proceedings and tranfactions in the manage- B an exact scrutiny into many volumes of books of account, I think the only effectual way of carrying on fuch an enquiry will be, to appoint a committee for that purpose, to fit during the recefs of Parliament, in order that they may have time to prepare matters, and to put the accounts of that company into as diftinct and clear a method as is poflible between this and next feffion of Parliament; for which reafon I am for agreeing with the motion made by the noble Lord near me. D--ke of N---le.] My Lords, I fhall always be ready to join in any measure which I think proper and confiftent with our conftitution, for enquiring into the management of any publick affair, when fuch enquiry becomes neceffary; but as to the appointing fuch a committee as is now propofed, I mut think it is neither proper nor confiftent with our conftitution. I even doubt, if fuch a committee can be appointed any other way, than by an act of Parliament; for if this houfe fhould affume a power of appointing fuch a committee, it would be giving in fome measure a perpetual Being to this houfe; it would be putting it out of his Majefty's power to prorogue the houfe; for if we did not fit as a houfe, we might be always ficting as a committee; we might delegate what power we pleafed to fuch committees, Dwe might make them of what number we pleafed; we might even order, that every Lord that came fhould have a Vote. If fach a committee fhould be appointed, it would not be eafy, to confine it to any particular affair recommended to them by the house; they might find pretences to enquire into L-d Ct.] My Lords, I fhall readily a- affairs.---This, my Lords, ought always to E all the fatisfaction that conld have been de- way other affair they pleafed, as being fome way connected with that into which they had been appointed to enquire; thus they might extend their enquiries into all the publick affairs of the nation, and into all the -bufinefs of the adminiftration. A committee of both houfes fitting during the recefs of of Parliament, with power to fend for perfons, papers, and records, and without any preftraint upon that power, would be a moft terrible thing, and might be turned to the oppreffion of many of his Majefty's best subjects.---But granting, that the appointing of fuch a committee, in the manner now propofed, is confiftent with our conftitution, yet, it is a very extraordinary method of proceeding, and therefore ought never to be practifed but in matters of the greatest confeG quence,and as fuch require the utmost dispatch, neither of which can be fo much as pretended with refpect to the affair in hand. It is fo far otherwife, that, in my opinion, there has nothing of a traud appeared in the late management of the South-Sea company's affairs,from any enquiries we have made. It has that the produce of the late directors eftates my Lords, been made appear at your bar, was all applied to the benefit of the proprie tors, by paying off the company's debts, and if fuch application was made without the H A directions of a general court, it was only a miftake as to form, it was only neglecting to have that exprefs approbation, which the directors might have had from any general court of that company; and as that was a publick tranfaction, and well known to all the proprietors, their never having found fault with it in any general court of that company, held fince that time, is, in my opinion, a tacit approbation of what was then done.---But if it had actually appeared to us, that there had been frauds committed, if any of your Lordships are fufpicious of fuch a thing, you may, at the beginning of next feffion of Parliament, enter upon fuch an enquiry, and may certainly finish it before the end of the feffion: In the mean time, neither the affair itfelf, nor the company, nor any private perfon, can fuffer by the delay: It is not fo much as fufpected, that any Gentleman, concerned in the late ma- C nagement of that company's affairs, will withdraw; and the books of the company, and all the papers neceffary for fuch an enquiry, muft remain in the ftate they are now in: It is not to be fuppofed, any of them will be altered, or deftroyed, because the affairs of that company are now under the management of a quite different fet of Gentlemen, who will certainly never permit any thing to be done, to thofe that may involve them in the guilt of other men.