legislators, and the experience of every
human being, without having formed such a train of arguments as will
not easily be disconcerted, or having formed at least such a chain of
sophistry as cannot be broken but with difficulty.

And yet, my lords, when I consider what has been offered by all who
have hitherto appeared either in publick assemblies, or in private
conversation, as advocates for this bill, I can scarcely believe, that
they perceive themselves any force in their own arguments; and am
inclined to conclude, that they speak only to avoid the imputation of
being able to say nothing in defence of their own scheme; that their
hope is not to convince by their reasons, but to overpower by their
numbers; that they are themselves influenced, not by reason, but by
necessity; and that they only encourage luxury, because money is to be
raised for the execution of their schemes: and they imagine, that the
people will pay more cheerfully for liberty to indulge their
appetites, than for any other enjoyment.

The arguments which have been offered, my lords, in vindication of
this bill, or at least which I have hitherto heard, are only two, and
those two so unhappily associated, that they destroy each other;
whatever shall be urged to enforce the second, must in the same
proportion invalidate the first; and whoever shall assert, that the
first is true, must admit that the second is false.

These positions, my lords, the unlucky positions which are laid down
by the defenders of this pernicious bill, are, that it will supply the
necessities of the government with a very large standing revenue, on
the credit of which, strengthened by the additional security of the
sinking fund, a sum will be advanced sufficient to support the
expenses of a foreign war; and that at the same time it will lessen
the consumption of the liquors from whence this duty is to arise.

By what arts of political ratiocination these propositions are to be
reconciled, I am not able to discover. It appears evident, my lords,
that large revenues can only be raised by the sale of large
quantities; and that larger quantities will in reality be sold, as the
price is little or nothing raised, and the venders are greatly
increased.

If this will not be the effect, my lords, and if this effect is not
expected, why is this bill proposed as sufficient to raise the immense
sums which our present exigencies require? Can duties be paid without
consumption of the