some great calamity. The rage upon the acquittal of Mr. Stanhope had
grown to such a height that none could tell where it would have ended,
had Mr. Aislabie met with the like indulgence.

To increase the public satisfaction, Sir George Caswall, of the
firm of Turner, Caswall, & Co. was expelled the House on the following
day, and ordered to refund the sum of 250,000 pounds.

That part of the report of the Committee of Secrecy which related
to the Earl of Sunderland was next taken into consideration. Every
effort was made to clear his Lordship from the imputation. As the case
against him rested chiefly on the evidence extorted from Sir John
Blunt, great pains were taken to make it appear that Sir John's word
was not to be believed, especially in a matter affecting the honour of
a peer and privy councillor. All the friends of the ministry rallied
around the Earl, it being generally reported that a verdict of guilty
against him would bring a Tory ministry into power. He was eventually
acquitted, by a majority of 233 against 172; but the country was
convinced of his guilt. The greatest indignation was everywhere
expressed, and menacing mobs again assembled in London. Happily no
disturbances took place.

This was the day on which Mr. Craggs, the elder, expired. The
morrow had been appointed for the consideration of his case. It was
very generally believed that he had poisoned himself. It appeared,
however, that grief for the loss of his son, one of the Secretaries of
the Treasury, who had died five weeks previously of the small-pox,
preyed much on his mind. For this son, dearly beloved, he had been
amassing vast heaps of riches: he had been getting money, but not
honestly; and he for whose sake he had bartered his honour and sullied