Whetheritwasduringhiscareerinthiscapacitythathefirstbegantodeclaimagainsttheavariceofthegreat，wearenotinformed。Hecertainlymusthaveseenenoughofittojustifyhisseverestanathema；butifthepreacherhadhimselfbeenfreefromthevicehecondemned，hisdeclamationswouldhavehadabettereffect。HewasbroughtupincustodytothebaroftheHouseofLords，andunderwentalongexamination。Herefusedtoanswerseveralimportantquestions。
　　HesaidhehadbeenexaminedalreadybyacommitteeoftheHouseofCommons，andashedidnotrememberhisanswers，andmightcontradicthimself，herefusedtoanswerbeforeanothertribunal。Thisdeclaration，initselfanindirectproofofguilt，occasionedsomecommotionintheHouse。Hewasagainaskedperemptorilywhetherhehadeversoldanyportionofthestocktoanymemberoftheadministration，oranymemberofeitherHouseofParliament，tofacilitatethepassingofthehill。Heagaindeclinedtoanswer。Hewasanxious，hesaid，totreattheHousewithallpossiblerespect，buthethoughtithardtobecompelledtoaccusehimself。Afterseveralineffectualattemptstorefreshhismemory，hewasdirectedtowithdraw。Aviolentdiscussionensuedbetweenthefriendsandopponentsoftheministry。ItwasassertedthattheadministrationwerenostrangerstotheconvenienttaciturnityofSirJohnBlunt。TheDukeofWhartonmadeareflectionupontheEarlStanhope，whichthelatterwarmlyresented。Hespokeundergreatexcitement，andwithsuchvehemenceastocauseasuddendeterminationofbloodtothehead。HefelthimselfsoillthathewasobligedtoleavetheHouseandretiretohischamber。Hewascuppedimmediately，andalsoletbloodonthefollowingmorning，butwithslightrelief。Thefatalresultwasnotanticipated。Towardseveninghebecamedrowsy，andturninghimselfonhisface，expired。Thesuddendeathofthisstatesmancausedgreatgrieftothenation。GeorgeIwasexceedinglyaffected，andshuthimselfupforsomehoursinhiscloset，inconsolableforhisloss。
　　Knight，thetreasurerofthecompany，wasapprehendedatTirlemont，nearLiege，byoneofthesecretariesofMr。Leathes，theBritishresidentatBrussels，andlodgedinthecitadelofAntwerp。
　　RepeatedapplicationsweremadetothecourtofAustriatodeliverhimup，butinvain。KnightthrewhimselfupontheprotectionofthestatesofBrabant，anddemandedtobetriedinthatcountry。ItwasaprivilegegrantedtothestatesofBrabantbyoneofthearticlesoftheJoyeuseEntree，thateverycriminalapprehendedinthatcountryshouldbetriedinthatcountry。Thestatesinsistedontheirprivilege，andrefusedtodeliverKnighttotheBritishauthorities。
　　Thelatterdidnotceasetheirsolicitations；butinthemeantime，Knightescapedfromthecitadel。
　　Onthe16thofFebruarytheCommitteeofSecrecymadetheirfirstreporttotheHouse。Theystatedthattheirinquiryhadbeenattendedwithnumerousdifficultiesandembarrassments；everyonetheyhadexaminedhadendeavoured，asfarasinhimlay，todefeattheendsofjustice。Insomeofthebooksproducedbeforethem，falseandfictitiousentrieshadbeenmade；inothers，therewereentriesofmoney，withblanksforthenameofthestockholders。Therewerefrequenterasuresandalterations，andinsomeofthebooksleavesweretornout。Theyalsofoundthatsomebooksofgreatimportancehadbeendestroyedaltogether，andthatsomehadbeentakenawayorsecreted。Attheveryentranceintotheirinquiry，theyhadobservedthatthemattersreferredtothemwereofgreatvarietyandextent。
