Se ee a Se ee Lea nner ee - ne +> and “ Pe. ie cr ew pee ; Jes . - * . ‘ . Ame - ES io a a an i i? LE ay Kis, Ba APES / 5 * oe ort *. wt a EY * nt po a ~ ’ < > a. ¥ * , i “x a Ste tae P — — - . cy ie e Mptor PS ee a es es = es, i. s Fe OT eee aa Age Ma ott - ? Ss > ia Md aye a : ashe ME POLE Si ghee a Oe -. v9 . > cra i. FF metic She artes — - 2 ; site ru ix (4 Ocae wk an Am A pa F -. fe 3 My, gt by 3 ely ; ase CM en a ae A Oe et Weed Bie ees To His Grace the D—— of N i. The Duty he owes himfelf, his King, his Country and his God, & fF £2 STP IMPORTANT MOMENT, re ee we Ut honefta in virtute ponantur, in vitiis turpia. Ct. LONDON: Printed for J. Morcan, in Paser-nofter Row. MDCCL VIL. Seve NM had oe ee bdo) Sa KL ERY. ea: GOR (0K) SES Cae ae e SOO OE IA IO TOO I : | A bP PaRapgeR To His Graces the D— of N———s, &&x. My L ORD, praia oie be E following Letter does not “i wait upon Your Grace to in- pt i treat ‘Favours, or. ‘to increafe Hf§ “Moe the Incence of your Adula- tion, too much of which, it is apprehend ed, has been already offered to your Shrine; it..takes its Origin from honett Motives, , and means to {peak Truth; it is founded on the Defire of ferving you, if you, pleafe, and'my Country, whether it pleafe you, or not. Without entering .into an intimate Difguifition .of your Ad————-n, it can fearce be denied, but that. it has been at- tended with melancholy :Conféquences to att B this “” (2) this People; the Treaties concluded in it have fhewn neither Knowledge in the In- -terefts of England, of Europe, nor of Hu- man Kind; it has been attended with end- lefs Expence, and incredible Increafe of Debts, during unfuccefsful Wars, unre- trieved in Times of perfect Tranquility : In Domettic Tranfactions Affairs have been equally unhappy; former P ts have been bought by Money, and fold for the fame Commodity; Trade has declined, Religion decayed, univerfal Corruption, and Profligacy of Manners, prevailed over al- - moft all Ranks of People; Men, a Scan- dal to Religion, have been exalted to the Mitre; Men, a Curfe to Human Nature, have held the higheft Seats in the Law; the ‘Natives are become Proftitates, and have loft their former Spirit; Merit has been depreffed, and Virtue unrewarded ; the Nation has been exhatrfted, almoft en. — flaved, and a general Contempt for Eng. land, her Politics, and Powers, has taken Place of Efteem in the Minds of all the Kings and Potentates of Europe. This ae (3) This even your Friends are obliged to acknowledge; and the whole Argument which they offer, to palliate the coming of thofe Evils at this peculiar Time is, that they took their Rife from the fingular Na-. ture of Affairs which then exifted, inevita- ble Circumftances of the Times ftrangely concurring to produce fuch Events, when ny; Your Grace entered upon the Ad and that the prefent calamitous Views of _ Things is nothing more than the Confe- "quence of that Rattennefs and Diffolution which have naturally attended all. political as well as material Bodies, unaccompa- nied with any Inclination in. you to in- duce or haften the Approach of that Ruin which now ftares us in the Face, and haunts the public Apprehenfion. My Sentiments, my Lord, though.they by no Means tally with thofe of your Abet- tors juft mentioned, I mean not, at this Time, to bring before you, nor the Pec ple, nor affign any Reafons for this Diffe- Be renc® ( 4) rence in Opinion from your Friends, but haften to explain the true Caufe of prefent- ing Your Grace with this Epiftle. Whether it be true, or falfe, that the Conditions of the Times, and Laws of _ Nature, unaflifted by your Grace, have brought us to our prefent deprefled and contemptible Situation; certain it is, they now offer You an Occafion of reinitating, in a great Meafure, the Advantages we have loft, and of regaining by a proper Intervention, a Reputation and Character which have been too long declining in the popular Opinion of this Realm, and all others; a Happinefs which feldom attends the Retirement or Difmiffion of M rs, whofe Condué& has forbidden their being Favourites of their Fellow Subjects. This Opportunity of regaining and efta. blifhing Applaufe, and even Efteem, is at- tended with no Difficulty in carrying into Action, it relates not to making new Trea- tles i= (5) ties, diffolving old; fitting out, or deftin- ing Expeditions by Land or_ Sea; it is not to recover Minorca, or even preferve Ameri- ca, much lefs to perfuade you once more to become the Af/as