Thus, my lords, it may be observed how quickly the clouds are dispersed
with which interest or perverseness have endeavoured to obscure the
truth, and how easily the strongest objections which the greatest
abilities could raise against this bill are confuted, or how apparently,
when they are closely examined, they confute themselves.
One of the objections that requires no answer is that which has been
raised with regard to the extent of the indemnity offered in the bill,
which, in the opinion of those that opposed it, ought to be restrained
to particular persons. But that it is chiefly, if not solely, intended
to be applied to those who have refused to answer the questions of the
committee, I believe every lord in this house is fully convinced; it
was, however, necessary to draw it up in general terms, lest other
artifices might have been employed, and lest, by pointing out particular
persons, opportunity might have been given to deprive the publick of
their evidence, by prevailing upon them to withdraw.
The bill was justly styled, by a noble lord, a bill to prevent _an
inquiry from being impossible_. The difficulty of inquiries for the
publick is well known; and the difficulty arises chiefly from the
inability of the people to reward their advocates, or their evidence.
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