he declaration of the noble lord, that there
appears no positive evidence against him.

The pretence that no evidence can be expected while he continues in his
present station, is too openly fallacious to impose upon your lordships;
for why should his influence be greater, and his power less resistible
than that of other ministers, who are well known to have found accusers
in the height of their authority, and to have been dragged to punishment
almost from behind the throne?

It is sufficiently known, that during the continuance of this
administration, many have been dismissed from their employments, who
appear not altogether unaffected with the loss, and from whose
resentment a discovery of wicked measures might be reasonably expected,
as their acquaintance with the secrets of the government must have given
opportunities of detecting them. If, therefore, no particular crimes are
charged upon him, if his enemies confine themselves to obscure surmises,
and general declamations, we may reasonably conclude, that his behaviour
has been at least blameless. For what can be a higher encomium than the
silence of those who have made it the business of years to discover
something that might be alleged against him on the day of trial.

I suppose that no man can question the penetration of those noble lords
who have opened this debate, and I, my lords, shall be very far from
insinuating that cowardice suppresses any of their sentiments. As the
highest reproach that can be thrown upon any man, is to suggest that he
speaks what he does not think; the next degree of meanness would be to
think what he dares not speak, when the publick voice of his country
calls upon him.

When, therefore, popular reports are alleged as the foundation of the
address, it is probable that it is not founded, in reality, upon known
crimes or attested facts, and if the sudden blasts of fame may be
esteemed equivalent to attested accusations, what degree of virtue can
confer security?

That the clamour is so loud and so general as it is represented, I can
discover no necessity of admitting; but, however the populace may have
been exasperated against him, we are surely not to be influenced by
their complaints, without inquiring into the cause of them, and
informing ourselves whether they proceed from real hardships,
unnecessary severities, and calamities too heavy to be borne, or from
caprice, and inconstancy, idle rumours, and artful representations.