of the State, and return to the Condué of National TranfaGions : It is a Bufinefs to which you are equal ; and if you are of upright Heart, which you cannot refufe, it mu/t confer Honour on Yourfelf, and Succef$ to Your Country, if rightly put in Execution, and may brin Ruin to both, if you decline appearing in the Caufe. In fhort, it is Virtue which loudly fummons you to this Undertaking, and the Seduction of Vice.can only fafci- nate and withhold you from)it. What I mean, My Lord, is the pres ferving the Conftitution of the Realm, an Object of. more Importance to this People and your Succeffors than the Ac- guifition or Lofs of any Territories upon the Globe. The (6) The Abrogation of our Rights and Pri- vileges contained in the Bill of Rights and Act of Settlement, by the enacting fubfequent Laws is too manifeft to be de- nied, and is a fhameful Reproach on all who declare themfelves the Friends of the Revolution, becaufe by thofe abrogating A&s they have undone what they ap- prove, and whilft they pretend to be Lov- ers of Liberty reftored, are fixing that ar- bitrary Power which ‘Yames was exiled for attempting to bring upon us. “If Your Grace, in the Sunbeams of Power, has been heated on to contri- bute to the ripening thofe Evils: In the Shade of cooler Hours and grey Hairs, it 1s your Duty to remove them, and re- | inftate the Conftitution. This the hone Part of England expects from your Hands. {It would be unpardonable in me to fut pe&t Your Grace is not convinced that this f= \ aac aaa (7) this exhaufted Nation has already done too much for ungrateful Germans, During Half a Century we have been fighting the i Battles of HH r and paying the Troops of that Ele——te for combating in Defence of their and their Prince’s Dominions ; an Inftance which no Time nor Hiftory has yet afforded to the World. The Ele-—r during thefe Seafons of War, - againft and in Defence of his Dominions, . has been growing immenfely rich, even by Means of Hioftilities, which in general impoverifh all other States: He has faved his El al Revenues by ot paying his Armies, whichin Time of Peace he was obliged to, and this Nation has been almoft beggar’d by finding Money to maintain and pay not only the E1——al Troops, which were waging War for their own Territo- ries, but endlefs other Mercenary G ns, and our own Soldiery to the Bargain. Thus ‘War has been the Harveft-Home of all thofe Princes Hirelings in their own De- | fence (8) fence and Préfervation, and the Source of Dearth and ‘Poverty to England only. ~ Thus H-—* ‘enrich’d has faved Twen- ty Millions Sterling, in fighting for her- felf, ‘whilft we have incurred a Debt of Fifty Millions, perhaps even the whole Ninety-four, to fuftain her ‘Coi-and une do ‘6urfelvés. Sach are ‘the Effeats of our Alliances, fuch have been ‘our ‘Auxitia- ties, ‘who ifideed in one Senfe have ‘greatly affifted us, in getting rid ‘of our Treafure and wafting Eb Blood in G——a Service. ‘My bord, however extenfive you may conceive your Duty to be towards your Pritice, permit me to ‘fay it is infinitely more towards your Country, let your De- fire to fopport-him be-ever fo ardent and intenfe, it ought ftill to be inferier to that of fupporting the Con/titution which con- tains his Majefty and the; whole People. The moft auguit Cefar on the Globe, when f= \ (9) when King of thofe Realms, makes but 4 third Part of the Government of this Land, No King can juftly claim an Obligation on the Servants of the Public to a@ in Favour of him and againtt the Interefts of the People, nor can a M——+r comply with fuch Requefts without violating the Public Truft and deferving condi. Pu- nifhment ; fhould an E——/b M thei at any Time in Complaifance to, i Elector of H ” bring Ruin upon this People, wauld he.not merit every De= gree of Torture practifed on Damien the Affaffin, for at the fame Time betraying: the King of thofe once refpected Realms; and his Subjects to the Intrigues and In» terefts of a petty P——e of Germany. My Lord, I J gladly know if it. is not the Duty of every M——+ in Eng- land to have eternally before his Eyes, that the King of G——t B- —N and Elector of H r are ftill as feparate mg C Powers ( 10 ) Powers as if they were ‘not united under one individual - Man? Ts he not indifpen- fibly obliged forever to confider them in that Light i in conduéting all national Tran- factions § y Can Union of Perfon make an Union ‘of Power according to this Con- ftitution, can it ever make a Union