Pitt. Immediately after his entrance into Parliament, his discussion
of the minister's important treaty of commerce, may be said to have
established his reputation, by the force of his eloquence, as well as by
the enlarged views which he seemed to have acquired of commercial
relations; which knowledge is more frequently the result of gradual
experience than of early attainment.
In these stormy times Mr. Grey ranked among the head and front of
contending politics. He was appointed one of the managers of that
magnificent political drama--the impeachment of Warren Hastings, when he
displayed great acumen in that part of the accusation termed the Benares
Charge.
In 1791, we find Mr. Grey taking the lead in a measure, which, in the
language of a great orator (Burke) "shed a lustre on the character and
humanity of the nation." The subject to which we allude, was the
melancholy situation of those who were unable to satisfy the demands of
importunate creditors, and consequently subjected to the operation of a
rigorous code of laws. His observation in moving for a parliamentary
committee to inquire into the present practice and effect of imprisonment
for debt is worthy of quotation: "it was desirable to distinguish the
unfortunate debtor from the knavish one, to place the creditor in that
situation which afforded the fairest and the speediest means of
compensation, and to regulate the jails of this country in such a manner
as to prevent unnecessary hardship and restraint.
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