Transcriber's Note
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"Upon the Whole, I will beg Leave to tell what is really my Opinion: Itis, that it be repealed absolutely, totally, and immediately."
A late celebrated Speech.
LONDON:
Printed for George Kearsly, in Ludgate-Street.
MDCCLXVII.
Gentlemen,
Perhaps there never was such a necessity, for an address to you upon thesubject of caution, since the East-India company was established, asat present.—Your great successes in India, have drawn upon you the envyof your own countrymen, as well as the other European powers; the greatincrease of your dividend, has alarmed the proprietors of other fundsfor their own property; the differences among yourselves, and your[Pg 2]fellow-proprietors, have furnished this envy, and these fears, with themeans perhaps of overturning your constitution.
Tho' I will not presume to determine, whence these differences arose, orwho have been to blame, that not being part of the present design, youwill agree with me they have drawn upon you the notice of thelegislature, and have produced an act of parliament, that affords eitherparty but little cause for rejoicing, however grateful it may be to thepublic. I must suppose you would wish to keep your golden fleece toyourselves—union among yourselves would have secured it—but yourdifferences have exasperated the watchful dragon, the guardian of thistreasure, and you now only hold it in participation—A strangeparticipation too, where the public is to receive four hundredthousand pounds, while you are to receive nothing—I saynothing—for I shall endeavour to prove you cannot make your dividendof 5l. per cent. due the 5th of last July, nor will you be able, as[Pg 3]things now stand, to declare the dividend of 5l. per cent. atChristmas next.
I am satisfied that such a consequence as this, will not be admittedwithout some proof; but I should conceive very little proof necessary,to awaken your caution, at the time you are going to pay the 5l. percent. dividend, if it is but hinted, that it cannot be done withoutincurring a danger of the censure of parliament. I presume only torecommend caution, but I will submit to your better judgments, thereasons which convince me, that while the late act of parliament, forregulating your dividends, remains in force, you canno