of In- terefts ?. Much lefs can it oblige this King- dom to be iihverted” in Defence of that Electorate, and in this. Way I am. warrant- ed to think, from. the very Act of Settle- ment which pofitively pronounces::. ‘ That «© in-Cafe.the Crown and Imperial Dig- nity. of this Realm. fhall hereafter come “ to any. Perfon, not» being a Native of “¢ this Kingdom of England, this Nation « be -not obliged to engage in any War << for the Defence _ of any Dominions or ‘are’ true Lovers of their Country, over whofe dying Condition Iam inform’d you are much fubject to weep. Extend . your Hand and fave that which Tears cannot afift, You cannot be infenfible to the Ap- plaufe which the Approbation of a whole Nation beftows on an Individual, _of what- ever Rank, nor inattentive to the fingular : Felicity. which you now poflefs of pers ng; perhaps wine — ~ gat | _ Men, My Lord, ai been: icdined to compare your Grace, with thofe who have been your Fellow-Labourers in the Nati- en’s Vineyard, and believe that . their Wine - Prefles have foamed with. more Juice then. your’s, that their Caves are bet- ter. ftock’d with Wine than thofe which belong f= (33) belong to Your Grace, and that the publick Comfort has been transferred to their pri- vate Emolument. ~ If they are inclined to think that the Luft of Power and Attempts of preferving it may have led you into fatal Miftakes, they are inclined to acquit you alfo of the Lujt of Wealth, and being wickedly influenced by Avarice to undo your Country. If they think Your Grace has liften’d to the ruin- ous Advice of defigning Men,. given to forward their Interetts, unregarding what might be the Event of it.to your Fame and Welfare: ‘They are inclined in like - Manner to believe you neither penetrated their Intentions, nor forefaw the Ruin which they were haftening on: And that ‘Affairs have proceeded to this fatal Fx- tremity, in Confequence of Caufes dif- guifed from your Comprehenfion. -In Fact, My Lord, the World is ftrangely inclined to think well of your Heart whatever it~ may of your Underftanding. | ‘de C14) To be the leaft Criminal is no fmall de- gree of Merit, and tho’ Errors in Judge- ment may be a painful Reflection to Men once occupied in public Affairs, and dead- ly if imagined in the Condué of an Ad- miral, yet the Delire of defeating Wrong by the Re-eftablifhment of Right, . can greatly extenuate the Cenfure which at- tends every Mif-carriage, and footh a Eo- fomto a {weet Tranquility. Where that Reétitude. prefides which Heaven: has for- bidden to be tafted by Men of wicked In- tentions, however fuperiot they may be in Intellect. “Hence, my Lord, it becomes your ‘Intereft, nay a Proof of Wi ifdom to be- lieve you have been. formerly mifguided, and by indulging this prevailing Inclination of the People in Favour of your Heart to exert every Power to fave this Land from that Perdition which, within and ‘without, threatens its total Deftruction. WS OF eet ~ re . c : ty? 2 -yeased ne steers WZ aia? at Vere "2 » I¢ om (is) Tt is the Remark, My Lord, of a Man who tho’ by Fortune limited to the low Condition of a Player might have fhone in the exalted Situation of a Statefman, who perhaps has exceeded all Men in the Knowledge of Mankind ‘and the various Viciffitudes which attend our Exiftence, He fays, There is:a Tide in the Affairs of Men, Which taken at the Flood, leads on to Fortune. Omitted, all the Voyage of their Life _ Is bound in Shallows and in Miferies : -/On-fuch a full Sea are’ you now afloat. = And yeu muft take the Current when it ferves, Or clofe Bret Ventures. } In this Situation it appears. to me Your Grace is placed at Prefent, and much, it behoves you to derive ¢rue Honor, to your- felf, and diftribute.rea/ Service to. your — Country from it. You who have prefided at the Helm whilft Calamities, like.gather- ing Night on_.all Sides, have blackened the fair Face of this once {plendid Kingdom. ~ Permit (16 ) Permit me, my. Lord, to lay before You what the Power of preferving this Peo- ale farther confifts, # 7s doing honeftly. The Duty of Man to Man in private Life, and infinitely more fo from an Individual to the whole Community. go Grace can now fio longer be un- convinced that the late unfortunate Admi- ‘ral has fallen a Victim to malicious and po- pular Outrage, and the Security of his Enemies; the Nation is affured You can- not be unacquainted with the: very Men who were the ole Caufe of lofing Minorca; they are, however, inclined to