The Hon. James Brudenell. Lord Lumley. *** Sir Richard Sandford, Bar. Reynolds Calthrop, Efq; Sir John Rufhout, Bar. Tho. Wylde, Efq; azivali gomi John Rudge, Efq;" B Sir William Robinfon, Bar Sir William St. Quintin, Bar. Sir Charles Hotham. Tho. Yorke, Efq; William Pulteney, Efq; Hugh Cholmley, Efq; Edmund Dunch, E, William Strickland, Esq Thomas Frankland, Efq; કહેવું Ralph Bell, Efq; Henry Prater, Efq; Leonard Smelt, Efq; Archibald Hutchinfon, Eq Philip Papillon, Efq; Sir William Johnstowne, Bar. Sir James Carmichael, Bar. Sir Gilbert Elliot, Bar. Lord Fynch was unfortunately shut out at the Divifion; but the noble Part be acted in the Debate will ever be remembred to bis Honour. N. B. The Honourable John Campbell, and William Thompson of Scarborough, Efq; were Omitted in the former Edition of this Book. L 4 Mr.. Mr. STE ELE's APOLOGY, &c. Have waited with much Patience during the Seffion of Parliament, without offering at any Thing in my Juftification against the Sentence which paffed upon me on the 18th of March laft paft; which Sentence, and the Motives to it, are exprefs'd in the two following Refolutions. Refolved, That a Printed Pamphlet, intituled, The ENGLISHMAN, being the Clofe of the Paper fo called; and one other Pamphlet, Entituled, The CRISIS, written by Richard Steele, Efq; a Member of this House; are fcandalous and feditious Libels, containing many Expreffions highly reflecting upon Her Majefty, and upon the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, and Univerfities of this Kingdom, maliciously infinua ting, that the Proteftant Succeffion in the House of Hanover is in Danger under Her Majefty's Adminiftration, and tending to alienate the Af fections of Her Majesty's good Subjects, and to ereate Jealoufies and Divifions among them..! Refolved .. Refolved, That Richard Steele, Efquire, for his Offence in Writing and Publishing the faid fcandalous and feditious Libels, be expell'd this House. I hoped every Day, during the Seffion, to have heard other Writers called to an Account for their Errors as well as my felf, especially thofe who had provoked me to fay what gave fo much Offence. In that Cafe I might perhaps have heard fomething alledg'd, that would have made it appear neceffary in the Reprefentative of the People, to cenfure as well thofe who are imprudently zealous for them, as thofe who are against them. But fince they have pu nifhed only me, who, if I am guilty at all, am guilty only of too forward Zeal in a good Caufe; I fay, fince the Commons, to fhew their Impartiality, have thought fit to diftinguish only the Crimes of one of their own Members, by taking from him both his good Name and Seat in Parliament, while all other Writers pafs unmentioned; that Member thinks himTelf at Liberty to do what he can to weaken the Force of that Cenfure, by a Narrative of all that pafs'd in their Houfe_relating to himfelf, as well as he can recolle& it. If the Reader will allow me the Liberty of fpeaking of my felf fometimes as a third Per-fon, to avoid the Word I, (which often repeated, even in a Juftification, has an Offence in it) I will tell the Story very honeftly. It may, perhaps, appear undutiful to argue against what was acted by the Representative of one's Country: But in order to keep us within fuch Bounds, it is expedient, on their Side, LS to to have a due Regard to the Lives and Honours of thofe whom they call before 'em, and not to expect that, when they have laid the heaviest Weight which they are able upon an Offender, he will be intimidated from difputing the Juftice of their Sentence by the Terrors of their future Difpleafore, which can have in Store nothing fo terrible as what is already inflicted. The Refolution against Mr. Steele carries in it all the Infamy that can be joined to the Name of a Gentleman, and they have certainly made him defperate and regardlefs of what further they can determine to his Difadvantage. 2 In inflicting Punithments, efpecially where the Penalty is not prefcribed, there should be always a Regard had to the Perfon who is to fuffer; and whatever Senfe any Body of Men may have of Good and Evil, they should fill fuppofe there are fome Men who prefer their Integrity to all other Confiderations, not excepting thofe of Riches and Power. Honour is the true Effence of a Man, and confifts in the Confcioufnefs of Innocence and Honefty. This, indeed, cannot be taken from him by the Outrage of Multitudes, or the Abufe of Power. But though fuch a Sense of Reproach is to be the private Rule of a Man's Conduct, and will certainly prove the beft Support under all Difappointments and Adverfities, it is too abftracted a Notion to carry him through the Bulinefs of the World, without having a due Regard to Reputation and Fame. A Man's Reputation is the Dress of his HoHour, and though tearing a Man's Cloaths cannot hurt his Life or his Limbs, y yet if he'll al low |