to support his own interest, and to
erect a kind of despotic government, by the practice of corruption; with
having betrayed the interest and honour of Great Britain in the late
convention; with having neglected to prosecute the war against Spain;
and he concluded with a motion for an address to the king, that he would
be pleased to remove sir Robert Walpole from his presence and councils
for ever. He was answered by Mr. Pelham, who undertook to defend or
excuse all the measures which the other had condemned; and acquitted
himself as a warm friend and unshaken adherent. Against this champion
sir John Barnard entered the lists, and was sustained by Mr. Pulteney,
who, with equal spirit and precision, pointed out and exposed all the
material errors and malpractices of the administration. Sir Robert
Walpole spoke with great temper and deliberation in behalf of himself.
With respect to the article of bribery and corruption, he said if any
one instance had been mentioned; if it had been shown that he ever
offered a reward to any member of either house, or ever threatened to
deprive any member of his office or employment, in order to influence
his voting in parliament, there might have been some ground for this
charge; but when it was so generally laid, he did not know what he could
say to it, unless to deny it as generally and as positively as it had
been asserted.--Such a declaration as this, in the hearing of so many
persons, who not only knew, but subsisted by his wages of corruption,
was a strong proof of the minister's being dead to all sense of shame,
and all regard to veracity. The debate was protracted by the court
members till three o'clock in the morning, when about sixty of the
opposite party having retired, the motion was rejected by a considerable
majority.

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

DEBATE ON THE MUTINY BILL.

A bill was brought in for prohibiting the practice of insuring ships
belonging to the enemies of the nation; but it was vigorously opposed
by sir John Barnard and Mr. Willimot, who demonstrated that this kind
of traffic was advantageous to the kingdom; and the scheme was dropped.
Another warm contest arose upon a clause of the mutiny bill, relating to
the quartering of soldiers upon innkeepers and publicans, who complained
of their being distressed in furnishing those guests with provisions
and necessaries at the rates prescribed by law or custom. There were not
wanting advocates to expatiate upon t