acquit You from fhareing in the Purchafe which gave it to the French, betrayed the Caufe of our King and Country, and police the Com- merce of the Mediterranean.” “Whoever aia are, my Lord, ie Nations demands them to ‘Juftice; they perceive too late, that they were deluded to facri- ae ae fe) (17) fice Mr. Byng, by popular Clamour : They have added this Refentment to that which was due to their domeftic Enemies, for the betraying their Country; and that Storm of popular Difcontent and Commo- tion, which overfet the Admiral with its Violence, is again gathering to blow with greater Fury on thofe who have plann’d and accomplifhed his, and almoft the Na- tion’s Ruin. A Compact to fupport fuch Men, My Lord, would be fatally to liften once more to thofe who have already led you into Error: Will it not expofe you to the Ef- fects of that Mifchief which they have per- petrated, and to that Fate which every 4o- neft Englifhman implores the Heayens to fhower down upon them? Will it not pre- clude you forever from that Good-qwill which your Fellow Subjects are inclined to afford You, and link you to Crimes of which you may not be guilty? thefe, my Lord, are Objects worthy the moft ferious Confideration, D My (18 5 bf My haded: permit me to fay, no Vow to protect fuch Men,’ ‘before the Eyes of the © All-rigeneoul, can be obligatory; ; your Doty to your King, your Country, and your God oppofe it. Even Oaths, which are taken to preferve fuch Compacts, are broken by the very Nature of ‘the Obliga~ tion, Contrary to the Oath of Allegiance, which you have fo often fworn, and all the firft Principles of Society and public Jattice, ‘though you fhould inadvertently “have fworn to protect a Man i in every Ac- tion, would you prefume it by conceal- ing him,’ fhould ‘he turn Affaffin, ahd fab your Sovereign ? Will you then offer an Aylin” to that ‘who have dtiven ‘their one Se finiotente to a ee of ruinine ‘their Country? My Lord, fuch: A@ions would be too criminal to be pardoned, : and above a all TO biigatien of Word ¢ or ‘Oath, tee (19 } __ My Lotd, the Nation now Calls fue an undifguifed Examination. into the Actions of thefe Men, and may the God of all, in Compaffion to our Miferies, and j in Juftice to the Iniquitous, » grant this: Voice may never more be ftilled, ’till the Demand ig heard and complied with, There is a Bs Circuinidaree > arbi attends Your Lordfhip’s Refignation, which feldom accompanies the M——r of the Public. A Set: of Men, _fathionably di- {tinguifhed by the Name of your Friends, who, advanced by your Intereft:to Place, Profit, Power, and Titles, have toollong, and too. f{hamefully- conceived that they owe a Duty to You, fuperior to that which is due to their Country; thefe Men; your Grace muft know it; You have Power 'to influence, though, without Yiu, Juttice and.Truth may not. By Means of their Affiftance, a. fatisfactory Enquiry may be accomplifhed on‘all who are now fufpedted ori D 2 is ( 20 ) to have chiefly confpired their Country’s Ruin. Thefe Men, fubject to your Di- rection, the Nation thinks it is your Du- ty to engage, once in their Lives at leaft, to ferve their Country, and exert every Faculty to difcover and extirpate the Ene- mies of England. Your Grace will be pleafed to- reflec al- fo, that thould thofe Men, whom the Na- tion is convinced are her Enemies, be, in your Opinion, if not the Friends, nor guilty of deftroying their Country, -it then becomes.an, Obligation on you, for their Sakes, and for the exculpating them, to bring their Tranfactions to a fair Enquiry, You muft otherwife. compleat. the Hiftory of your Life with the Imputation of being equally criminal, and. confcioufly guilty ; - Difquietude and Woe will be the infepa- rable Companions of your Days. Under fuch Conditions, the Woods. of Ct; can afford no Shade, the Lawns-no Ver- dure, the Water fhall lofe its liquid Luftre, the f=) ( 21-) the Flowers and Shrubs bloom in vain, and yield no Perfume; each Object of cach Senfe be divefted of all Power of pleafing ; Retirement fhall be haunted by Remorfe, and Company infect you with: Difcontent and Anxietude ; every cafual Word i in Dif- courfe, Guilt, England, Ruin, and others of fimilar Signification, fhall~ be indued with Powers of conjuring up Horrors to your Soul, from which You cannot fly ; and all Nature be converted into one Con- eee againtt you. Such are the Sio- affift in bringing Weds to Miles, Site have undong your Country. — For, certain it is, that