ruined by its Continuance: Of fuch Men I fhall only fay, that it would have been good for their Country, and certainly better for themselves, that they had never

cheaper Rate, and yet have a confidera ble yearly Profit from their feveral Plan tations; but I wish the Affirmation had been fupported by fome fort of Reafon

been born: Of fuch Men, I am afraiding, and that Reafoning founded upon we have too many in this Kingdom, but I hope not one in this Houfe,

D

Facts known to the Houfe; for I believe, if we were to examine, any one of our Sugar Planters, he would give us ftrong Reafons, founded upon plain and notori ous Facts, for convincing us, that in their prefent Circumstances it is impoffible for them to fell either their Sugars or their Rum at a cheaper Rate. We all know how dear living it is in our Sugar Islands, we know what Taxes they pay, and we know what monstrous Prices they pay for their Slaves, and for every Thing else that is necellary for the Production of of Sugars; We likewife know at what a cheap Rate both Sugars and Rum are fold upon the Spot where they are produced, and if we compare the Expence and the Profits together, the Impoffibility of felling either at a cheaper Rate will I be lieve fully appear. I fhall very readily grant, that it would be an Advantage to the Nation to enable our Sugar-planters to fell their Rum at Foreign Markets rather than in Great Britain; but it is not the Price the poor Planters fell it for that prevents its being fold in Foreign Markets; it is the wife Regulations we have made here at home; for we feem to have taken particular Care to prevent its being in their Power to difpofe of their Rum to Advantage at any Foreign Market: In the first Place, their Rum must be all landed in Great-Britain before it can be carried to any Foreign Market in Europe; fo that at every fuch Foreign Maket it must be charged with double Freight and double Commiffion, befides Porterage, Wharfage,andfeveral other fmail Items upony Importation andExportation, all which, upon fuch a cheap and fuch a bulky Commodity, muft amount to more than the Value of the prime Coft: And in the next place we know that, in order to make Rum palatable to any Petion of nice Tate, it must be carefully kept in a good Cellar for feveral Years; now there are but tew of our Planters can fpare to keep their Rum by them for feveral Years, nur would it be proper to keep it in those hot Climates; and yet by obliging our Merchants at home to pay the high Duties Hupon it foon after its landing, we render it impoflible for moft of them to keep it till it is fit for any Market; or if fome of them do, the Intereft of the Money they have paid for the Duties upon it here at home, rifes fo high, that it becomes im

With refpect to our Sugar Colonies, Sir, I am furprised to hear fuch Reafoning as I have heard upon that Subject. It is not fo much as pretended but that they may probably be ruined by prohibiting the Retail of their Rum in Great Britain; but B Gentlemen fay we may give them a full Compenfation the next Seffion for the Damage we are to do them in this: "Which to me feems to be the fame as if I fhould fay to a Man, I must now knock your Brains out, but next Year I'll do fomething fhall bring you again to Life: c For God fake, Sir, let us confider the unfortunate Cafe of many of our Countrymen in the Sugar Ilands, whose whole Subfiftence depends upon the Sale of that Moiety of their Rum which we are by this Bill to deprive them of: The Produce of their whole Crop of Sugars, and the other Moiety of their Rum, may be neceffary for defraying the Charge of their next Year's Crop, and if we difappoint them in the Sale of what they defigned for fubfifting themfelves and their Families, they must break in upon that Stock which is neceffary for producing another Crop; by which Means every Sugar Planter, who is not before Hand with the World, mult neceflarily be undone: This I am perfuaded will be the Cafe of most of our fmail Planters, and in them we know the Strength of our Sugar Iflands confifts. The Regulations we are next Year to make may be a Compenfation to those who can ftand the Shock we are now to give them; but to those who may be utterly undone by the Shock we can give no Compenfation, we can communicate no Relict. There is not the leaft Pretence for faying that the Ufe of Rum, especially when made into Punch; for one Year longer, will deftroy the Health or the Morals of the People of Great Britain, therefore why fhould we do an Injury to our Sugar Planters till we are ready to grant them at the fame Time a proper Redress? Why should we prevent the Sale of their Rum in Great Britain, till we have made fuch Regula tions, and granted fuch Indulgences, as may enable them to fell it to Advantage at fome other Market?

