180

mSTOBT OP ENGLAND.

CHAP.

XV.

1689 .

proachl When the storm of laughter had subsided, severalmembers stood up to vindicate the accused statesmen. Sey-mour declared that, much as he disapproved of the manner in■which the administration had lately been conducted, he couldnot concur in the vote which John Hampden had proposed.“Look where you will,” he said, “to Ireland, to Scotland, tothe navy, to the army, you will find abundant proofs of mis-management. If the war is still to be conducted by the samehands, we can expect nothing but a recurrence of the samedisasters. But I am not prepared to proscribe men for the bestthing’that they ever did in their lives, to proscribe men forattempting to avert a revolution by timely mediation.” It wasjustly said by another speaker that Halifax and Nottinghamhadbeen sent to the Dutch camp because they possessed the con-fidence of the nation, because they were universally known tobe hostile to the dispensing power, to the Popish religion, andto the French ascendency. It was at length resolved that theKing should be requested in general terms to find out and toremove the authors of the late miscarriages.* A committeewas appointed to prepare an Address. John Hampden waschairman, and drew up a representation in terms so bitter that,when it was reported to the House, his own father expresseddisapprobation, and one member exclaimed: “This an address!It is a libel.” After a sharp debate, the Address was recom-mitted, and was not again mentioned.**

Indeed, the animosity which a large part of the House hadfelt against Halifax was beginning to abate. It was known that,though he had not yet formally delivered up the Privy Seal, hehad ceased to he a confidential adviser of the Crown. Thepower which he had enjoyed during the first months of the reign

* Commons’ Journals, Dec. 14. 1689; Grey’s Debates; Boyer’s Life ofWilliam.

** Commons’ Journals, Dec. 21.; Grey’s Debates; Oldmixon.