---In short, my Lords, whatever ftate the company's affairs may be in, as there does not appear to us any complaint among the proprietors of that company, fince no application has been made to us by them, I can fee no neceflity E for our entering upon it immediately, and, for that end, to make fuch an encroachment upon our conftitution, as would be made by appointing a committee in the manner propofed; therefore I cannot agree to it. D F G E---1 of C--------Id.] My Lords, the appointing fuch a Committee, is no way inonfiftent with our Conftitution, but has been frequently practifed, and is often neceflary for preparing things to be laid before the next Seffion of Parliament. From fuch a Committee nothing is to be dreaded by any but those who have been guilty of Crimes, and under a juft and prudent Administration, Criminals ought never to be left at eafe; it ought always to be the Lot of the guilty. to be under continual tears and apprehensions; it is what they always will be, whether we appoint fuch a Committee or no. It will be impoffible for this Houfe, or any Committee we fhall appoint, to examine fo many voluminous books of accounts, or to extract any Thing that may be clear and fatisfactory, out of fuch a heap of contution, during fuch a fhort time as that of the ufual H continuance of one Seffion of Parliament.--As to there being no Application from the Proprietors, it is of no manner of fignification in the prefent cafe: It is well known, that there are loud complaints against the late management of that Company's affairs; and from what we have feen and heard at our own Bar, it appears, that thefe Complaints are not altogether groundless. Our having had no application from the Proprietors of that Company, made to us, is fo far from being an argument againft our entering upon an enquiry, that it is a strong argument for it: "Confidering what we hear without doors, and have feen within doors, the want of fuch an application ought to be a convincing proof, that most of those who ufually compofe the general Courts of that Company, are under an influence which prevents their looking into their own affairs: But confider, my Lords, that among the Proprietors, there are many widows and orphans, many who cannot appear at general Courts, or look into the management of their own affairs; thefe are properly under your care, and I hope your Lordships will never think any time ill fpent, in doing what may prevent the entire ruin of the widow, and the fatherless. ---The Proprietors of publick stocks never come to either House of Parliament to complain, till their affairs are paft redrefs; as long as they can fell their property at any price, they are afraid of applying for redrefs, left the current price of their property should thereby be diminished; therefore they never come to complain as long as there is any thing left. Then indeed, they refolve upon applying to parliament, and, upon fuch occafions, we generally find, that women and children are the greateft Sufferers.--- To concinde, as neither your Lordships nor the publick have received any fatisfaction from the enquiry hitherto made, it is become neceflary for us to appoint fuch a Committee as has been moved for, becaufe if this Seffion fhould break up without proceeding any further than we have yet done, it will be believed, that the whole affair is at an end; from thence there may be conjectures made derogatory both to the honour and dignity of this Houfe; and therefore I am for agreeing with the motion. The E-1 of S------d declared for the motion, but faid, as the laft Committee of that nature had confifted of 12 Lords, therefore he would propose that the motion should be for appointing a Committee of 12; which L--d B----- approved of. Bendes the Lords before-mentioned, the B--p of L-in fpoke for the motion, and the E--- of I--ay, the E---1 of W---ck, the L-d V-t F---th, and the B--p of B---against it, at last the question being put, it was carried in the negative without any diviñon upon which there was a proteft, which fee p. 295. After this nothing extraordinary happened in either Houfe of Parliament, and upon Wednesday the 11th of June, his Majesty came to the houfe of Peers, and gave the Royal Aflent to feveral Bills. See p. 322. Then Then his Majefty made a moft gracious Speech to both Houfes of Parliament. See P. 324. And after that the Lord Chancellor, by his Majefty's Command, prorogued them to Thurfday the 26th of July next. From thence they were prorogued to October 9, from thence to November 15, and from thence to January 17' when they fat to do business. N. B. If any material omiffion or mistake has been made in our account of these proceedings or fpeeches we shall be very ready to amend it on notice given. The Reader is defir'd to correct the following and what other errors may have efcap'd us in the Hurry we are oblig'd to be in at the Conclufion of every Month. PAge 47. column 1. line 29. for Sheffield read Chesterfield. p. 102. col. 1. 