equally prudent and just to reject this
motion, till better proof shall be brought to support it; lest, by
complying with it, we should heighten rather than appease the discontent
of the people; lest we should too soon deprive them of their only
consolation, and expose the patriots to censure, without vindicating the
ministry.

In my opinion, my lords, all who have approved the conduct of the
present ministry, must necessarily join in rejecting the motion, as
cruel and unequitable, and incline to support a just, and continue a
wise administration; and all those whom the restless clamours of the
opposite party have persuaded to regard them as arbitrary, corrupt, and
perfidious, must, if they are true friends to their country, and steady
exacters of justice, resolve to defer their compliance, in order to
bring to light the evidences necessary for a legal conviction, and
severer punishment.

That these evidences will never be found, and that, therefore, no legal
punishment will ever be inflicted, we may reasonably collect from the
injustice of the laboured charge which your lordships have now heard; a
charge drawn up with all the assistance of senatorial and political
knowledge, and displayed with all the power of eloquence, a collection
of every occurrence for many years, of which any circumstance could be
shown in an unfavourable light, and a recapitulation of all the measures
which have miscarried by unforeseen events, or which the populace have
been persuaded to dislike.

In the administration of governments, my lords, many measures reasonable
and just, planned out in pursuance of a very exact knowledge of the
state of things then present, and very probable conjectures concerning
future events, have yet failed to produce the success which was
expected; they have been sometimes defeated by the inconstancy or
dishonesty of those who are equally engaged in them, and sometimes
frustrated by accidents, of which only providence has the disposal. It
will even be allowed, my lords, that the ministry have been sometimes
mistaken in their conjectures, and, perhaps, deceived by their
intelligence, but I will presume to say, it never will be discovered
that they willingly betrayed, or heedlessly neglected their trust, that
they ever oppressed their country with unnecessary burdens, or exposed
it to be insulted by foreign powers. Nor will it, perhaps, be found that
they ever appeared grossly ignorant of the publick interest, or