appear more refined,
and the effects of deeper meditation.

Lord GAGE spoke in the following manner:--Sir, nothing is more clear
than that a yearly pension will burden the nation, without any
advantage; and as it will give occasion to innumerable frauds, it is a
method which ought to be rejected.

As to the new power, sir, which is proposed to be placed in the hands of
the magistrates, it undoubtedly reduces every sailor to a state of
slavery, and is inconsistent with that natural right to liberty, which
is confirmed and secured by our constitution. The bill, therefore, is,
in my opinion, defective in all its parts, of a tendency generally
pernicious, and cannot be amended but by rejecting it.

Mr. Henry PELHAM spoke next, to this effect:--Sir, I cannot but think it
necessary, that on this occasion, at least, gentlemen should remit the
ardour of disputation, and lay the arts of rhetorick aside; that they
should reserve their wit and their satire for questions of less
importance, and unite, for once, their endeavours, that this affair may
meet with no obstructions but from its natural difficulty.

We are now, sir, engaged in a war with a nation, if not of the first
rank in power, yet by no means contemptible in itself; and, by its
alliances, extremely formidable. We are exposed, by the course of our
trade, and the situation of our enemies, to many inevitable losses, and
have no means of preventing our merchants from being seized, without any
danger or expense to the Spaniards, but by covering the sea with our
squadrons.

Nor are we, sir, to satisfy ourselves with barely defeating the designs
of the Spaniards; our honour demands that we should force them to peace
upon advantageous terms; that we should not repulse, but attack them;
not only preserve our own trade and possessions, but endanger theirs.

It is by no means certain, sir, that in the prosecution of these designs
we shall not be interrupted by the interest or jealousy of a nation far
more powerful, whose forces we ought, therefore, to be able to resist.

A vigorous exertion of our strength will probably either intimidate any
other power that may be inclined to attack us, or enable us to repel the
injuries that shall be offered: discord and delay can only confirm our
open enemies in their obstinacy, and animate those that have hitherto
concealed their malignity to declare against us.

It is, therefore, sir, in no degree prudent to aggravate the
inconven