We are told, Sir, that our Sugar Planters might fell their Rum at a much

E

G

Matters of the feveral Petitions, complaining of an undue Election and Return for the County of York, and the Deputy-Clerk of the Peace for the East-Riding of the faid County, having produced feveral Books, as the original Poll taken at the Laid Election: and being examined as to the Time, Place, and Manner of the Delivery thereof to him by the High-Sheriff of the faid County; the Counsel for the fitting Member, Sir Miles Stapylton, Bart. againit whom only the Petitions were aimed, objected that the faid Books ought not to be admitted as Evidence, the fame not having been delivered over upon Oath, nor within the Time limited by Law, nor any Proof given, that no Alterations had been made therein after the faid Election, and before the faid Delivery: Upon this Objection the Counfel of both Sides being heard, and the Preamble and the fifth Section of an Act made in the 10th Year of the Reign of Q. Anne, intitled, An Aft for the more effectual preventing fraudulent Conveyances, in order to multiply Votes for electing Knights of Shires to ferve in Parliament, being read; as alfo the Journal of the Houfe of the 12th Day of March, 1727, in relation to the Report from the Committee of Privileges and Elections, touching the Election for the County of Bucks; the faid Clerk was again called in and examined as to the keeping of the faid Books, fince the Time of the faid Delivery thereof, and as to the taking Copies of and collating the faid Books, and as to the Declarations of the faid High-Sheriff, and other Circumstances before and at Time of fuch Delivery: After which the following Question was propofed, viz.

Quarter-Seffions of the Peace for the faid Riding, about two Months after the faid Election, as the original Poll taken at the faid Election, and which have been kept by him the faid Deputy Clerk of the Peace ever fince among the Records of the Seffions of the Peace for the faid Riding, the faid Books not being delivered over by the Jaid Sheriff within the Time, nor upon Oath, as required by the Act of the 10th Year of the Reign of the late Queen (For B. the more effectual preventing fraudulent Conveyances, in order to multiply Votes for electing Knights of Shires to ferve in Parliament) be admitted as Evidence.

This Motion occafioned a long Debate, and at laft the previous Question was put, which was carried in the Affirmative; and then the main Question being put, it was likewife carried in the Affirmative, upon a Divifion 201 to 164: Whereupon the faid Poll-Books, and Copies of them, were deliyered in; and then it was ordered that the further Hearing of the Matters of the faid Petitions fhould be adjourned till Thursday Morning then next; when the D Houfe proceeded accordingly to the further Hearing of the Matters of the faid' Petitions, and the Counsel for the Petitioner, Sir Rowland Wynn, Bart. and the other Petitioners, having propofed, in order to difqualify John Maken, who voted for Sir Miles Stapylton at the faid Election, B and then swore that he was a Freelolder, to prove by Parol-Evidence, that he had no Freehold at the Time of the faid EleCtion, in the Place, where he then fwore, that his Freehold did lie; the admitting of fuch Evidence was objected to by the Counsel for the fitting Member, who alledged, that no Man's Parol-Evidence could be admitted, or received as any Proof, against the Affidavit of another Man; and the Counfel of both Sides being heard upon this Objection, and feveral Journals relating to it read, the following Question was propofed, viz.

F

That Books, called the Original PollBooks of the last Election of Members to ferve in Parliament for the County of York, produced by Robert Appleton, De puty Clerk of the Peace for the Eaft-Riding of the faid County, and which were delivered over to him by the High-Sheriff of the faid County in open Court, at the G

Viz. Enated, That in taking Poll, the Sheriff, &c. fhall enter the Place of the Eletor's Freehold, and of his Abode, and fhall mark Jurat. against his Name, and the Returning-Officer fhall, within 20 Days after the. Election, deliver over to the Clerk of the Peace all the Poll-Books, on Oath made before the

tw next Juftices of the Peace, Quorum unus,

without Imbezzlement or Alteration; and in fuch Counties where there are no more. than one Clerk of the Peace, then he fhall deliver the original Poll-Books to one, and the attefted Copies to the reft, to be preferved a mong ft & Records of Seffions of Peace.

That the Counsel for the Petitioners be admitted to give Parol Evidence, as to a Perfon being no Freeholder at the Time of the Election, who fwore himself then to be a Freeholder.

