he knowledge of the sea,
and who will, most probably, exert their abilities in contriving
expedients to promote the success of the war, than they whom the
miscarriage of our fleets must irreparably ruin?

The merchants, sir, are enabled by their profession to inform us--are
deterred by their interest from deceiving us; they have, like all other
subjects, a right to be heard on any question; and a better right than
any other when their interest is more immediately affected; and,
therefore, to refuse to hear them, will be, at once, impolitick and
cruel; it will discover, at the same time, a contempt of the most
valuable part of our fellow-subjects, and an inflexible adherence to our
own opinions.

The expedient of asserting this to be a money bill, by which the just
remonstrances of the merchants are intended to be eluded, is too trivial
and gross to be adopted by this assembly: if this bill can be termed a
money bill, and no petitions are, therefore, to be admitted against it,
I know not any bill relating to the general affairs of the nation which
may not plead the same title to an exemption from petitions.

I therefore desire that the consideration of this clause may be deferred
for two days, that the arguments of the merchants may be examined, and
that this affair may not be determined without the clearest knowledge
and exactest information.

Sir Robert WALPOLE spoke next, to this effect:--Sir, the petition,
whether justifiable or not, with regard to the occasion on which it is
presented, or the language in which it is expressed, is certainly
offered at an improper time, and, therefore, can lay no claim to the
regard of this assembly.

The time prescribed, by the rules of this house, for the reception of
petitions, is that at which the bill is first introduced, not at which
it is to be finally determined.

The petition before us is said not to regard the bill in general, but a
particular clause; and it is, therefore, asserted, that it may now
properly be heard: but this plea will immediately vanish, when it shall
be made appear that the clause is not mentioned in it, and that there is
no particular relation between that and the petition, which I shall
attempt--

Here sir John BARNARD, remarking that sir Robert WALPOLE had the
petition in his hand, rose, and said:--Sir, I rise thus abruptly to
preserve the order of this assembly, and to prevent any gentleman from
having, in this debate, any other advantage, abo