Hussey[436] said he liked the amendment, because he disliked all general warrants; for what was to follow, he did not understand it. Did it mean to imply that the silence of the King’s Bench was affirmation? He feared some such thing was meant; but it would be a libel on the Judges that sit there. He did not, however, he said, mean to extend his argument to high treason. He wished to have general warrants condemned, because to some there stood the names of men of virtue, which seemed to authorize so bad a practice. Wedderburne said sharply, that he had guarded himself by alleging that the practice of the King’s Bench could not make law: but they had been taunted with epithets; the time was come when men would no longer be led by epithets[437] and flowery declamation. It was hurting our country to study popularity by vilifying the profession of the law. Was a definition nothing but epithets? The Opposition, he knew, would be glad, if they could, to stand clear of epithets. Charles Yorke was for adopting the amendments, and spoke for temper. _Treasonable_ corresponded with the evidence given at the bar. The common warrants had that description in them. He was for stating what had been the common usage, and then for condemning it. None of those warrants had come before the Courts below for argument or consideration. Sir William Meredith said, he hoped this point would be decided by the spirit of liberty, not by law; and with some heat added, “I never passed my life with the vices of Wilkes.” This sentence, provoked by what had fallen from Wedderburne, and supposed to be aimed, as it justly might have been, at Dr. Hay, who, though so servile now, had been the intimate of Wilkes,[438] was levelled at Lord Sandwich. But Wedderburne took it up, and said, if Sir William had meant anything unparliamentary, he might have taken another place. Dr. Hay, thinking it necessary to vindicate himself, did not conciliate more favour. He had long, he said, known the unhappy man, had received pleasure and instruction from him, but with many good qualities he had grown profligate; did not know who incited him; had advised him against his excesses; “Yet,” said he, “I am no hypocrite; I have told him he was grown the _God_ of defamation from keeping seditious company; he had even attacked the Crown, and the _parent_ of the Crown; for himself, he pitied the poor _devil_.” Some persons interposing to prevent a duel, Sir W. Meredith said, he had every day been aspersed as taking up this matter for the sake of Wilkes. This he could not bear. Wedderburne had taken it up on tip-toe, though neither pointed at him nor Dr. Hay. Himself would last year have stopped Wilkes’s behaviour.