Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/205

 London, March 27, 171 1. Dear Brother,

We expect now every [day] to hear you are come to

the Hague. I sent you word that the P had adjourn'd

themselves for a week, in a complyment to their Speaker, who they found by the greif he was in for the death of his son wou'd not be able to attend the business of the house ; but 'tis believed that if Mr. Harley had not been still ill of his wound, and that they hop'd by that time he might be able to come abroad, that complyment wou'd hardly have been paid. During the recess they say the Oct. Club has sett their heads much together and have solicited all their friends to be sure not to fail coming to the house Monday. The Whigs were awar of this solicitation, and did not fail of giving their attendance to, but were in expectation that some state mine was to be sprung and somebody or other blown up, little suspecting the true matter ; and for what I can hear the court was as much surprised to find 'twas to oppose one of the ways and means of raising mony. When Lowndes proposed the tax upon leather as a certain found that wou'd bring in a hundred and forty thousand pounds a year, and was seconded by Mr. Benson, when he found they all rise up to oppose it he seems thunder struck, but did bring out thus much, that as they came prepear to oppose this he hope they had ready to offer the house in lieu thereof as good valuable a fund, but they had nothing like to offer. Then the Court Party call'd for the question still not doubting but they shou'd carry it, without spending any time to debate it ; but they were much mistaken for upon a devission they lost it by forty. And then when 'twas too late Mr. St. Johns made them a long speech of what a fatal consequence 'twas to the affairs of the nation to refuse so good a fund for a supply, and that our credit wch was just reviving to a great heighth this vote would throw it all down again. So that several Politians that cou'd not endure Mr. Harley say they see now there's no man the Court imploys has address enough to manage the House of Commons but him ; if he had been well he wou'd either

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