er paying the army and their quarters,

Sir William YONGE spoke, in substance as follows:--Sir, the last day
which was assigned to the consideration of this bill, was spent in long
altercations, in vague and unnecessary disquisitions, in retrospective
reflections upon events long past, and in aggravating of grievances that
may never happen; much sagacity was exerted, and much eloquence
displayed, but no determination was attained, nor even that expedient
examined, by which those objections might be removed which appeared so
important, or those dangers obviated which were represented so
formidable and so near.

I hope, sir, part of the time which has intervened between that debate
and the present day, has been employed by the gentlemen, whose scruples
were so numerous, and whose caution is so vigilant, in contriving some
methods of maintaining the army without oppressing the victuallers, and
of providing for our defence against foreign enemies without subjecting
us to the evils of discontent and disaffection, which they impute to the
present state of the military establishment.

To object for ever, and to advance nothing, is an easy method of
disputation upon any question, but contributes very little to the
increase of knowledge: an artful and acute objector may confound, and
darken, and disturb, but never assists inquiry, or illustrates truth.

In political questions, sir, it is still more easy and less ingenuous;
for all political measures are in some degree right and wrong at the
same time: to benefit some they very frequently bear hard upon others,
and are, therefore, only to be approved or rejected as advantages appear
to overbalance the inconveniencies, or the inconveniencies to outweigh
the advantages.

It is, sir, the proper province of a senator to promote, not to obstruct
the publick counsels; and when he declares his disapprobation of any
expedient, to endeavour to substitute a better: for how can he be said
to sustain his part of the general burden of publick affairs, who lays
others under the necessity of forming every plan, and inventing every
expedient, and contents himself with only censuring what he never
endeavours to amend?

That every man, who is called forth by his country to sit here as the
guardian of the publick happiness, is obliged, by the nature of his
office, to propose, in this assembly, whatever his penetration or
experience may suggest to him as advantageous to the nation, I doubt not