ourselves to be degraded from
legislators to messengers from the commons to the throne; should we be
content only to transmit the laws which we ought to amend, and resign
ourselves up implicitly to the wisdom of those whom we have formerly
considered as our inferiours, I know not for what purpose we sit here.
It would be my counsel that we should no longer attempt to preserve
the appearance of power, when we have lost the substance, or submit to
share the drudgery of government, without partaking of the authority.

The time of such desperation is, indeed, not yet arrived; but every
act of servile compliance will bring it nearer; and, therefore, my
lords, for the sake of ourselves, as well as of the people, I join the
noble lord's motion for resuming the house, that farther information
may be obtained both by ourselves, by the commons, and by the nation.

The duke of NEWCASTLE then rose, and spoke to the effect
following:--My lords, I believe no lord in this assembly is more
zealous for the advantage of the publick than myself, or more desirous
to preserve the lives, or amend the morals of the people; but I cannot
think that this character can justly imply any dislike of the bill now
before us.

If I should admit what the noble lord has asserted, that the lives and
morals of the people are affected by this bill, I cannot yet see that
his inference is just, or that our compliance with the motion is,
therefore, necessary.

That under the present regulation, the miseries of the nation are
every day increased; that corruption spreads every day wider, and
debauchery makes greater havock, is confessed on all sides; and,
therefore, I can discover no reason for continuing the laws in their
present state, nor can think that we ought to decline any experiment
by which that disorder, which cannot be increased, may possibly be
lessened.

It is confessed by the noble lords, who declare their approbation of
the motion for postponing the consideration of this bill, that they
intend nothing less than a gentle and tacit manner of dropping it, by
showing the commons that though to avoid offence they do not
absolutely reject it, yet they cannot approve it, and will not pass
it; and that, therefore, the necessity of raising supplies, requires
that another bill should be formed, not liable to the same objections.

The consequence of this procedure, my lords, can only be, that either
the commons will form another bill for raising mone