easy to conjecture; or
how those who disapprove their measures, may with any hope of success
dispute against them. Those impetuous spirits that break so easily
through the bars of impossibility, will scarcely suffer their career to
be stopped by any other restraint; and it may be reasonably feared, that
arguments from justice, or law, or policy, will have little force upon
these daring minds, who in the transports of their newly acquired
victory, trample impossibility under their feet, and imagine that to
those who have vanquished the ministry, every thing is practicable.

That this inquiry would be the work of years; that it will employ
greater numbers than were ever deputed by this house on such an occasion
before; that it would deprive the nation of the counsels of the wisest
and most experienced members of this house, (for such only ought to be
chosen,) at a time when all Europe is in arms, when our allies are
threatened not only with subjection, but annihilation; when the French
are reviving their ancient schemes, and projecting the conquest of the
continent; and that it will, therefore, interrupt our attention to more
important affairs, and disable us from rescuing our confederates, is
incontestably evident; nor can the wisest or the most experienced
determine how far its consequences may extend, or inform us, whether it
may not expose our commerce to be destroyed by the Spaniards, and the
liberties of all the nations round us to be infringed by the French;
whether it may not terminate in the loss of our independence, and the
destruction of our religion.

Such are the effects which may be expected from an attempt to make the
inquiry proposed; effects, to which no proportionate advantages can be
expected from it, since it has been already shown, that it can never be
completed; and to which, though the indefatigable industry of curiosity
or malice should at length break through all obstacles, and lay all the
transactions of twenty years open to the world, no discoveries would be
equivalent.

That any real discoveries of misconduct would be made, that the interest
of our country would be found ever to have been lazily neglected, or
treacherously betrayed, that any of our rights have been either yielded
by cowardice, or sold by avarice, or that our enemies have gained any
advantage over us by the connivance or ignorance of our ministers, I am
indeed very far from believing; but as I am now endeavouring to convince