This Motion likewife occafioned a long Debate, but at laft the Question was, upon a Divifion, carried in the Affirmative Hther Hearing of the Matters of the faid by 206 against 152; after which the furPetitions was adjourned to the Tuesday following. Accordingly, the Houle having then re-affumed the Hearing of this Affair, the Counsel for the Petitioners proceeded to examine one Jofbua Wilfon,

Affair was adjourned to that Day Se'night, upon which Ďay no mention was made of it, fo that the Affair was entirely dropt for that Seffion, and probably for ever, because It cannot be again fet on foot without renewing all the Potitions in this next Seffion, and beginning the Affair a-new, in the fame Manner as if no Progrefs had ever before been made in it.

Bill for limiting the Number of Officers

in the House of Commons.

Ffor Leave to bring in a Bill for the

EB. 25. Samuel Sandys, Efq; moved

A

B

4. That a Sum not exceeding 21,0961. 95. 2 d. fhould be granted to his Majesty, for the Service of the Year 1735. to make good the Deficiency of the Grants

Which Refolutions were next Day re ported, and agreed to by the Houfe.

The fame Day it was ordered, that the proper Officer fhould lay before the House an Account of the feveral Sorts and Quantities of Corn, which had been exported from Christmas 1734, to Christmas 1735; which was prefented on March 8. (See the Beginning of our laft Magazine.)

Feb. 27, the House refolved itself into a Committee, to confider further of Ways and Means for railing the Supply granted Lady-day and Michaelmas having been fitft to his Majelty, the Surplufles ftated at referred to the faid Committee. As foon as Sir Charles Turner had taken the Chair, a Motion was made, That it be

Refolved, That towards raising the Supply granted to his Majesty, his Majefty should be enabled to borrow of any Perfon or Perfons, Bodies Politick os Corporate, any Sum Dor Sums of Money not exceeding 600,000 7.

better fecuring the Freedom of Parliaments, by limiting the Number of Officers in the Houfe of Commons; and Leave was accordingly given, and the faid Mr Sandys, Mr Grenville, Mr Gore, and Mr Howe, c were ordered to prepare and bring in the fame. March 12, Mr Sandys prefented the faid Bill to the Houfe; and the fame was acceived, and read a first Time, and ordered to be read a fecond Time: And on the 31ft it was read a fecond Time, and a Motion made for its being committed, which being oppofed, there enfued a long Debate, and upon the Questions being put, the Bill met with its ufual Fate; the Quetion was upon a Division carried in the Negative by 224 to 177. This Bill having been often before debated in both Houses, It was impollible there could be anyThing very new faid upon the Subject; and as we have formerly given a full Account of thofe Debates, we fhall now only refer our Readers to them; viz. in our Maga xines for Aug, 1733 and 1734, Sept. 1734, and our Supplement 1735.

The fame Day the House refolved itself into a Committee, to confider further of the Supply granted to his Majefty; and came to the following Refolutions, viz.

1. That the Sum of 56,250 l. fhould be granted to his Majesty, on Account of the Subfidy payable to the King of Denmark, pursuant to the Treaty bearing Date the 19te of Sept. 1734, for the Service of the Year 1736.

2. That a Sum not exceeding 46,780 l, 18s. fhould be granted to his Majesty, upon Account for reduced Officers of his Majesty's Land Forces and Marines for the Year 1736.

3. That a Sum not exceeding 38281 Should be granted to his Majefly, for paying of Penfions to the Widows of fuch reduced Officers of his Majefty's Land Forces and Marines, as died upon the Establishment of Half-pay in Great-Britain, (and who were married to them before the 25th Day of December, 1716) for the Ye# 1736.

E

F

G

H

at an Intereft not exceeding 31. per Cent. per Ann. by Loans to be charged upon the monly called the Sinking Fund, redeemable Surpluffes, Exceffes, os overplus Monies comby Parliament.

bate, in which the chief Arguments for Upon this Motion there was a long Dethe Motion were as ufual; viz.

ARGUMENTS for it.

The Neceffity of raising, fome Way or other, the Suppues voted for the current Service of the Year: The Impoffibility that but by throwing the Burden upon the landed there was of raifing them any other Way, Intereft, which would be most unreasonable, because that Intereft had been for many Years overloaded, and obliged to contribute much more than their proportional Share towards the annual publick Expence: The abfolute uncontroulable Right the Parlia ment had to difpofe of the Sinking Fund yearly to fuch Purposes, as they should think most for the Benefit of the Nation in general: The Inconvenience of paying off too much of the publick Debts at once; the Unwillingness of the publick Creditors to receive their Money; and the fmall Intereft the Nawas neceffary to be borrowed upon the Credit tion would be obliged to pay for what Money of the Sinking Fund.