the Man who prevents, or, oppofes a Nation from fearching into, ‘the Caufes ‘of their Ruin, will, in the: Eye of ‘Heaven and, Earth, be deemed an Accomplice with thofe who have committed that Crime, and precluded that Heart-felt Quiet which is always, fooner or later, , bartered with fincere Afili€tion for the Power of suling, betraying, enriching, and ennobling them- felves and their Pofterity. With- , & { 22) Without comanine a fall Examination into the Caufes of the Miferies brought up- on us by thofe Men who have likewife fe- duced you, and well nigh fubverted the Kingdom,-- Without promoting the Efs fects of Juftice,.; the World will conclude you alike, the Enemy of your Country-by Inclination, as by Error in Judgement ; but in adding your Influence to the Peo- ple’s Paffion after Truth and Equity, you have it in your Power to live with Ap- plaufe and Happinefs, ang meet Death without Drea ad | and ¢ Confternation 938 Cir- cumftance to be envied by Kings, whofe Lives, in public and j in Private Tranfac- tions, have been attended with Fraud and Rapine ;. Will 5 you then decline this Feli- city, and complete your Days i in Detefta- tion, which shave hitherto been paft in Contempt? ee | “Th thus endeavouring to animate Your race to permit the Breath of Juftice to, _pafold - yo Be —* & is (23) tinfold the Bloffoms of Tniquity, I mean fot fo incité’an officiots Forwardnefs to rex véal all the Secrets with which you are ace quainted, relative to our Undoing, much lefs to refufe, when afked, whatever may tend to the Difcovery of, Truth,» and-the Refrorsian of National Felicity. 3 =) : “The Gift will wcnatt the Air of an In: former, detefted by-Heaven and Mankind, the other, of concealing Truth to the Pre- judice of Juftice.. Stand, aloof then, give your Friends: cand the Public, the Ingui- fitive .and, Honeft, full Scope to -operate and difentangle the Perplexities in which we are involyed,, that a Path may be fair ly. opened -which may lead to punith the Guilty, who have loft. Minorca, and funk the Glory of the Crown:and- Nation.’ All that is required is full Power to unravel Falfehood, put: Juitice in. “Execution, and mot deny, the:Means to. fave-the Nation, This every Englifhman-has-a Right to de _aand, this you have the Power and Op- portunity (24) portunity of granting, and from it you - eannot be excufed, without forfeiting the mot delectable of all States, living and dying efteemed se your Fellow-Subjects. slp baiable as it muft appear to Your Grace, to call’ to Juftice, thofe who have involved their Country in almoft infup- portable Calamities. Neceflary as it is to warn the rifing Ambition of the Forward, from daring to poftpone the Nation’s Welfare to their private ‘Advantages. There arc, My, Lord, befides thefe, Af fairs of the sutmoft | Importance, which demand the Affiftance of all Men not dead to the Profperity of ‘England, and who ‘think the Liberties which they have derived from Heaven and their Anceftors, | worth: — On: | ‘The “cD ieeifion of the taft M r, and the Apprehenfions of him’ who is to fucceed him, engage the Sentiments of all Hearts, fe) (25 ) Hearts, the Thoughts of all Undérftands ings and Converfation of all Tongues, the different Defigns and Difpofitions of him who-has been difmiffed'and of him who has ‘been. received, cannot be unknown to Your Grace, and ought to animate: you with the ftrongeft Dread of approaching» Diffolution to this Conftitution. The Taint ~ which has long infected this Government feems now becoming a general Mortifica- tion; and Freedom feems expiring on her Ditaiti ea hitte, geogh 23. saoil ¢ * - - . 2 ° “t-4 - ’ Se aad PPTs Sar aistt ns hese The true Caufes of this Change, in, like Manner you can be no Stranger to: You know that. one is refolved to put. nothing in Execution, which does. not tend to promote the Intereft and Honor. of the Nation, and re-eftablith her Cre- dit and Conftitution, He has nobly oppo- fed the raifing Money and fending Troops to defend Hr, to pillage and leave. this kingdom undefended from her Ene-, mies: He has begun to eradicate the Pett E of ( 26) of Placemen, difappoint the Tricks of Change-Alley Jews and Money-Brokers : He has preferred the Good of England to all Confiderations of obtaining Power by depreffing his Fellow-Subjects. The Friend of Mercy and of Truth. 