Thiswasthealmostunanimousfeelingofthecountry。ThetwoHousesofParliamentwerenotmorereasonable。BeforetheguiltoftheSouthSeadirectorswasknown，punishmentwastheonlycry。TheKing，inhisspeechfromthethrone，expressedhishopethattheywouldrememberthatalltheirprudence，temper，andresolutionwerenecessarytofindoutandapplytheproperremedyfortheirmisfortunes。Inthedebateontheanswertotheaddress，severalspeakersindulgedinthemostviolentinvectivesagainstthedirectorsoftheSouthSeaproject。TheLordMolesworthwasparticularlyvehement。“Ithadbeensaidbysome，thattherewasnolawtopunishthedirectorsoftheSouthSeaCompany，whowerejustlylookeduponastheauthorsofthepresentmisfortunesofthestate。Inhisopiniontheyought，uponthisoccasion，tofollowtheexampleoftheancientRomans，who，havingnolawagainstparricide，becausetheirlegislatorssupposednosoncouldbesounnaturallywickedastoembruehishandsinhisfather’sblood，madealawtopunishthisheinouscrimeassoonasitwascommitted。Theyadjudgedtheguiltywretchtobesowninasack，andthrownaliveintotheTyber。HelookeduponthecontriversandexecutorsofthevillanousSouthSeaschemeastheparricidesoftheircountry，andshouldbesatisfiedtoseethemtiedinlikemannerinsacks，andthrownintotheThames。“
Othermembersspokewithasmuchwantoftemperanddiscretion。Mr。
Walpolewasmoremoderate。Herecommendedthattheirfirstcareshouldbetorestorepubliccredit。“IfthecityofLondonwereonfire，allwisemenwouldaidinextinguishingtheflames，andpreventingthespreadoftheconflagrationbeforetheyinquiredaftertheincendiaries。Publiccredithadreceivedadangerouswound，andlaybleeding，andtheyoughttoapplyaspeedyremedytoit。Itwastimeenoughtopunishtheassassinafterwards。“Onthe9thofDecemberanaddress，inanswertohisMajesty’sspeech，wasagreedupon，afteranamendment，whichwascarriedwithoutadivision，thatwordsshouldbeaddedexpressiveofthedeterminationoftheHousenotonlytoseekaremedyforthenationaldistresses，buttopunishtheauthorsofthem。
Theinquiryproceededrapidly。ThedirectorswereorderedtolaybeforetheHouseafullaccountofalltheirproceedings。Resolutionswerepassedtotheeffectthatthecalamitywasmainlyowingtothevileartsofstockjobbers，andthatnothingcouldtendmoretothere-establishmentofpubliccreditthanalawtopreventthisinfamouspractice。Mr。Walpolethenrose，andsaid，that“ashehadpreviouslyhinted，hehadspentsometimeuponaschemeforrestoringpubliccredit，butthat，theexecutionofitdependinguponapositionwhichhadbeenlaiddownasfundamental，hethoughtitproper，beforeheopenedouthisscheme，tobeinformedwhetherhemightrelyuponthatfoundation。Itwas，whetherthesubscriptionofpublicdebtsandencumbrances，moneysubscriptions，andothercontracts，madewiththeSouthSeaCompanyshouldremaininthepresentstate？“Thisquestionoccasionedananimateddebate。Itwasfinallyagreed，byamajorityof259against117，thatallthesecontractsshouldremainintheirpresentstate，unlessalteredforthereliefoftheproprietorsbyageneralcourtoftheSouthSeaCompany，orsetasidebyduecourseoflaw。OnthefollowingdayMr。WalpolelaidbeforeacommitteeofthewholeHousehisschemefortherestorationofpubliccredit，whichwas，insubstance，toingraftninemillionsofSouthSeastockintotheBankofEngland，andthesamesumintotheEastIndiaCompany，uponcertainconditions。TheplanwasfavourablyreceivedbytheHouse。Aftersomefewobjections，itwasorderedthatproposalsshouldbereceivedfromthetwogreatcorporations。Theywerebothunwillingtolendtheiraid，andtheplanmetwithawarmbutfruitlessoppositionatthegeneralcourtssummonedforthepurposeofdeliberatinguponit。They，however，ultimatelyagreeduponthetermsonwhichtheywouldconsenttocirculatetheSouthSeabonds，andtheirreport，beingpresentedtothecommittee，abillwasbroughtin，underthesuperintendenceofMr。Walpole，andsafelycarriedthroughbothHousesofParliament。
Abillwasatthesametimebroughtin，forrestrainingtheSouthSeadirectors，governor，sub-governor，treasurer，cashier，andclerksfromleavingthekingdomforatwelvemonth，andfordiscoveringtheirestatesandeffects，andpreventingthemfromtransportingoralienatingthesame。AllthemostinfluentialmembersoftheHousesupportedthebill。Mr。Shippen，seeingMr。SecretaryCraggsinhisplace，andbelievingtheinjuriousrumoursthatwereafloatofthatminister’sconductintheSouthSeabusiness，determinedtotouchhimtothequick。Hesaid，hewasgladtoseeaBritishHouseofCommonsresumingitspristinevigourandspirit，andactingwithsomuchunanimityforthepublicgood。ItwasnecessarytosecurethepersonsandestatesoftheSouthSeadirectorsandtheirofficers；“but，“headded，lookingfixedlyatMr。Craggsashespoke，“therewereothermeninhighstation，whom，intime，hewouldnotbeafraidtoname，whowerenolessguiltythanthedirectors。“Mr。Craggsaroseingreatwrath，andsaid，thatiftheinnuendoweredirectedagainsthim，hewasreadytogivesatisfactiontoanymanwhoquestionedhim，eitherintheHouseoroutofit。Loudcriesoforderimmediatelyaroseoneveryside。InthemidstoftheuproarLordMolesworthgotup，andexpressedhiswonderattheboldnessofMr。CraggsinchallengingthewholeHouseofCommons。He，LordMolesworth，thoughsomewhatold，pastsixty，wouldanswerMr。CraggswhateverhehadtosayintheHouse，andhetrustedtherewereplentyofyoungmenbesidehim，whowouldnotbeafraidtolookMr。Craggsintheface，outoftheHouse。Thecriesoforderagainresoundedfromeveryside；themembersarosesimultaneously；everybodyseemedtobevociferatingatonce。TheSpeakerinvaincalledorder。Theconfusionlastedseveralminutes，duringwhichLordMolesworthandMr。Craggswerealmosttheonlymemberswhokepttheirseats。AtlastthecallforMr。CraggsbecamesoviolentthathethoughtpropertosubmittotheuniversalfeelingoftheHouse，andexplainhisunparliamentaryexpression。Hesaid，thatbygivingsatisfactiontotheimpugnersofhisconductinthatHouse，hedidnotmeanthathewouldfight，butthathewouldexplainhisconduct。Herethematterended，andtheHouseproceededtodebateinwhatmannertheyshouldconducttheirinquiryintotheaffairsoftheSouthSeaCompany，whetherinagrandoraselectcommittee。
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