On the tenth of December his speech was considered in a Committee of the whole House; and Harley came forward as the chief of the opposition.

He did not, like some hot headed men, among both the Whigs and the Tories, contend that there ought to be no regular soldiers.

But he maintained that it was unnecessary to keep up, after the peace of Ryswick, a larger force than had been kept up after the peace of Nimeguen.

He moved, therefore, that the military establishment should be reduced to what it had been in the year 1680.

The Ministers found that, on this occasion, neither their honest nor their dishonest supporters could be trusted.