the emperor into an immediate
accession, nor are they in any sort necessary for the safety of his
majesty's person and government. Force and violence are the resort
of usurpers and tyrants only; because they are, with good reason,
distrustful of the people whom they oppress; and because they have
no other security for the continuance of their unlawful and unnatural
dominion, than what depends entirely on the strength of their armies."
The motion, however, was carried in the affirmative.

BILL PROHIBITING LOANS.

Another warm debate was excited by a bill which the courtiers brought
in, to prevent any subjects of Great Britain from advancing sums of
money to foreign princes or states, without having obtained license from
his majesty, under his privy-seal or some great authority. The minister
pretended that this law was proposed to disable the emperor, who
wanted to borrow a great sum of the English merchants, from raising
and maintaining troops to disturb the tranquillity of Europe. The bill
contained a clause empowering the king to prohibit by proclamation
all such loans of money, jewels, or bullion: the attorney-general was
empowered to compel, by English bill, in the court of exchequer, the
effectual discovery, on oath, of any such loans; and it was enacted,
that in default of an answer to any such bill, the court should decree a
limited sum against the person refusing to answer. Mr. Daniel Pulteney,
a gentleman of uncommon talents and ability, and particularly acquainted
with every branch of commerce, argued strenuously against this bill, as
a restraint upon trade that would render Holland the market of Europe,
and the mart of money to the nations of the continent. He said that
by this general prohibition, extending to all princes, states, or
potentates, the English were totally disabled from assisting their best
allies: that, among others, the king of Portugal frequently borrowed
money of the English merchants residing within his dominions; that while
the licensing power remained in the crown, the licenses would be issued
through the hands of the minister, who by this new trade might gain
twenty, thirty, or forty thousand a-year: that the bill would render
the exchequer a court of inquisition: and that whilst it restrained our
merchants from assisting the princes and powers of Europe, it permitted
our stockjobbers to trade in their funds without interruption. Other
arguments of equal weight were enforced by M