WILLIAM ASD MAEY.

183

to divide.* The rules of the House put it in the power of aminority to obstruct the progress of a bill; and this was as-'suredly one of the very rare occasions on which that powerwould have been with great propriety exerted. It does notappear however that the parliamentary tacticians of that agewere aware of the extent to which a small number ofmembers can, without violating any form, retard the course ofbusiness.

It was immediately resolved that the bill, enlarged bySacheverell’s and Howard’s clauses, should be ingrossed. Themost vehement Whigs were bent on finally passing it withinforty eight hours. The Lords, indeed, were not likely toregard it very favourably. But it should seem that some de-sperate men were prepared to withhold the supplies till itshould pass, nay, even to tack it to the bill of supply, and thusto place the Upper House under the necessity of either consent-ing to a vast proscription of the Tories or refusing to thegovernment the means of carrying on the war.** There w r ereWhigs, however, honest enough to wish that fair play shouldbe given to the hostile party, and prudent enough to know thatan advantage obtained by violence and cunning could not bepermanent. These men insisted that at least a week should besuffered to elapse before the third reading, and carried theirpoint. Their less scrupulous associates complained bitterlythat the good cause was betrayed. What new laws of war werethese? Why was chivalrous courtesy to be shown to foes whothought no stratagem immoral, and who had never given

* Commons’ Journals, Jan. 2. 16§g-.

** Thus, I think, must be understood some remarkable words in aletter written by William to Portland, on the day after Sacheverell’s boldand unexpected move. William calculates the amount of the supplies, andthen says: “S’ils n’y mettent dcs conditions que vous savez, e’est unebonne affaire: mais les Wigges sont si glorieux d’avoir vaincu qu’ils entre-prendront tout.”

CHAP.

XV.