his expedient appear to me very remote from the daily practice
of promising pardon to thieves, on condition that they will make
discoveries by which their confederates may be brought to justice.

If we examine only the equity of this procedure, without regard to the
examples of former times, it appears to me easily defensible; for what
can be more rational than to break a confederacy of wretches combined
for the destruction of the happiness of mankind, by dividing their
interest, and making use, for the publick good, of that regard for their
own safety, which has swallowed up every other principle of action?

It is admitted that wickedness ought to be punished, and it is
universally known that punishment must be preceded by detection; any
method, therefore, that promotes the discovery of crimes may be
considered as advantageous to the publick.

As there is no wickedness of which the pernicious consequences are more
extensive, there is none which ought more diligently to be prevented, or
more severely punished, than that of those men who have dared to abuse
the power which their country has put into their hands; but how they can
be convicted by any other means than those which are now proposed, I
confess myself unable to discover; for by a very small degree of
artifice, a man invested with power may make every witness a partner of
his guilt, and no man will be able to accuse him, without betraying
himself. In the present case it is evident, that the person of whose
actions the bill now before us is designed to produce a more perfect
discovery, has been combined with others in illegal measures, in
measures which their own security obliges them to conceal, and which,
therefore, the interest of the publick demands to be divulged.

That Paxton has distributed large sums for purposes which he dares not
discover, we are informed by the reports of the secret committee; and I
suppose every body suspects that they were distributed as rewards for
services which the nation thinks not very meritorious, and I believe no
man will ask what reason can be alleged for such suspicions.

But since it may be possibly suggested that Paxton expended these sums
contrary to his master's direction, or without his knowledge, it may be
demanded, whether such an assertion would not be an apparent proof of a
very criminal degree of negligence in a man intrusted with the care of
the publick treasure?

Thus, my lords, it appears in my opinion evid