[74] This clause in an act imposing severe penalties on bribery, was inserted by the House of Lords with the insidious design of causing the rejection of the whole bill; if the Commons, as might be expected, should resent such an interference with their privileges. The ministry accordingly endeavoured to excite this sentiment; but those who had introduced the bill very wisely thought it better to sacrifice a point of dignity, rather than lose so important a statute. It was, however, only carried by two voices to agree with the amendment. Parl. Hist. viii. 754.
[75] Fox, Appendix, p. 8.
[76] "The legal method," says Burnet, "was to have made entries, and to have taken bonds for those duties to be paid when the parliament should meet and renew the grant." Mr. Onslow remarks on this, that he should have said, the least illegal and the only justifiable method. To which the Oxford editor subjoins that it was the proposal of Lord-Keeper North, while the other, which was adopted, was suggested by Jefferies. This is a mistake. North's proposal was to collect the duties under the proclamation, but to keep them apart from the other revenues in the exchequer until the next session of parliament. There was surely little difference in point of illegality between this and the course adopted. It was alleged that the merchants, who had paid duty, would be injured by a temporary importation duty free; and certainly it was inconvenient to make the revenue dependent on such a contingency as the demise of the Crown. But this neither justifies the proclamation, nor the disgraceful acquiescence of the next parliament in it.
The king was thanked in several addresses for directing the customs to be levied, particularly in one from the benchers and barristers of the Middle Temple. London Gazette, March 11. This was drawn by Sir Bartholomew Shower, and presented by Sir Humphrey Mackworth. Life of James, vol. ii. p. 17. The former was active as a lawyer in all the worst measures of these two reigns. Yet, after the revolution, they both became tory patriots, and jealous assertors of freedom against the government of William III. Barillon, however, takes notice that this illegal continuance of the revenue produced much discontent. Fox's Appendix, 39; and Rochester told him that North and Halifax would have urged the king to call a parliament, in order to settle the revenue on a lawful basis, if that resolution had not been taken by himself. Id. p. 20. The king thought it necessary to apologise to Barillon for convoking parliament. Id. p. 18; Dalrymple, p. 100.
[77] Dalrymple, p. 142. The king alludes to this possibility of a limited grant with much resentment and threatening, in his speech on opening the session.
[78] Fox, Appendix, p. 93; Lonsdale, p. 5.
[79] For this curious piece of parliamentary inconsistency, see Reresby's Memoirs, p. 113, and Barillon in the Appendix to Fox, p. 95. "Il s'est passé avant hier une chose de grande conséquence dans la chambre basse: il fut proposé le matin que la chambre se mettoit en comité l'après diner pour considérer la harangue du roy sur l'affaire de la religion, et savoir ce qui devoit être entendu par le terme de religion protestante. La résolution fut prise unanimement, et sans contradiction, de faire une adresse au roy pour le prier de faire une proclamation pour l'exécution des loix contre tous les nonconformistes généralement, c'est-à-dire, contre tous ceux qui ne sont pas ouvertement de l'église Anglicane; cela enferme les presbitériens et tous les sectaires, aussi bien que les catholiques Romains. La malice de cette résolution fut aussitôt reconnu du roy d'Angleterre, et de ses ministres; les principaux de la chambre basse furent mandés, et ceux que sa majesté Britannique croit être dans ses intérêts; il leur fit une réprimande sévère de s'être laissés séduire et entraîner à une résolution si dangereuse et si peu admissible. Il leur déclara que, si l'on persistoit à lui faire une pareille adresse, il répondroit à la chambre basse en termes si décisifs et si fermes qu'on ne retourneroit pas à lui faire une pareille adresse. La manière dont sa majesté Britannique s'explique produisit son effet hier matin; et la chambre basse rejeta tout d'une voix ce que avoit été résolu en comité le jour auparavant."
The only man who behaved with distinguished spirit in this wretched parliament was one in whose political life there is little else to praise, Sir Edward Seymour. He opposed the grant of the revenues for life, and spoke strongly against the illegal practices in the elections. Fox, 90, 93.
[80] Fox, Appendix, p. 156. "Provided always, and be it further enacted, that if any peer of this realm, or member of the House of Commons, shall move or propose in either house of parliament the disherison of the rightful and true heir of the Crown, or to alter or change the descent or succession of the Crown in the right line; such offence shall be deemed and adjudged high treason, and every person being indicted and convicted of such treason, shall be proceeded against, and shall suffer and forfeit as in other cases of high treason mentioned in this act."
See what Lord Lonsdale says (p. 8) of this bill, which he, among others, contrived to weaken by provisoes, so that it was given up.