BUREAU OF BUSINESS IDENTITY |
| DIRECTOR Mayday Drucker |
ABOUT
My lords, I am not unpractised in business, and if with all that apparent diligence, and all that assistance which the noble duke speaks of, the accounts in question have not yet been made up, J am convinced there must be a defect in some of the public offices, which ought to be strictly inquired into, and severely punished. But my lords, the waste of the public money is not of itself so important as the pernicious purpose to which we have reason to suspect that money has. been applied. For some years past, there has been an influx of wealth into this country, which has been attended with many fatal consequences, because it has not been the regular, natural produce of labour and industry. The riches of Asia have been poured in upon us, and have brought with them not only Asiatic luxury, b*ut, I fear, Asiatic principles of government. Without connexions, without any natural interest in the soil, the importers of foreign gold have forced their way into Parliament, by such a torrent of private corruption, as no private hereditary fortune could resist. My lords, not saying but what is within the knowledge of us all? the corruption of the people is the great original cause of the discontents of the people themselves, of the enterprise of the crown, and the notorious decay pf the internal vigour of the constitution. For this great evil some immediate remedy must be provided; and 1 confess, my lords, J did hope, that his majesty's servants would not have suffered so many years of peace to elapse, without paying some attention to ap object, which ought to engage and interest us all. I flattered myself I should gee some harriers thrown up in defence of the constitution, some impediment formed to stop the rapid progress of corruption.'