The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Volume 11.: Parlimentary Debates II.Johnson, Samuel
History
The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Volume 11.: Parlimentary Debates II.
Johnson, Samuel
Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons -- History -- 18th century
This opinion at first sight is extremely plausible; if the queen of
Hungary has been able to do so much with an aid of 500,000 _l_. what
might she not be able to do with a million more? Sir, a million more
would by no means answer in the same proportion. When a sum is given
her, which with the best economy can suffice barely to put her troops
in motion, when the enemy is at her very gates, her all at an
immediate stake, there can be no room for a misapplication of it. But
a sum so immense as that of a million and a half, would dazzle the
eyes of a court so little used to see such sums; and as an honourable
gentleman, [Mr. Horace WALPOLE,] long versed in foreign affairs, and
well acquainted with these matters, told you in a former debate, would
be much of it squandered among the Austrian ministers and favourites.
I make no scruple to add to this, that some small part might fall to
the share of ministers elsewhere. But there is another danger which
gentlemen who contend for this measure do not consider: can they who
profess a distrust of all ministers, and particularly those who are
now employed at home; they who have ever argued against all votes of
credit, upon this principle, that it affords an opportunity to
ministers of defrauding the service, and of putting large sums into
the purse of the crown, or into their private pockets; can they now
argue for this measure, which I may be bold to say, would be in effect
the most enormous vote of credit that was ever given in the world?
Gentlemen insinuate, that the taking the Hanoverian forces into
British pay, is a criminal complaisance, calculated only to confirm an
infant and a tottering administration. But how much greater means for
such a purpose, would an alternative like this afford? Suppose a
minister, unfirm in his new-acquired power, to ingratiate himself with
his prince, should propose a scheme to replenish the coffers of an
exhausted civil list, squandered in such vile purposes, that no man
could have the hardiness to come to parliament, or dare to hope a
supply for it by any regular application to this house? What method
could be devised by such a minister himself, to do the job more
excellent than this? For who can doubt that (guard it how you will)
the queen of Hungary might be induced, in the condition in which she
now stands, to accept a million, and to give a receipt in full for the
whole sum? How could you prevent an understanding of this kind between
two courts? and how easy, therefore, might it be to sink 500,000 _l_.
out of so vast a grant? Sir, I will suspect no minister, but I will
trust none in this degree; and I wonder other gentlemen do not
suspect, if I do not. From hence, therefore, I consider this as a
proposition both fallacious and unsafe; for though it be a fact, that
the same sum of money might maintain in Austria double the number of
troops; yet, if no more than half that money should be applied (as I
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