sition thought this a powerful argument in their favour; if a new
convention was necessary, it was said, the former payments were made
without authority. They moved the following amendment to Lord Alfhorp's
motion:--"That it appears to this house that the payment made by the
commissioners of the treasury on account of the interest due on the
Russian loan in Holland, in January last, when the obligation and
authority to make such payment had, according to the terms of the
convention with Holland and Russia, and of the act of parliament founded
thereon, ceased and determined, and also when a new convention with
Russia, not then communicated to this house, had been entered into,
recognising the necessity of recurring to parliament for power to
continue such payments under the circumstances which had attended the
separation which had taken place, was an application of the public
money not warranted by law." Ministers still argued the question on the
ground, whether this country was bound in good faith to continue the
payments? if we were, they said, this convention was only to fulfil that
duty. But the strongest argument in their favour was that adduced by
Lord Althorp, which was to the effect, that, if his motion were lost,
it would upset the ministry. As the reform bill was still pending, many
voted for, who would have voted against them; and, on a division, the
amendment was lost by forty-six--one hundred and ninety-seven voting for
it, and two hundred and forty-three against it. During the progress of
the bill, founded on the motion, Mr. A. Baring moved an address to the
king, "praying his majesty to be graciously pleased to direct that there
be laid before that house copies or extracts of any documents relating
to the convention of the 19th of May, 1815, between Great Britain,
Russia, and the Netherlands, explanatory of the spirit and objects of
that convention;" but this motion was lost by a majority of thirty-six in
favour of ministers. On this occasion Mr. Hume voted for them, although,
he said, he knew they were in the wrong. He had come down to the house
on the 12th of July, he said, with a firm determination to vote against
them; but when he found by whom he was surrounded, he was unwilling to
join them in driving ministers from office. He had changed his opinion,
and would vote with the Whigs against the Tories, although he believed
the Whigs were in the wrong. But the fact was, he was determined not
to assist in