be borne, that the passenger is every where either
surprised and endangered by unexpected chasms, or offended or obstructed
by mountains of filth, is well known to every one that has passed a
single day in this great city; and that this grievance is without remedy
is a sufficient proof that no magistrate has, at present power to remove
it; for every man's private regard to his own ease and safety, would
incite him to exert his authority on this occasion.

I humbly propose, therefore, that a bill may be brought into the house,
to enable his majesty's justices of peace for the liberties of
Westminster, to inspect the publick ways of this city, and punish the
neglect of cleansing and paving them; or that a new officer be
appointed, and vested with full authority for the same purpose.

Mr. SANDYS spoke next, to this effect:--Sir, I believe the grievance, so
much complained of by the right honourable member, is not difficult to
be removed without a new act of the legislature, being, perhaps, more
properly to be imputed to the negligence of the justices, than a defect
of their authority; for they have already sufficient power to regulate
this disorder: and I may be allowed to hope, sir, that they do not want
leisure to observe it, for their number is so great, that if we suppose
them to be wholly engaged by the common business of their office, a
foreigner would have occasion of reproaching us with defects more
important than want of delicacy, and might justly censure us as a people
corrupt beyond the common rate of human wickedness, a nation divided
only into two classes, magistrates and criminals.

But they, in reality, abound so much among us, that most of them are
only nominal magistrates, vested with authority which they never exert,
or exert to bad purposes, and which it were well if they were obliged to
employ in the real service of their country, by superintending the
paviers and the scavengers.

For this reason it is unnecessary to erect a new officer, as an
inspector of our streets, since every office that is not necessary is
pernicious. Were the consequences of this grievance such as they have
been represented, I should, perhaps, willingly erect a new office,
though I should not be surprised to hear the wisest man declare rather
for a pestilence than an increase of officers.

As I neither think the grievance insupportable, nor the methods proposed
for removing it necessary or proper, I declare myself against th