y school to the service of the sea, in which, by
entering early, they cannot fail to become proficients; and where their
attainments, which, at present, too frequently produce laziness and
dishonesty, might enable them to excel, and entitle them to promotion.

Mr. WINNINGTON replied:--Sir, notwithstanding the confidence with which
some gentlemen have proposed this amendment, and the easiness with which
others have consented to it, I declare, without hesitation, that I
oppose it now, and intend to oppose it whenever it shall be offered,
because it will defeat all the other provisions which shall be made in
the bill.

I will venture to say, sir, that if every man, who has, by whatever
tenure, the right of voting, shall be exempted from the necessity of
contributing to the publick safety by his personal service, every man
qualified for the sea will by some means acquire a vote.

Sir, a very small part of those who give their votes in this nation for
representatives in senate, enjoy that right as the appendage of a
freehold; to live in some towns, and to be born only in others, gives
the unalienable privilege of voting. Any gentleman, to secure his own
interest, or obstruct the publick service, may, by dividing a small
piece of barren ground among a hundred sailors, exalt them all to
freeholders, and exempt them from the influence of this law.

However, sir, I am not less a friend to the freeholders than those who
propose the exception in their favour, but, in my opinion, the great
interest of the freeholders is the preservation of their freeholds,
which can only be secured by a vigorous exertion of the power of the
nation, in the war which is now declared against the Spaniards.

Mr. BARRINGTON spoke next:--Sir, by the observations which I have
opportunities of making at the place which I have the honour to
represent, I am convinced of the influence that this law will have upon
all the boroughs along the coasts. There, most of the voters are, in one
sense or other, sir, seafaring men, being, almost all of them, owners of
vessels, and in some degree acquainted with navigation; they may,
therefore, be hurried away at the choice of an officious or oppressive
magistrate, who may, by partiality and injustice, obtain a majority,
contrary to the general inclination of the people, and determine the
election by his own authority.

Sir William YONGE then said:--Sir, if every freeholder and voter is to
be exempted from the influ