5 The other, refolute in mi(chief, deter= Effort hibreset | pernicious to the aie to agerandize himfelf and Family : : To raife Millions to be fpent, and Armies, to be flaughtered in Defence of H r: To leave this Land naked and expofed, to rifque every ‘defperate Attempt which can bear him in Triumph, through the Blood and. over the Spoils and Ruins of his Coun- try, y Seige remorfe or Feeling. Sangui- nary and rapacious. Thofe are the true Diftinctions which chara¢terife thofe Men: Who then when fuch is the Choice can _ delay a Moment from attempting the Re- moval of the latter >? What is deferting the Caufe of the laft M——r but re- houacing AG ( 27 ) nouncing the Welfare of this Land, _ by leaving unfuftained all that is honeft and valuable in the Man determined to fave or fink with his Country’s Freedom ? What is fupporting the Intereft. of the latter but uniting with~every Inclination to undo and prevent the Power of reftore- ing this Kingdom to its. wonted Felici- ty, what is it but giving up the People to the Hands of their Deftroyer? If Your Grace fupports the firft you eftablith the growing Opinion of a good Heart: If you decline to interfere in the Caufe of either, you manifeft an Indiffe- rence to the Good" of that Country which has given you Being, and to which you are indebted for all that is dear to Man ;: : If you combine with the latter you at- tempt to rivet the Chains of Englifhmen. The People will behold themfelves mifta- ken in their Opinion, and hold your Head, and Ficste 4 in one utter Abhorience. _ & 2. alécd \ ( 28 ) ~ Added to thefe Confiderations of 4 public Nature, the Manner in which. he has not long fince treated Your Grace muft naturally.excite an Averfion to fup= 4 , . : 2 r ' : ° oe . port him. My Lord, the Motives in this Man to.. fupplant ,Y our, Grace, are_of.a Nature totally difting from thofe in Mr, Pitt: The latter oppofed your Ad———n Beeaufe he was ‘convinced, it. wasideftruce tive to the Nation, and not. frota perfonal Hl-will. The former from Hate to you, @ > > j ad i » he ° « . is ho impeded his precipitate Flight to fuc- rand tin B— nd, “The Mo. cour H7—— 7 ‘ois Set iz ! tives of the laft Secretary are fuch, though Our Ct 331 the Id diff es eo, s yout Grace fhould differ in Opinion with (ROI? PE FO , | | him refpecting your own Condud, as mut ¢ 59 prt til €74 s4a tS ?. ad Z ‘ appear honeit and amiable-even, in your Eyes, thofe of the, new Man odious in. the lait Degree, becaufe equally-defigned againgh ‘You.and the publick. Gogd. You mutt be perfeétly convinced th : | baked stad ion (eco AOBh ARS xtrne Cartes of this Man’s, once. tefigning the ‘Seals, proceeded from the Malice of fupplant. bobbR co ing 4 { 29 ) Xee ing you and re-eftablithing himfelf: He had conceived that during the popular Out-cry onthe Lof® of M ——¢a, and being ‘deferted by him, that your natural Timidity would fhake you from the Con- duct of the Helm : He'believed in Con- {equence of this and the pernicious Con- nexions which he had made, that he muft return to Power unchecked in his Det figns of Mifchief.° He'concluded alo that Mr. Patt, the Friend of England,’ whofe Power of Eloquence had truly ftated the miferable: Dependence which this Nation was under°to the Views of [j/————r, andthe Ruin which had and muft enfue, could never be near the Perfon of His M y> and at the Head of public Ad. —n. But he concluded ‘amifs, Virtue, ‘Thtegiity and Underftanding -were then deemed neceffary to aflift a deluded and miftaken , and fave a fink- ing Nation : And in this Manner the Ho- Aéft’ and Intelligent fill perfitt to think, firmly ‘convinced that infinite Sufferings - ~~” and \ 4 6 3° ) ‘and AffiGion muft follow his. Difmiffion. Reftore, reftore the Friend of Liberty and England is the univerfal Cry of all true Engli ifhmen, and will, My Lord, at no long Diftance, fhould this Demand be uncompli- ed with, be their univerfal Endeavour. Doea Your Grace believe this People is more de- generate, more funk in Sloth and Effemi- nacy than the Genoc/e, who by one ims mortal Refolution to live or die their own Matters, fhake off the Yoke of German Sla- very, : Thus, My Lord, the Senfe of private fnjury, added te the Conviction you muft be under, of this. zew Man’s Defigns a- wainft this Country, equally unite to ani- mate your Soul to oppofe him, and fave your native Land; and, in accomplifhing his Downfal, your Friends become the Friends of Liberty and England, ‘There is a Phrafe, My Lord, which feems to have gained upon the Underftand- | ing fe {31 ) ing of the World, and obtained the Weight. of a felf-evident Truth," that Government muft