Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/419

 had the majority opposed the second reading of it. Lord Wharton said, it never had been of any use but was a con- stant unnecessary burthen to the Nation. Lord Anglesey replyed that tho' there had not yet been any considerable discoveries made, yet since it was probable there might be, and the burthen to the Nation was but twelve thousand pounds a year, it was in his opinion to be continued. Several other things were urged by the Court side to prolong time, and at last Lord Scars, put a previous question, whether that question of rejecting the second reading of the Bill should be put or no ? The House divided upon it, and it was carried that it should, in which time several of Court side being come into the House, it was carried that the Bill should have a second reading by the majority of two. After which Lord Wharton complained of the irregular proceeding of the House, and said it was never before known that a previous question was put in that manner. Lord Scar, rose up to excuse him- self, and said that not being so well acquainted with the proceedings of the House as that Noble Lord it was easy for him to make a mistake ; but since he had not been corrected in it before, he hoped he stood excused. Then they came upon the Business of the Day, and Lord Nottingham pro- posed, that the proceedings might be regular, that the papers relating to the Treaty and Commerce might be read over. After the reading of several not altogether necessary, they being about to reade a copy of the Treaty of Spain wch was in Print, Lord Cooper said, that the reason of reading over the Papers, as he conceived, was, that the House might be the better informed in the case, but the reading of a copy of the printed treaty, wch could not but have been in every one's hands, was, he said, in his opinion altogether unnecessary, and very tedious ; he then proposed that such papers only might be read, as any Lord should think convenient to call for, upon which Lord Nottingham ordered some of Lord Boling- broke's and Lord Lexington's Letters to be read, by which it appeared that nothing had been laid before the Councill before the 14 of October, tho' the Peace was signed and ratified the February following. Lord Nottingham all this time took

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