r from about
eighteen thousand to twelve thousand, was insisted upon as the natural
consequence of his majesty's declaration, by which they were given to
understand that the peace of Europe was established; and that he had
nothing so much at heart as the ease and prosperity of his people. It
was suggested, that if eighteen thousand men were sufficient on the
supposed eve of a general war in Europe, it was surely reasonable
to think that a less number would suffice when peace was perfectly
re-established. Whatever effect these reasons had upon the body of the
nation, they made no converts in the house, where the majority resolved
that the standing army should be maintained without reduction. Mr.
Plummer complained that the country was oppressed by an arbitrary method
of quartering soldiers, in an undue proportion, upon those publicans who
refused to vote in elections according to the direction of the ministry.
Mr. Pulteney asserted, that the money raised for the subsistence of
eighteen thousand men in England, would maintain sixty thousand French
or Germans, or the same number of almost any other people on the
continent. Sir William Wyndham declared, that eighteen thousand of the
English troops in the late war were maintained on less than two-thirds
of the sum demanded for the like number; but no regard was paid to these
allegations.

THE CHARITABLE CORPORATION.

The next object of importance that attracted the notice of the house,
was the state of the charitable corporation. This company was first
erected in the year one thousand seven hundred and seven. Their
professed intention was to lend money at legal interest to the poor
upon small pledges; and to persons of better rank upon an indubitable
security of goods impawned. Their capital was at first limited to thirty
thousand pounds, but, by licenses from the crown, they increased it to
six hundred thousand pounds, though their charter was never confirmed
by act of parliament. In the month of October, George Robinson, esquire,
member for Mar-low, the cashier, and John Thompson, warehouse-keeper
of the corporation, disappeared in one day. The proprietors, alarmed at
this incident, held several general courts, and appointed a committee to
inspect the state of their affairs. They reported, that for a capital of
above five hundred thousand pounds no equivalent was found; inasmuch
as their effects did not amount to the value of thirty thousand, the
remainder having b