to be
benefited by economy. Our expenses are so enormous, that it is useless
to give ourselves any concern about them: we have spent and are spending
so much, that it is foolish to think of saving anything. Such is the
language which the opponents of this bill have virtually employed.
It has also been said that the king's civil list was an irresumable
parliamentary grant, and it had even been compared to a private
freehold. The weakness of such arguments was their best refutation. The
civil list revenue was granted to his majesty, not for his private use,
but for the support of the executive government of the state. It was
granted to support the dignity and interests of the empire, to maintain
its grandeur, to pay the judges, and foreign ministers, to maintain
justice and support respect, to pay the great officers necessary to the
lustre of the crown; and it was proportioned to the dignity and opulence
of the people. The parliament made the grant, and undoubtedly had
a right to resume it when the pressure of the times rendered such
resumption necessary." The youthful orator, who was listened to with
deep attention by both sides of the house, declared, in conclusion,
that he considered the present bill as essential to the well-being and
independence of the country, and he would therefore give it his most
determined support. Opposition, however, were outvoted by a majority of
forty-three; the motion for the second reading being negatived by two
hundred and thirty-three against one hundred and ninety. By a subsequent
resolution the further consideration of Burke's bill was put off for six
months. About the same time several other popular measures proposed
in the last session were revived, as the bills against contractors and
revenue-officers, and for imposing a tax on places and pensions, but
they were all defeated by considerable majorities.

DEBATES ON THE SUPPLIES.

Lord North had soon another contest to sustain. On the 7th of March he
brought forward his annual statement of the supplies and resources for
the current service. The sum demanded for the year was L22,458,337,
twelve of which, he stated it would be necessary to raise by a loan.
The terms were unusually high. A contract had been entered into with the
subscribers to grant L150 stock at three per cent., and twenty-five at
four per cent, for every L100 in money, being L9,000,000 more than the
sum paid into the exchequer. To defray the interest of this lo