decision all the
measures which have been taken, so apparently depend, would have been
styled a senate convened only to register the determinations of the
ministry; or that any of your lordships would think his privileges
diminished, because money was not demanded before the use of it was
fully known. If we lay aside, my lords, all inquiries into precedents,
and, without regard to any political considerations, examine this
affair only by the light of reason, it will surely appear that the
ministry could not, by any other method of proceeding, have shown
equal regard to the senate, or equal confidence in their justice and
their wisdom. Had they desired a vote of credit, it might have been
justly objected that they required to be trusted with the publick
money, without declaring, or being able to declare, how it was to be
employed; that either they questioned the wisdom or honesty of the
senate; and, therefore, durst undertake nothing till they were secure
of the supplies necessary for the execution of it. Had they informed
both houses of their whole scheme, they might have been still charged,
and charged with great appearance of justice, with having preferred
their own safety to that of the publick, and having rather discovered
their designs to the enemy, than trusted to the judgment of the
senate; nor could any excuse have been made for a conduct so contrary
to all the rules of war, but such as must have dis-honoured either the
ministers or the senate, such as must have implied either that the
measures intended were unworthy of approbation, or that they were by
no means certain, that even the best conduct would not be censured.

These objections they foresaw, and allowed to be valid; and,
therefore, generously determined to pursue the end which every man was
supposed to approve, by the best means which they could discover, and
to refer their conduct to a full senate, in which they did not doubt
but their integrity, and, perhaps, their success, would find them
vindicators. Instead of applying, therefore, to the remains of the
commons, a few days before the general recess; instead of assembling
their friends by private intimations, at a time when most of those
from whom they might have dreaded opposition, had retired, they
determined to attempt, at their own hazard, whatever they judged
necessary for the promotion of the common cause, and to refer their
measures to the senate, when it should be again assembled.

The ma