ion, that they be considered when this question shall no
longer be a point of interest, and our present jealousies and
animosities are forgotten.

[It was carried in the affirmative, by 78 against 35.]

HOUSE OF LORDS, FEBRUARY 21, 1742-3.

DEBATE ON SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS.

The bill for altering the duties on spirituous liquors, and permitting
them again to be sold with less restraint, which was sent up by the
commons to the house of lords, produced there very long and serious
deliberations, to which the lords had every day each a particular
summons, as in cases of the highest concern.

The bill was entitled, An act for repealing certain duties on
spirituous liquors, and on licenses for retailing the same, and for
laying other duties on spirituous liquors, and on licenses for
retailing the said liquors.

The duties which were proposed to be repealed, were those laid by the
act 9 Geo. II. which permitted no person to sell spirituous liquors in
less quantity than two gallons without a license, for which fifty
pounds were to be paid. Whereas by the new bill a small duty per
gallon was laid on at the still-head, and the license was to cost but
twenty shillings, which was to be granted only to such as had licenses
for selling ale. On the credit of this act, as soon as it was passed
by the commons, the ministry borrowed a large sum at three per cent,
but it was understood that the sinking fund was pledged as a
collateral security to pay any deficiency.

In about a fortnight this bill passed all the forms in the house of
commons, almost without opposition; and with little or no alteration
from the scheme brought into the committee on ways and means for
raising the supply for the current year, by Mr. SANDYS, then
chancellor of the exchequer.

It was immediately carried up to the house of lords, where it was read
for the first time on the 17th of February; and ordered a second
reading on the twenty-second. On that day the commissioners of excise,
according to an order of the house, brought an account of the sums
arising by the last act, and a yearly account for several years past;
and attending were interrogated concerning the execution of the last
act.

The bishop of ORFORD particularly inquired, whether it had been
effectually put in force, and questions of the same kind were asked by
lord LONSDALE and others; to which the commissioners answered, that it
had been diligently and vigorously executed, so far as t