his imposition
was continued until it should raise the sum of three hundred and fifty
thousand pounds. At the close of the session, the commons presented a
remonstrance or representation to the queen, in which they told her that
they had not only raised the necessary supplies, but also discharged the
heavy debts of which the nation had so long and justly complained.
They said that, in tracing the causes of this debt, they had discovered
fraud, embezzlement, and misapplication of the public money; that they
who of late years had the management of the treasury, were guilty of a
notorious breach of trust and injustice to the nation, in allowing above
thirty millions to remain unaccounted for; a purposed omission that
looked like a design to conceal embezzlements. They begged her majesty
would give immediate directions for compelling the several imprest
accountants speedily to pass their accounts. They expressed their hope
that such of the accountants as had neglected their duty in prosecuting
their accounts, ought no longer to be intrusted with the public money.
They affirmed, that from all these evil practices and worse designs of
some persons, who had, by false professions of love to their country,
insinuated themselves into her royal favour, irreparable mischief would
have accrued to the public, had not her majesty, in her great wisdom,
seasonably discovered the fatal tendency of such measures, and removed
from the administration those who had so ill answered her majesty's
favourable opinion, and in so many instances grossly abused the trust
reposed in them. They observed, that her people could with greater
patience have suffered the manifold injuries done to themselves, by the
frauds and depredations of such evil ministers, had not the same men
proceeded to treat her sacred person with undutifulness and disregard.
This representation being circulated through the kingdom, produced the
desired effect of inflaming the minds of the people against the late
ministry. Such expedients were become necessary for the execution
of Oxford's project, which was to put a speedy end to a war that
had already subjected the people to grievous oppression, and even
accumulated heavy burden s to be transmitted to their posterity. The
nation was inspired by extravagant ideas of glory and conquest, even
to a rage of war-making; so that the new ministers, in order to dispel
those dangerous chimeras, were obliged to take measures for exciting
th