　　Manypersonshadbeenintrustedwithvariouspartsintheexecutionofthelaw，andundercolourthereofhadactedinanunwarrantablemanner，indisposingofthepropertiesofmanythousandsofpersons，amountingtomanymillionsofmoney。Theydiscoveredthat，beforetheSouthSeaActwaspassed，therewasanentryintheCompany’sbooksofthesumof1，259，325pounds，uponaccountofstockstatedtohavebeensoldtotheamountof574，500pounds。Thisstockwasallfictitious，andhadbeendisposedofwithaviewtopromotethepassingofthebill。Itwasnotedassoldatvariousdays，andatvariousprices，from150to325percent。Beingsurprisedtoseesolargeanaccountdisposedof，atatimewhentheCompanywerenotempoweredtoincreasetheircapital，thecommitteedeterminedtoinvestigatemostcarefullythewholetransaction。Thegovernor，sub-governor，andseveraldirectorswerebroughtbeforethem，andexaminedrigidly。Theyfoundthat，atthetimetheseentriesweremade，theCompanywasnotinpossessionofsuchaquantityofstock，havingintheirownrightonlyasmallquantity，notexceedingthirtythousandpoundsattheutmost。
　　Pursuingtheinquiry，theyfoundthatthisamountofstock，wastobeesteemedastakeninorholdenbytheCompany，forthebenefitofthepretendedpurchasers，althoughnomutualagreementwasmadeforitsdeliveryoracceptanceatanycertaintime。Nomoneywaspaiddown，noranydepositorsecuritywhatevergiventotheCompanybythesupposedpurchasers；sothatifthestockhadfallen，asmighthavebeenexpected，hadtheactnotpassed，theywouldhavesustainednoloss。If，onthecontrary，thepriceofstockadvancedasitactuallydidbythesuccessofthescheme，thedifferencebytheadvancedpricewastobemadegoodtothem。Accordingly，afterthepassingoftheact，theaccountofstockwasmadeupandadjustedwithMr。
　　Knight，andthepretendedpurchaserswerepaidthedifferenceoutoftheCompany’scash。Thisfictitiousstock，whichhadbeenchieflyatthedisposalofSirJohnBlunt，Mr。Gibbon，andMr。Knight，wasdistributedamongseveralmembersofthegovernmentandtheirconnexions，bywayofbribe，tofacilitatethepassingofthebill。TotheEarlofSunderlandwasassigned50，000poundsofthisstock；totheDuchessofKendal10，000pounds；totheCountessofPlaten10，000
　　pounds；tohertwonieces10，000pounds；toMr。SecretaryCraggs30，000pounds；toMr。CharlesStanhopeoneoftheSecretariesoftheTreasury10，000pounds；totheSwordbladeCompany50，000pounds。ItalsoappearedthatMr。Stanhopehadreceivedtheenormoussumof250，000poundsasthedifferenceinthepriceofsomestock，throughthehandsofTurner，Caswall，andCo。，butthathisnamehadbeenpartlyerasedfromtheirbooks，andalteredtoStangape。Aislabie，theChancelloroftheExchequer，hadmadeprofitsstillmoreabominable。
　　Hehadanaccountwiththesamefirm，whowerealsoSouthSeadirectors，totheamountof794，451pounds。Hehad，besides，advisedtheCompanytomaketheirsecondsubscriptiononemillionandahalf，insteadofamillion，bytheirownauthority，andwithoutanywarrant。
　　Thethirdsubscriptionhadbeenconductedinamannerasdisgraceful。
　　Mr。Aislabie’snamewasdownfor70，000pounds；Mr。Craggs，senior，for659，000pounds；theEarlofSunderland’sfor160，000pounds；andMr。Stanhopefor47，000pounds。Thisreportwassucceededbysixothers，lessimportant。Attheendofthelast，thecommitteedeclaredthattheabsenceofKnight，whohadbeenprincipallyintrusted，preventedthemfromcarryingontheirinquiries。
　　Thefirstreportwasorderedtobeprinted，andtakenintoconsiderationonthenextdaybutonesucceeding。Afteraveryangryandanimateddebate，aseriesofresolutionswereagreedto，condemnatoryoftheconductofthedirectors，ofthemembersoftheParliamentandoftheadministrationconcernedwiththem；anddeclaringthattheyought，eachandall，tomakesatisfactionoutoftheirownestatesfortheinjurytheyhaddonethepublic。Theirpracticesweredeclaredtobecorrupt，infamous，anddangerous；andabillwasorderedtobebroughtinforthereliefoftheunhappysufferers。
