I know it is commonly imagined to have been the intention of parliament, to rescind the resolution of the 6th of May about the 6l. and 1-4th. _per cent._ but this imagination is contrary to fact, for that resolution is unrepealed, unrescinded, and unless the parliament, at the next meeting, shall make some law to prevent it, you may divide 6l. 1-4th _per cent._ at Christmas next--No single word, in either act of parliament, mentions the resolution of the 6th of May, and the act which restrains the dividing between the 8th of May, and the beginning of the next session, manifestly avoided mentioning the 6th of May, and made the interval of restraint commence on the 8th, to shew it did not mean to rescind the resolution of the 6th of May. Had the parliament designed to restrain the dividing according to that resolution at Christmas next, the interval of restraint would have gone beyond the 5th of January--as that clause, which restrains the present dividend, the manifest object of the parliament, stopt short of the 5th of July, and would not have stopt, as it has done, at the beginning of the next session of parliament. The preamble of the act professes nothing for its object, but "to secure as well the permanent interest of the company, as the state of credit both private and public, from the mischiefs which must ensue, from an improper, and improvident increase of the dividends of the said company." Thus the parliament had in view only improper and improvident dividends, dividends made without a due regard to the circumstances of the company, whether the same should be 12l. 1-half _per cent._ 10l. _per cent._ or 6l. _per cent._ And I may appeal to yourselves, Gentlemen, whether you had any objection to the dividend of 12l. 1-half taking place at Christmas, that did not arise from a consideration of these circumstances, from your apprehension that your finances would not be such at Christmas, as to enable you to pay off the company's debts, to pay the 200,000l. the first half yearly payment to government, and to make a dividend of 6l. 1-4th to the proprietors. And I would ask, Whether any other consideration weighed with the legislature? You will confess, as the undoubted truth is, that this alone made you wish, that parliament would interpose to prevent the dividing 6l. 1-4th at Christmas. And I affirm this alone determined the wisdom of the legislature to interpose for that purpose. They have interposed, and what have they done? They have stopped your making any dividend till the meeting of parliament. But they have determined nothing with respect to the 6l. 1-4th _per cent._ The resolution of the 6th of May stands unrepealed; and if it shall then appear, such an increase will not be improper, and improvident, at Christmas next, if, I say, Gentlemen, after the arrival of the homeward-bound ships, after the examination of the annual account, which has never yet been produced, if after hearing