doubt it, by asking any man whom
they shall accidentally meet, what are his sentiments on the situation
of national affairs, and of the hands by which they are administered.
What answer he will receive is well known to most of your lordships. Let
him not be satisfied with a single suffrage, let him repeat the question
to