"nicious, both to the Crown and to the Peo

ple; For, firft, Altho' this Influence appears to be "that of the Crown, it may become virtually that "of the Minifter, and be applied to deceive the "Prince, as well as to opprefs the People; if ever

་ a corrupt Minifter fhould have the Difpofition "of Places, and the Distribution of Penfions, Gra❝titudes, and Rewards, he may create fuch an In"fluence, as fhall effectually deprive the Prince "of the great Advantage of fhewing the true "Senfe of his People, and a Houfe of Parliament "being prevail'd upon to approve fuch Measures as "the whole Nation dislikes, fo may be confirm'd in "the Purfuit of them, and, for the fake of an un"worthy Servant, lofe the Affections of his People, "whilft he imagines he both deferves and possesses

"them.

"In the next Place, If ever this improper In"fluence fhould obtain a certain Degree of "Strength, thefe terrible Confequences muft inevita"bly follow from it,that the worst Proposals for "the Publick will be most likely to fucceed, and the weakest Minifters will be the beft fupported;

"the Reafon whereof we take to be extremely "plain, fince this improper Influence may be direct"ed to any Purpose whatsoever, and will always be "moft expected, where it is moft wanted, in the "Support of ill Measures and weak Minifters.

They alfo gave thefe further Reasons.

"Because the evident Intention of this Bill was only to make a farther Advance towards gaining "the good End which the Legiflature hitherto has "(we fear) too weakly endeavoured to compafs, the "Prevention of Corruption, which, it must be own'd, "is an Evil of fo mifchievous a Nature, fo apt to fpread and grow epidemical, that a wife and virVOL. II.

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tuous

"tuous People will apply the most timely and moft "effectual Remedies that can be devited, for the "Cure of it, fince a Nation once infected "muft foon get the better of fo contagious a "Distemper, or it will foon get the better of "them.

"Because a more reasonable Method could not "have been framed, than the Sanction of fuch an Oath of Purgation as was to have been taken "by all the Members of the House of Commons, "if this Bill had paffed into a Law, to preferve "that Part of the Legiflature pure, and free from "that Kind of Bribery which feems, from the "Nature of it, to be the moft pernicious, a secret "and unavow'd Penfion, or what, however "different in Name, would, it was to be fear'd, "be much the fame in Effect, an Office in Trust, or a clandeftine Gratuity.

"Because the Act of Parliament which pafs'd "the laft Year, tho' it contain'd fome excellent "Provifions against Bribery and Corruption, and "ought ever to be held facred, inviolable, and a "fundamental Part of your yet free Constitution, "wanted still something, as it was judg'd, to make "it more compleat, by establishing an Oath for "the Elected as well as the Electors, which being "done by this Bill, it was look'd upon, by them, "to have been a seasonable and neceffary Addition "6 to thofe Laws already enacted for the fame Purpofe, in order to guard us more ftrongly against "the powerful and malignant Influence of wicked, "afpiring, and defpotick Minifters, who invent no "Artifices fo likely to fubvert the Liberties of the "People as by corrupting those who are chofen to "defend them.

6.

But it will not be amifs to give the Publick a Copy of the Bill itself.

< May

"May it please your excellent Majefty,

"That it may be enacted, and be it enacted by "the King's most excellent Majefty, by and with "the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual "and Temporal, and Commons, in this prefent "Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of "the fame,

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"That from and after the twenty-fourth of June, "1730, no Perfon who fhall be elected a Member, "and fhall fit and vote in the House of Commons during any Debate there, after their Speaker is "chofen, until they have taken the Oath following, "and fubcribe the fame, to be provided by the "Clerk of the House of Commons, for that Pur"pose.

I, A. B. do folemnly and fincerely fwear, "that I have not directly or indirectly, any Pen"fion during Pleasure, or for any Number of "Years, or any Office, in Part, or in the whole, "from the Crown, held, for me, or for my Benefit, by any Perfon whatsoever; and I do folemn"ly and fincerely promife and fwear, that I will not receive, accept, or take, directly nor indi"rectly, during the Time of my being a Member "of this Parliament, any Penfion, during Pleasure, or for any Number of Years, or any other Gratų"ity or Reward whatfoever, or any Office from "the Crown, to be held for me, or for my Bene

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་

fit, in Part, or in the Whole thereof, by any Per"fon whatfoever, without fignifying the fame to this "House, within fourteen Days after I have re"ceiv'd or accepted the fame, if the Parliament "be then fitting, or within fourteen Days af"ter the next Meeting of Parliament. So help

me God. "Which Oath fhall be in this and every fuc"ceeding Parliament, folemnly and publickly

E 2

"taken

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"taken and fubfcribed by every Member of the "Houfe of Commons, at the Table in the Mid"dle of the faid Houfe, at the fame Time he takes "the Oaths by Law directed to be taken, whilft "a full Houfe of Commons is fitting, with their Speaker in his Chair. AND be it further en"acted, that if any Member fo taking the Oath, "and fubfcribed as before directed, fhall, at the "Time of taking the faid Oath, have any Penfion "during Pleafure, or for Number of Years, or any "Office from the Crown, in Part, or in the Whole,

held in Truft, for him, or his Benefit; or fhall, du"ring his being a Member, receive or take any Penfi"on, during Pleafure, or for any Number of Years,

or any other Gratuity or Reward whatever, or any "Office to be held for him or his Benefit, from the "Crown, without fignifying the fame to the House, "as aforefaid, fuch Member shall be, and is here"by adjudg'd and declar'd to be guilty of wilful "and corrupt Perjury, and, being therefore con"victed by the due Courfe of Law, fhall incur and "fuffer the Pains and Penalties which, by the "Laws and Statutes of this Realm, are inflicted

in Cafes of wilful and corrupt Perjury, and fhall "from thenceforth be uncapable of taking, hold"ing or enjoying any Office whatsoever.

"And be it enacted that if any Member elected "as aforefaid fhall refufe or neglect to take and "fubfcribe fuch Oath, as before directed, the Place "for which fuch Perfon was elected, is hereby, "without any other Conviction or Proceeding, "declared void to all Intents and Purposes, as if "fuch Member was actually dead- -And be it "further enacted, that, in Case any Member shall "prefume to fit and vote in the Houfe of Commons,

after the Speaker is chofen, without taking the "Oath aforefaid, fuch Member fhall, over and "above the Penalties already inflicted, forfeit the

"Sum

"Sum of thirty Pounds for each Day he shall fit "and vote as aforefaid, to be recover'd and receiv'd, "with full Credit of Suit, by him or them who fhall fue for the fame, and to be profecuted by

any Action, Suit, Bill, or Information, in any "of his Majefty's Courts of Record at Westminster, "wherein no Effoign, Protection, or Wager of "Law, or more than one Imparlance, fhall be ad"mitted or allow'd, and fhall from thenceforth "be uncapable of taking, holding, or enjoying "any Office or Imployment of Profit or Truft, "under his Majefty, his Heirs or Succeffors, or of fitting or voting in either House of "Parliament.

Some of the Reafons for the Bill we have already produced, but there are fo many more, that we cannot wonder the People without Doors fhould be always against Penfioners in Parliament;"

-for, firft, they are morally fure that it is their Purfes which muft pay thofe Penfions, nor can it enter into their Heads that these Penfions are given to make the Members more vigilant and watchful to guard the Liberty of the Subject against the Designs and Encroachments of an ambitious or a corrupt firft Minifter, for those who are acquainted with the Depravity of humane, Nature will always be of Opinion that Men who receive Penfions will be entirely under the Direction and Influence of those who have it in their Power to take them away or increase them.