; and am certain, no man will be charged
with the violation of it, for accusing this person as an enemy to his
country.

But he that declares his suspicion, may be called upon to discover upon
what facts it is founded; nor will this part of the law produce any
difficulty in the present case; for as every man in the nation suspects
this person of the most enormous crimes, every man can produce
sufficient arguments to justify his opinion.

On all other occasions, my lords, publick fame is allowed some weight:
that any man is universally accounted wicked, will add strength to the
testimony brought against him for any particular offence; and it is at
least a sufficient reason for calling any man to examination, that a
crime is committed, and he is generally reported to be the author of it.

That this is the state of the person into whose conduct the commons are
now inquiring; that he is censured by every man in the kingdom, whose
sentiments are not repressed by visible influence; that he has no
friends but those who have sold their integrity for the plunder of the
publick; and that all who are not enemies to their country, have, for
many years, incessantly struggled to drag him down from the pinnacle of
power, and expose him to that punishment which he has so long deserved,
and so long defied, is evident beyond contradiction.

Let it not, therefore, be urged, my lords, that there is no certainty of
a crime which is proved to the conviction of every honest mind; let it
not be said that it is unreasonable to suspect this man, whom the voice
of the people, a voice always to be reverenced, has so long condemned.

The method of procuring evidence against him by an act of indemnity has
been represented by the noble lord as not agreeable to justice or to
law: in the knowledge of the law I am far from imagining myself able to
contend with him; but I think it may not be improper to observe, that a
person of the highest eminence in that profession, whose long study and
great abilities give his decisions an uncommon claim to authority and
veneration, and who was always considered in this house with the highest
regard, appears to have entertained a very different opinion.

It was declared by him, without the least restriction, that all means
were lawful which tended to the discovery of truth; and, therefore, the
publick may justly expect that extraordinary methods should be used upon
occasions of uncommon importance.

Nor does t