1. 43. for Relic r. Wife, p. 111. col. 2. at the end of line 23. dele who. p. 472. col. 1.1. 45. for February r. September. p. 487. col. 2. for Fieding 1. Fielding, 5 lines farther for Slips t. Sips. p. 658. col. 2. for likewife r. likeness 18. lines farther for forture r. torture. p. 659. col. 2. for guileless r. guiltless. p. 662. col. 1. 1. 11. for Bp of London r. Bpof Lincoln. p. 663. col. 1. 1. 9. inftead of Richard Talbot, who in the Reign of Williams the Conqueror was the Senior Earl of this Kingdom r. Richard Talbot, Efq; who lived in the Reign of William the Conqueror. Note, The Earldom of Shrewsbury is the Senior Earldom in the Kingdom. The following POEMS are inferted to make fome variety, and to oblige fuch of our anfwer'd. By J. B. Hy parents, the journals, we num'rous confefs, And tedious,and noify, and apt to increase: We thank thee for faving our time and expence, By purging the language, and keeping the fenfe; Thy progress is monthly, and monthly thy name; And parties to thee we perceive are the fame. Whether ftitch'd in blue paper, or bound for his highness, In spite of thy myftical pages and fhynefs, We know thee full well by thy Gentle man's mien; And thy firname-in fhort-is, at length, MAGAZINE. The following piece is taken from the fecond Edition of a collection of Poems on feveral Occafions, written by Mr Bancks, and firft publib'd laft Winter by Subfcription. On FALLING in LOVE. WHO can Love wears a thousand diffrent forms; He wins the heart a thousand ways: Now like a deity, he storms; When two begin to grow the fame: While fome confefs, and urge their flame. Yet would the GOD to nature bend, His boundless fway could law reftrain; Thus might I paint him to my friend; Thus ftate the measures of his reign. Two chofen names, on fate's long roll, In the fame character he reads: Remarks the frame of either foul; And, unobferv'd, in both proceeds. Occafion, bound by firm compact, The light'ning I could paint as well, W Al the deribe, in numbers find, (Believe it done as foon as thought :) When undefigning first they meet, Give and receive the deftin'd wound? Who can ? yet fince this friendly lay Damon demands, O mufe rehearse What govern'd fancy bids thee fay May Phoebus aid the flowing verfe! About the heart it kindling playsIt takes by all the foul 'tis caught. The generous youth, the firft on fire, Looks kinder things than others fpeak, And fighs, and broken words confpire, In vain, his mighty thoughts to break. He He views the nymph, while o'er her cheeks The red and white alternate flow; Disorder'd now, the boy perceives, Now both submit, love only fways They talk, they toy, they burn, they gaze, Send forth, and mix inceffant rays; "Till all their fouls unite and blaze. But the raptures that fucceed, And bless the flame divinely pure! Strong as the fun, themfelves they feed, And, like his beams, they still endure! Verfes defigned to be printed under Capt. Gulliver's head in Faulkner's new Dublin edition of Dr Swift's works. Here, learn from moral truth, and wit refin'd, How vice and folly have debas'd mankind, Strong fenfe, and humour arm in virtue's cause ; Thus her great vot'ry vindicates her laws: While bold and free the glowing colours ftrike, Blame not the painter, if the picture's like. The following humorous Fable from Dublin comes opportunely for a place in this Supplement. Our correfpondent affures us it is generally attributed to the perfon in the world most admir'd for his witty performances, but that one Mr Bfancying himself to be difadvan tageously treated therein, bad demanded a promife of the fuppofed author to dif own it, in a letter to the faid Mr B which was agreed to, on condition that Mr B fould make the letter publick. On the Words, BROTHER PROTESTANTS, and FELLOW CHRISTIANS. A N inundation, fays the fable, A ball of new-dropt horfes dung, Thus Lamb, renown'd for cutting corns, An offer'd fee from Ratcliff fcorns, Not for the world! we dottors, brother, Muft take no fees from one another. Thus to a dean fome curate floven Subfcribes, dear fir, your brother loving. Thus all the footmen, fhocboys, porters, About faint James's cry we courtiers! Thus H-ce in the houfe will prate, we minifters of state. Sir Thus at the bar the booby B Tho' half a crown out-pays his fweat's worth, Who knows in law nor text nor margent, Employments for their brother vermin. To call a fwarm of lice their brethren? As from the trodden duft they spring, .. * Alluding to wha tis advanc'd in The Presbyterians Plea of merit for taking off the Teft in Ireland impartially examin'd IN DE X |