al, of their
reasonableness and truth.

The necessity of that despatch which I have endeavoured to recommend, is
not only universally admitted, but affirmed to be so pressing, that it
cannot wait for the solemnity of debates, or the common forms of passing
laws. The danger which is every moment increasing, requires, in the
opinion of these gentlemen, to be obviated by extraordinary measures,
and that pernicious commerce, which threatens the distress of the
community, is to be restrained by an immediate act of the prerogative.

If this be the opinion of the house, it will be necessary to lay it
before his majesty, by a regular address, that the nation may be
convinced of the necessity of such extraordinary precautions, and that
the embargo may be imposed, at once, with the expedition peculiar to
despotick power, and the authority which can be conferred only by
senatorial sanctions.

Whether this is the intention of the members, from whose declarations I
have deduced it, can only be discovered by themselves, who, if they have
any other scheme in view, must explain it in clearer terms, that the
house may deliberate upon it, and reject or adopt it, according to its
conformity to the laws of our country, and to the present state of our
affairs.

Mr. PULTENEY spoke thus:--Sir, whatever may be the meaning of other
gentlemen, who must undoubtedly be left at full liberty to explain their
own expressions, I will freely declare, that I am sufficiently
understood by the right honourable gentleman, and that, in my opinion,
no remedy can be applied to the present distemper of the nation, a
distemper by which it is hourly pining away, by which its vitals are
impaired, and the necessary nourishment withdrawn from it, that will
operate with sufficient efficacy and speed, except an embargo be imposed
by the prerogative.

That this opinion, if received by the house, must be the subject of an
address, is in itself manifest, and the reason for which an embargo is
required, proves that an address ought not to be delayed.

I cannot omit this opportunity of remarking, how plainly it must now
appear that many of us have been unjustly charged with obstructing the
progress of the bill for pernicious purposes, with views of raising
discontents in the nation, of exposing the administration to publick
hatred, of obstructing the measures of the government, or hindering the
success of the war, when we have receded from our general principles,