?

Such declarations as these, sir, are little less than sallies of
rebellion; and, if they pass without censure, will, perhaps, produce
such commotions as may require to be suppressed by other means than
forms of law and senatorial censures.

Nor do I think that, by rejecting the petition, we have sufficiently
established our authority; for, in my opinion, we yielded too much in
receiving it. The bill before us whatever may be its title, is, in
reality, a money bill; a bill, by which aids are granted to the crown;
and we have, therefore, no necessity of rejecting petitions on this
occasion, because the standing orders of the house forbid us to admit
them.

They then proceeded to the amendments, and when the clause for limiting
the wages of seamen was read, sir John BARNARD rose up, and spoke to
this effect:--

Sir, we are now to consider the clause to which the petition relates,
which I have now presented, a petition on a subject of so general
importance, and offered by men so well acquainted with every argument
that can be offered, and every objection which can be raised, that their
request of being heard by their council cannot be denied, without
exposing us to the censure of adhering obstinately to our own opinions,
of shutting our ears against information, of preferring expedition to
security, and disregarding the welfare of our country.

It will not be necessary to defer our determinations on this clause for
more than three days, though we should gratify this just and common
request. And will not this loss be amply compensated by the satisfaction
of the people, for whose safety we are debating, and by the
consciousness that we have neglected nothing which might contribute to
the efficacy of our measures?

The merchants, sir, do not come before us with loud remonstrances and
harassing complaints, they do not apply to our passions, but our
understandings, and offer such informations as will very much facilitate
the publick service. It has been frequent, in the course of this debate,
to hear loud demands for better expedients, and more efficacious, than
those which have been proposed; and is it to be conceived that those who
called thus eagerly for new proposals, intended not to inform
themselves, but to silence their opponents?

From whom, sir, are the best methods for the prosecution of naval
affairs to be expected, but from those whose lives are spent in the
study of commerce, whose fortunes depend upon t