ke three other motions before the particulars of the expenditure were
clearly brought before the house. In all these motions he was supported
by Pitt, who declared he thought it necessary that the house should know
how the money was spent, and have the power of checking the expenditure
if they thought it in any case unnecessary. It seems to have been
suspected that many men were making a profitable affair of the
impeachment; and it must be confessed that the conduct of the managers,
in resisting the inquiries, seemed to justify that suspicion. Their
grand argument against the motion was, that such a measure as giving
an account of the expenditure, was unprecedented, and had never been
attempted nor dreamed of in any great prosecution. They stated that the
charges already incurred in employing counsel were remarkably moderate,
and that the fees were, in fact, inadequate to the services performed.
They even argued, that if more money had been spent, more good would
have been done, as they could then have procured "secret services,"
which they thought very necessary in such a case. These were unfortunate
arguments, as they left an impression on the minds of many, that some,
at least, engaged in the prosecution for what they could get by it. On
the other hand, it is possible that some members wished to impede the
operations of the committee, and to favour Hastings by cutting off, or,
at least, greatly reducing their resources. Even after all his motions
were carried, Mr. Burgess expressed a doubt whether the house had
really authorised the managers to employ counsel; whether there was any
precedent for it; and whether the assistance of counsel was necessary.
Pitt did not go thus far; but he questioned whether two civilians,
besides ordinary counsel, were required. The whole debate, indeed, seems
to show that there was an anxiety among certain members in the house
to benefit Hastings, by encouraging doubts and insinuations against
his prosecutors; which doubts and insinuations were the more regarded,
because two of them, at least--Fox and Sheridan--did not enjoy any high
reputation as regards money matters. It would have been very ungracious
of the house, however, if, after giving the managing committee a
commission to conduct the prosecution, it had left them to pay the
expenses of that prosecution out of their own pockets. This was not
done; but the discussions which took place on the subject of the
expenditure had the effec