l condescend to lay before us.

This invasion of our rights, my lords, is too flagrant to be borne,
though were the measures which we are thus tyrannically, required to
support, really conducive in themselves to the interest of Britain,
which, indeed, might reasonably have been expected; for what head can
be imagined so ill formed for politicks as not to know, that the first
acts of arbitrary power ought to be in themselves popular, that the
advantage of the effect may be a balance to the means by which it is
produced.

But these wonderful politicians, my lords, have heaped one blunder
upon another; they have disgusted the nation both by the means and the
end; and have insulted the senate with no other view than that of
plundering the people. They have ventured, without the consent of the
senate, to pursue measures, of which it is obvious that they were
only kept secret because they easily foresaw that they would not be
approved.

For that the hire of mercenaries from Hanover, my lords, would have
been rejected with general indignation; that the proposal would have
produced hisses rather than censures; and that the arguments which
have been hitherto used to support it, would, if personal regards did
not make them of some importance, produce laughter oftener than
replies, cannot surely be doubted.

It has been said in vindication of this wise scheme, that no other
troops could be obtained but those of Hanover; an assertion which I
hope I may be allowed to examine, because it is yet a bare assertion
without argument, and against probability; since it is generally
known, how willingly the princes of Germany have on all former
occasions sent out their subjects to destruction, that they might fill
their coffers with their pay; nor do I doubt, but that there is now in
the same country the usual superabundance of men, and the usual
scarcity of money. I make no question, my lords, that many a German
prince would gladly furnish us with men as a very cheap commodity, and
think himself sufficiently rewarded by a small subsidy. There could be
no objection to these troops from the constitution of the empire,
which is not of equal force against the forces of Hanover; nor do I
know why they should not rather have been employed, if they could have
been obtained at a cheaper price.

The absurdity of paying levy-money for troops regularly kept up, and
of hiring them at a higher rate than was ever paid for auxiliaries
before, has b