　　Mr。CharlesStanhopewasthefirstpersonbroughttoaccountforhisshareinthesetransactions。Heurgedinhisdefencethat，forsomeyearspast，hehadlodgedallthemoneyhewaspossessedofinMr。
　　Knight’shands，andwhateverstockMr。Knighthadtakeninforhim，hehadpaidavaluableconsiderationforit。AstothestockthathadbeenboughtforhimbyTurner，Caswall，andCo。heknewnothingaboutit。Whateverhadbeendoneinthatmatterwasdonewithouthisauthority，andhecouldnotberesponsibleforit。TurnerandCo。tookthelatterchargeuponthemselves，butitwasnotorioustoeveryunbiassedandunprejudicedpersonthatMr。Stanhopewasagainerofthe250，000poundswhichlayinthehandsofthatfirmtohiscredit。
　　Hewas，however，acquittedbyamajorityofthreeonly。Thegreatestexertionsweremadetoscreenhim。LordStanhope，thesonoftheEarlofChesterfield，wentroundtothewaveringmembers，usingalltheeloquencehewaspossessedoftoinducethemeithertovotefortheacquittalortoabsentthemselvesfromthehouse。Manyweak-headedcountry-gentlemenwereledastraybyhispersuasions，andtheresultwasasalreadystated。Theacquittalcausedthegreatestdiscontentthroughoutthecountry。MobsofamenacingcharacterassembledindifferentpartsofLondon；fearsofriotsweregenerallyentertained，especiallyastheexaminationofastillgreaterdelinquentwasexpectedbymanytohaveasimilartermination。Mr。Aislabie，whosehighofficeanddeepresponsibilitiesshouldhavekepthimhonest，evenhadnativeprinciplebeeninsufficient，wasveryjustlyregardedasperhapsthegreatestcriminalofall。HiscasewasenteredintoonthedaysucceedingtheacquittalofMr。Starthope。Greatexcitementprevailed，andthelobbiesandavenuesofthehousewerebesetbycrowds，impatienttoknowtheresult。Thedebatelastedthewholeday。
　　Mr。Aislabiefoundfewfriends:hisguiltwassoapparentandsoheinousthatnobodyhadcouragetostandupinhisfavour。Itwasfinallyresolved，withoutadissentientvoice，thatMr。AislabiehadencouragedandpromotedthedestructiveexecutionoftheSouthSeaschemewithaviewtohisownexorbitantprofit，andhadcombinedwiththedirectorsintheirperniciouspracticestotheruinofthepublictradeandcreditofthekingdom:thatheshouldforhisoffencesbeignominiouslyexpelledfromtheHouseofCommons，andcommittedacloseprisonertotheTowerofLondon；thatheshouldberestrainedfromgoingoutofthekingdomforawholeyear，ortilltheendofthenextsessionofParliament；andthatheshouldmakeoutacorrectaccountofallhisestate，inorderthatitmightbeappliedtothereliefofthosewhohadsufferedbyhismalpractices。
　　Thisverdictcausedthegreatestjoy。Thoughitwasdeliveredathalf-pasttwelveatnight，itsoonspreadoverthecity。Severalpersonsilluminatedtheirhousesintokenoftheirjoy。Onthefollowingday，whenMr。AislabiewasconveyedtotheTower，themobassembledonTower-hillwiththeintentionofhootingandpeltinghim。
　　Notsucceedinginthis，theykindledalargebonfire，anddancedarounditintheexuberanceoftheirdelight。Severalbonfiresweremadeinotherplaces；Londonpresentedtheappearanceofaholiday，andpeoplecongratulatedoneanotherasiftheyhadjustescapedfromsomegreatcalamity。TherageupontheacquittalofMr。Stanhopehadgrowntosuchaheightthatnonecouldtellwhereitwouldhaveended，hadMr。Aislabiemetwiththelikeindulgence。
　　Toincreasethepublicsatisfaction，SirGeorgeCaswall，ofthefirmofTurner，Caswall，&Co。wasexpelledtheHouseonthefollowingday，andorderedtorefundthesumof250，000pounds。