espect worthy of your
consideration. I intend to lay it before you in five bills.[44] The plan
consists, indeed, of many parts; but they stand upon a few plain
principles. It is a plan which takes nothing from the civil list without
discharging it of a burden equal to the sum carried to the public
service. It weakens no one function necessary to government; but, on the
contrary, by appropriating supply to service, it gives it greater vigor.
It provides the means of order and foresight to a minister of finance,
which may always keep all the objects of his office, and their state,
condition, and relations, distinctly before him. It brings forward
accounts without hurrying and distressing the accountants: whilst it
provides for public convenience, it regards private rights. It
extinguishes secret corruption almost to the possibility of its
existence. It destroys direct and visible influence equal to the offices
of at least fifty members of Parliament. Lastly, it prevents the
provision for his Majesty's children from being diverted to the
political purposes of his minister.

These are the points on which I rely for the merit of the plan. I pursue
economy in a secondary view, and only as it is connected with these
great objects. I am persuaded, that even for supply this scheme will be
far from unfruitful, if it be executed to the extent I propose it. I
think it will give to the public, at its periods, two or three hundred
thousand pounds a year; if not, it will give them a system of economy,
which is itself a great revenue. It gives me no little pride and
satisfaction to find that the principles of my proceedings are in many
respects the very same with those which are now pursued in the plans of
the French minister of finance. I am sure that I lay before you a scheme
easy and practicable in all its parts. I know it is common at once to
applaud and to reject all attempts of this nature. I know it is common
for men to say, that such and such things are perfectly right, very
desirable,--but that, unfortunately, they are not practicable. Oh, no,
Sir! no! Those things-which are not practicable are not desirable. There
is nothing in the world really beneficial that does not lie within the
reach of an informed understanding and a well-directed pursuit. There is
nothing that God has judged good for us that He has not given us the
means to accomplish, both in the natural and the moral world. If we cry,
like children, for the moon, li