ish
expenses without diminution.

For upon what other supposition, my lords, can any man attempt a
defence of the contract, by which we have obtained for one campaign
the service of the troops of Hanover? What but the confidence of
funds that can never be deficient, could influence them to conclude a
stipulation, by which levy-money is to be paid for troops of which not
a single regiment was raised for our service, or on the present
occasion; which were established for the security of the electorate of
Hanover, and would have been maintained, though we had not engaged in
the affairs of the continent.

What were the reasons which induced our ministry to employ the forces
of Hanover, it is, perhaps, not necessary to inquire. The only motive
that ought to have influenced them, was the prospect of obtaining them
upon cheap terms; for, my lords, if the troops of Hanover cannot be
obtained, but at the same expense with those of Britain, I am not able
to discover why they should be preferred. I have never heard, my
lords, any uncommon instances of Hanoverian courage, that should
incline us to trust the cause of Europe rather to that nation than to
our own; and am inclined to believe, that Britain is able to produce
men equal in all military virtues to any native of that happy country;
a country which, though it was thought worthy to be secured by a
neutrality, when all the neighbouring provinces were exposed to the
ravages of war, I have never heard celebrated for any peculiar
excellencies; and of which I cannot but observe, that it was indebted
for its security rather to the precaution of its prince, than the
bravery of its inhabitants.

This demand of levy-money shocks every Briton yet more strongly, on
considering by whom it is required; required by that family whom we
have raised from a petty dominion, for which homage was paid to a
superiour power; and which was, perhaps, only suffered to retain the
appearance of a separate sovereignty, because it was not worth the
labour and expense of an invasion; because it would neither increase
riches nor titles, nor gratify either avarice or ambition; by a family
whom, from want and weakness, we have exalted to a throne, from
whence, with virtue equal to their power, they may issue their
mandates to the remotest parts of the earth, may prescribe the course
of war in distant empires, and dictate terms of peace to half the
monarchs of the globe.

I should imagine, my lords, that