l-IIiSTORYi OF EUROPE.

its corporate capacity, and to ac- cept or rejeft the whole of its acts; that to accept of" part of the Com- pany’s propofals, reject the rell, and ingraft new propofals of its

-own upon thofe offered by the

‘Company; was to drop the idea of a treaty between parliament and a C0rpur3t€ body; and to dellzroy the charter rights of the Company.

._ It was alTerted, that all the late treaties between government and the Company, andparticularly the prefent, were in the highelt degree iniquitous on the fide ofthe former ; that the artifice, duplicity, and treachery ufed in conducting them, were as lhameful, as the terms were unfair, and the ultimate defigns wicked ;' and that if ever the Com- pany were before the Houfe, they had either been compelled there by yiolence,‘ circumvented by fraud, or impelled by menaces.

-~ - a - In fome time after, Apui 5th the following refolu- tions were moved, and carried by the miniller, viz.--“ That it is the

»opiniop__ of this Houfe, it will be tnore beneficial to the public, and the Eatt-lndiatCotnpanyg to 1e! the

territorial acquilitions remain in the pofliefiion of the Company for

a limited "time, not exceeding the

term of fix years, .to commence

from the agreement between the

public and the Company.”

l ‘,‘ That- no participation of profits afhall take place between the public

and the Company,‘ until after the

v prepayment of the 1,400,000]. ad-

yanced to the Company, and the. reduction ofthe Company's bond

- debt, to t,5“oo,oool.”---" That

after the payment of the loan ad- vanced to the Company, and the reduction of their bond debt to the

- futn fpecified, three fourths of the

[*99

net furplus profits of the Company at home, above the fem of eight per cent. upon their capital lloclt, {hall be paid into the Exchequer, for the ufe of the public, and the remaining one fourth fhall be fet apart, either for further reducing the ,Company’s bond debt, or for compoling a fund for the difxcharge of any. contingent exigenctes the Company may_labour under.”

The right of the llate to the ter- nritorial polTelhons was now inlilled upon; but that from motives of policy, expediency, and mutual advantage, it was thought better to wave that right for the prefent, and to liufier the Company to enjoy them for fome time longer; the limitation for fix years was account- ed for by the expiration of the Company’s charter, wlzich would take place in the year 1780.

The meafure of affuming and ef- tablifhing a right, without any legal decilion, or juridical difcuffion, or To much as hearing the party on the matter of his right, was, without quellion, a very extraordinary pro- ceeding. The other lide cried out, againllit ;' but in vain. It was to as little purpofe to declare, that the whole conduct with refpeft to the Company, was equally contradic- toryto every principle of general law, of equity, and of the_policy of nations, as it was impolitic, un- wife, and entirely repugnant to the letter as well as fpirit of tlze laws, to the liberties, and to the conltitution of this country. 'For what purpole, faid they, do you alTert this right, when in the very fame breath, you admit that it is not proper to exercife it ? Nobody was then contefiing it. It was no part ofany queflion then before the Houfe. If there was not lome.

['6] z finitter