y, or that they
will send up this again with a new title, and such slight alterations
as not the happiness of the nation, but the forms of the senate
demand.

If, in return for our endeavours to reform a bill, of which they think
themselves the only constitutional judges, they should send it again
with only another title; what, my lords, shall we procure by the
delay, but a new occasion of murmurs and discontent, a new
confirmation of the power of the commons, and an establishment of
senatorial chicanery, at once pernicious to the publick, and
ignominious to ourselves.

That the commons, in sending back a bill that has been rejected in
this house, with only a change in the title, act contrary to the end
of senatorial consultations, though consistently with their external
forms, cannot be denied: but as each house is without any dependence
on the other, such deviations from the principles of our constitution,
however injurious to our authority, or however detrimental to the
nation, cannot be punished, nor otherwise prevented, than by caution
and prudence.

If, therefore, the commons, as they have formerly done, should return
the bill without alteration, we shall only have impaired our own
authority, and shaken the foundations of our government by a fruitless
opposition. Nor shall we gain any advantage, though they should comply
with our expectations, and employ the little time that remains in
contriving a new tax; for corruption must then proceed without
opposition, the people must grow every day more vitious, and
debauchery will, in a short time, grow too general to be suppressed.

With regard to the bill before us, the only question that is necessary
or proper, is, whether it will promote or hinder the consumption of
distilled liquors? for as to the effects of those liquors, those that
vindicate, and that oppose this bill, are of the same opinion; and all
will readily allow, that if the law now proposed shall be found to
increase the consumption which it was intended to diminish, it ought
immediately to be repealed, as destructive to the people, and contrary
to the end for which it was designed; but if the additional duties
shall produce any degree of restraint, if they shall hinder the
consumption even of a very small part, I think it must be allowed that
the provisions are just and useful; since it has already appeared,
that this vice is too deeply rooted to be torn up at once; and that,
therefore, it is to be