not be obftruéted.. And thence it" has, for a long Series of Years, too generally énfued, that every Thing has been done for every Ad————A, till the lat, , whofe Pewerdid not extend, to the: making la Member of Parliament, for they were. vit= tuous. Should this fallacious Phrafe pre- vail’ upon Your Grace, induce you to believe that the Word Government means the carrying of the National Affairs wrong as welk as right, and that, this is ferving His M——fty, will you not be miftaken im this Opinion? Can Government confift- ently mean any Thing but the Nation's Welfare? And can this be repugnant to. the Intereft of an Engli/b King ? Should you and your Friends contribute to raife Money wander this deceitful and deftructive, No- tion, will it not be combineing with the Enemies. of this Conftitution, fupporting them, and ruining the People? or how fhall Iniquity be. sermgved. from, before our Ae S.A, ¢ (32 ) S-——~ n, if accedeing to the levying im-, menfe Taxes, you place them:in Security, by putting it out of your Power to-diftrefs them, and fave a Nation? tall Let mé intreat Your Grace to-refletone Moment, that granting Movey, is dite. arming yourfelf and Fellow Subjééts; no Duty can require it, becaufe, contrary to the public Weal, in this Inftance it tends to enflave and ruin you and the Community,” There is a Man, My Lord, of Fiend- like Face, whofe meagre Body contains a Soul moft horrid; Confcience forbids his growing fat, or tafting Reft; bufy to bring the like Horrors on the Minds of others, which are infeparable from his own; Se- dudtion is his great Delight; an Orator without Argument, an Advocate that Je- trays, a Reprefentative who loves not Eng. land, a Man divefted of Humanity; in eternal Warfare againft Truth and Integri- ‘ty; the Honeft he feducess he pimps mi- | - nifterially. SN (33 ) nifterially for the Iniquitous, and feeks the Ruin of England, and his own: Exaltation ; alike in private as in public Life detefted ; without one Virtue to countervail hisVices’;, an Ageregaté of Iniquity, which Heaven has only permitted to exift, ‘to: make Vice: thoroughly detefted; whofe Tongue, that flagrant Rag of Scutrility, can alone traly defcribe the infernal Qualifications of its Owner, becaufe only acquainted withthe proper Language to exprefs his ‘Demerits; if but one whole Hour it could refrain from lying, to {peak Truth. | sod oon d 6 wor Svat SVE This Man’s long Nofe Your,Grace wilk do extremely well to keep’ from coming Acar your Wig, otherwile, like Satan vat the Ear of Eve, he may tetapt you to tafte forbidden Fruit;’ and be expelled the Pa- radice of public Approbation, from which you are, at weer! "Rot — to enter. SEs dyn My 7 (24) My Lord, the vifible Connexions of that Man, againft whom it is neceflary you ap- pear, is another Caufe of Terror, and Rea- fon for exerting every Effort to oppofe him and his Meafures, | T need not tell Your Grace, that it is manifeftly your Duty to preferve the Throne in the Lineal Succeflion of the prefent Fa- -mily, and feclude, with every iad all Pretenders to the Crown, We have now a Prince born in England, whofe indifputed Right it is to fucceed his Grandfather, when Heaven, in Reward of his parental Affection to his Englifh Sub. jects, fhall take him to the Manfions of Eternal Blifs... His Succeflion to thefe Realms it is the indifpenfible Obligation of every Englifhman to preferve; the Duty. you owe your S——n at prefent, is due, in an inferior Degree to the Heir Appa- sent ; and though a ‘War with France and foreign jE) (35) foreign Enemies could not have beefi pres vented, you will certainly refift‘all Proba« bility of creating Inteftine and Civil Wars,’ and deluging this Land with its native Blood, which has already been too much’ lavifhed on fuch unnatural Oceafions. Let me then afk Your Grace, what can fo ef- feétually promote Civil Commotions as the dreaded Proceedings of this mew Man? Will the People fee a Subje@ born of the meaneft Parentage, nurtured in the moft luxuriant Vice, enterprizing and iniqui- tous, unattended with every F aculty to fave,’ and only daring to deftroy the State; called to the Head of publick Ad———n? Will he be permitted Pillageing to fupport, and: Slaughtering to defend the Properties of German Princes, in the Lofs of whofe Do- minions this Nation can only have an Intt-' reft? My Lord, you deceive yourfelf, if you think in that Way. Difcontent is already the Confequence,’ and Oppofition muft follow; Engli/bmen