To this the ufual ANSWERS were made,

Service of the Year might have been greatly That the Supplies necessary for the current reduced, if fome Gentlemen had thought fit,

which Cafe they would not have been o- tences for throwing all the Burden upon our bliged either to throw an additional Burden Shoulders, by which Management we must on the landed Intereft, or to incroach upon neceffarily at last become the weakest of all that Fund, which had always, till of late our Neighbours, and having thus spent our Tears, been deemed facred to the Payment A whole Force, and thrown away all our Moof our publick Debts: That if Words in an ney in the protecting of others, would at Act of Parliament could appropriate any last have nothing left, wherewithal to proSum to a particular Ufe, the Sinking Fund tect or fupport ourselves. was originally appropriated, in the most exprefs Terms, to the Payment of the publick That we had given no Affiftance, nor had Debts contracted before the Year 17 16; and lately put ourselves to any Expence in the the only Power that was left to future Par- B Defence of any Nation, but what we were liaments, by its original Conftitution, was obliged to put ourselves to, not only by the to difpofe of it to the Payment of fuch of moft folemn Treaties, but even for the Sake thofe Debts, as fhould at the Time be thought of our own Prefervation: That with regard moft necellary to be paid off: That it would to the Nation fuppofed to be meant, it was be happy for the Nation, if they could pay very well known, we were as much intereftA off all their publick Debts at once: That the ed in the Defence and Prefervation of that Unwillingness of the publick Creditors to reNation as of any other, and it was likewife ceive their Money was a certain Sign of known, we were far from being at all the their having an advantageous Bargain, Expence, for that Nation itself had been and was therefore a Demonftration, that it at a very great Expence in providing for was the Intereft of the Publick to pay them its own Defence, and a great Part of the off as fast as poffible; and that, tho' they Money laid out in that Provifion had been might perhaps be able to borrow the Sum brought to this Kingdom: That as that then propofed at Three per Cent. yet even Affair was then upon the Anvil, it could. at that Rate, it was adding to the future D not then be fully explained, but a Time yearly Expence of the Nation a Sum of would come when it might; and when that 18,000l. per Ann. for ever; which, tho' Time did come, the Houfe might then, if perhaps a fmall Sum in the Eyes of Gentle- they thought fit, enquire into it; upon men who dealt in Millions, was however a which Occafion the Neceffity, the Justice, Sum, that might thereafter be greatly and the Wisdom of our prefent Conduct wanted for the current Service of fome fuc- would, they believed, be easily explained to ceeding Year. the Satisfaction of almost every Gentleman, who might then have the Honour of being a Member of that Houfe.

To this it was added, That, confidering the great Expence we had been at in the then current Year, and the great Expence we were like to be put to in the next for the Defence of a foreign Nation, they were furprized to find that no Subfidy had been received, nor any Sums like to be brought, at leaft to the publick Account, for answering F the Expence we had been, or were like to be at on that Occafion: That we found by Experience, no Nation would fo much as promife us any Affiftance, without our granting them a large annual Subfidy to commence as foon as the Promife was made, and to be paid, tho' no fuch Affiftance fhould ever be wanted; and even when fome of our Allies kad for very valuable Confiderations engaged to affift us at their own Expence, yet when that Affiftance was required, they had always found Pretences for not complying, till we engaged to defray any Expence they should be put to upon that Account: That it was certainly our Intereft to protect our Allies, and to prevent any one of our Neighbours growing too powerful by conquering another; but if we always fhewed ourfelves ready to protect the weakest Side at our own Expence, every one would find Pre- March 3, a Petition of the Mafter

Refolved, That towards raifing the Sup ply granted to his Majefty, the Sum of Two Shillings in the Pound, and no more, be raised in the Year 1736, upon Lands, TeneGments, Hereditaments, Penfions, Offices and perfonal Eftates, in that Part of Great-. Britain called England, in Wales, and in the Town of Berwick upon Tweed: and that a proportionable Cefs (according to the ninth Article of the Treaty of the Union) should be laid upon that Part of GreatBritain called Scotland.