x such fugitive reasonings, such variable rhetorick?

I am not able, sir, to discern, why truth should be obscured; or why any
man should take pleasure in heaping together all the arguments that his
knowledge may supply, or his imagination suggest, against a proposition
which he cannot deny. Nor can I assign any good purpose that can be
promoted by perpetual renewals of debate, and by a repetition of
objections, which have in former conferences, on the same occasion, been
found of little force.

When the system of affairs is not fully laid open, and the schemes of
the administration are in part unknown, it is easy to raise objections
formidable in appearance, which, perhaps, cannot be answered till the
necessity of secrecy is taken away. When any general calamity has fallen
upon a nation, it is a very fruitful topick of rhetorick, and may be
very pathetically exaggerated, upon a thousand occasions to which it has
no necessary relation.

Such, In my opinion, sir, is the use now made of the present scarcity, a
misfortune inflicted upon us by the hand of providence alone; not upon
us only, but upon all the nations on this side of the globe, many of
which suffer more, but none less than ourselves.

If at such a time it is more burdensome to the nation to raise supplies,
it must be remembered, that it is in proportion difficult to other
nations to oppose those measures for which the supplies are granted; and
that the same sum is of greater efficacy in times of scarcity than of
plenty.

Our present distress will, I hope, soon be at an end; and, perhaps, a
few days may produce at least some alteration. It is not without reason,
that I expect the news of some successful attempts in America, which
will convince the nation, that the preparations for war have not been
idle shows, contrived to produce unnecessary expenses.

In the mean time it is necessary that we support that power which may be
able to assist us against France, the only nation from which any danger
can threaten us, even though our fleets in America should be
unsuccessful.

If we defeat the Spaniards, we may assist the house of Austria without
difficulty, and if we fail in our attempts, their alliance will be more
necessary. The sum demanded for this important purpose cannot be
censured as exorbitant, yet will, I hope, be sufficient: if more should
hereafter appear necessary, I doubt not but it will be granted.

The question passed without opposition.