piration of a whole year after he had been put upon the list,
removed this necessity of borrowing, by providing in the bill, that half
a year's pension should be advanced half a year before it is due; and
the practice of usury was effectually prevented by a clause, enacting,
that all contracts should be void by which any pension might be
mortgaged. This humane regulation was unanimously approved, and having
passed through both houses with uncommon expedition, received the royal
assent.

Notwithstanding the unanimity manifested by the commons, in every thing
relating to the measures for acting vigorously against the common enemy
of the nation, they were remarkably disturbed and divided by a contested
election of members for Oxfordshire. In the course of this dispute, the
strength and influence of what they called the old and new interest, or,
to speak more intelligibly, of the tories and whigs in that county, were
fully displayed. The candidates sustained on the shoulders of the
old interest, were lord viscount Wenman and sir James Dashwood: their
competitors, whom the new interest supported, and of consequence the
ministry countenanced, were lord Parker and sir Edward Turner. Never was
any contention of this kind maintained with more spirit and animosity,
or carried on at a greater expense. One would have imagined that each
side considered it as a dispute which must have determined whether the
nation should enjoy its ancient liberty, or tamely submit to the fetters
of corruption. Noblemen and gentlemen, clergymen and ladies, employed
all their talents and industry in canvassing for either side, throughout
every township and village in the county. Scandal emptied her whole
quiver of insinuation, calumny, and lampoon; corruption was not remiss
in promises and presents: houses of entertainment were opened; and
nothing was for some time to be seen but scenes of tumult, riot,
and intoxication. The revenue of many an independent prince on the
continent, would not have been sufficient to afford such sums of money
as were expended in the course of this dispute. At length they proceeded
to election, and the sheriff made a double return of all the four
candidates, so that not one of them could sit, and the county remained
without a representative until this ambiguous affair could be decided
in the house of commons. About the middle of November, petitions being
presented by the four candidates, as well as by the gentlemen, clergy,