ered himself with the hope of one day directing the
councils of his sovereign; but this was never accomplished, and he
remained a solitary monument of blasted ambition. Before the change in
the ministry, Mr. Pulteney moved, that the several papers relating to
the conduct of the war, which had been laid before the house, should
be referred to a select committee, who should examine strictly into
the particulars, and make a report to the house of their remarks and
objections. The motion introduced a debate; but, upon a division, was
rejected by a majority of three voices. Petitions having been presented
by the merchants of London, Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, and almost all
the trading towns in the kingdom, complaining of the losses they had
sustained by the bad conduct of the war, the house resolved itself into
a committee to deliberate on these remonstrances. The articles of the
London petition were explained by Mr. Glover, an eminent merchant
of that city. Six days were spent in perusing papers and examining
witnesses; then the same gentleman summed up the evidence, and in a
pathetic speech endeavoured to demonstrate, that the commerce of Great
Britain had been exposed to the insults and rapine of the Spaniards,
not by inattention or accident, but by one uniform and continued design.
This inquiry being resumed after the adjournment, copies of instructions
to admirals and captains of cruising ships were laid before the house:
the commons passed several resolutions, upon which a bill was prepared
for the better protecting and securing the trade and navigation of the
kingdom. It made its way through the lower house; but was thrown out by
the lords. The pension-bill was revived and sent up to the peers, where
it was again rejected, lord Carteret voting against that very measure
which he had so lately endeavoured to promote. On the ninth day of
March, lord Limerick made a motion for appointing a committee to inquire
into the conduct of affairs for the last twenty years; he was seconded
by sir John St. Aubyn, and supported by Mr. Velters Cornwall,
Mr. Phillips, Mr. W. Pitt, and lord Percival, the new member for
Westminster, who had already signalized himself by his eloquence and
capacity. The motion was opposed by sir Charles Wager, Mr. Pelham, and
Mr. Henry Pox, surveyor-general to his majesty's works, and brother
to lord Ilchester. Though the opposition was faint and frivolous, the
proposal was rejected by a majority of two v