F 2 will ZT will not be enflaved, by the. Audacity of a Man. below them in: Birth, Antegrity, Un- derftanding; | and Good- will, to his-. ‘Coun- try; which alone ought t to. prefer one: Indi- vidual to another, in. this Conftitution, and in Nature. _My Lord, Mis not the Purfuits ‘wehichs he has already entered upon, if they are, not. defeated; prove fatal to the Lineal Suc- ceflor of His prefent, moff. graciqus M—y ? May. it not fill the Land with Deyatftation, and Mourning? Is he not convinced, that daring fuddenly to effe@ his.Purpofes, can, only fecure him in Power and Poffeffions , that. Delay muft bring Ruin: on him, and on his Connexions? What haye not you, and, this; Country, Caufe to. apprehend, from: fach,. A, adidas and audacious Spin 6% My Lord, I pretend not to have penes trated | the Motives, torhis AGions fo clearly, aS, tO: wear, he intends promoting the Inte~ 48 vd & 4 reft ( (- 37. ). reft. of the Pretender to. the Throne, «I; dread that his effervefcent. Paffions, - and,. arrogant Nature, may terminate in produ-_ cing fuch Evils to this Land: Nor can 1 believe, though it is univerfally reported, that he conceives the Army will {upport, him in his Attemiite. ne en ves § | The Military of this Realm is. coma, pofed of Men who have much to lofe,, and who love. their Country. ‘My Lord, will an Exnglifh Soldier bear »Arms_ in Defence of a Man who is abhorred. by, the Heir apparent to the Crown of thofe Realms? whofe Defgns are confidered as_ tending to alicenete the Hearts of thofe who: hope better Times from the Accef= fion of the Prince of Wales to the Throne ; and is therefore believed averfe to the Ho- nor of the Crown and Profperity of the Community? Will En:/ifomen, becaufe inlifted in a Millitary Service, paid. by their Country, drench their. Swords. in Enghfh Blood, to make their Fellow-Sub- jects (38) jects Slaves. Though the City be fur- ‘rounded with Thoufands of armed Men, and filled with Barracks of Soldiers, the Confidence of that mew Man that they. will fupport a Military Government is without Foundation: The Army knows that enflaving England they enflave them- felves: That all Choice of enlifting, or not, will be then taken away and added to the hard Condition which they now un-. dergo of being bound to ferve, till ren- dered ufclefs by Age, they are difcharged to ftarve: Each will be commanded to take up Arms and dare not hefitate to obey. They muft then quit Country, Fa- mily and Friends, to fight the Battles of Foreign Princes, be fold like hireling Ger- mans, and die to enrich the Soil by their Blood, which has already. exhaufted them of their Treafure. They know the: Va- hue of. Liberty, and that it is- the Duty of every Englifhman to defend His M—~y, this Ifland and the Territories which be- long thereto, till they have waited their laft ( 39.) laft_ Drop of Blood in that Service, But they think that neither Honor nor Al- legiance oblige them to protect the Do- minions of Foreign Princes, which by having fo long been the Sepulchre of their Lives and Fortunes, are in reality the moft implacable and infatiate of all the Enemies of this Land. nand H SES Difcipline over their Soldiers has fixt in the Bofoms of the E——/b Army a Re- folution to be free. They have furvey’d with Abhorrence Men, like themfelves, treated like Dogs, and cudgeled every Mo- ment at the Will of a petty Officer: They know this is the illiberal Effect of Ger- man Slavery, and muft be of Eagii/h, if that Curfe fhall ever arrive in this Land, and Feeling the Ignominy of that State have re- olved to continue free, and preferve the Nation’s Freedom alfo. They know theit Duty to their King is great, to the Con- ftitution, and their Country greater, they are f Believe me, H~-~ oe C49 ) vre refolved the Crown fhall defcend on the Head of the Prince of Wales, and abominate all ‘who may think to prevent it as well as-tefolved to fruftrate the Yntent of ‘thofe who defign Iniquity againft this ‘Kingdom. Should then a Man {furrounded by the moft impious, profligate, and bloody- minded Men that any Age: has produced fince the Confpiracy of Catdline againtt his Country, fupported by the- Neceffi- fous, whofe fole Reliance for Bread, is living on the Spoils and Plunder of the Nation, whofe only Merit is daring Mif- chief animated by Vice defpifing the God of our Religion, fearing nothing but the Lofs of Power and the Nation’s Welfare, be unknowing of his Enormities entruf- ted ‘with the public A—m—--n, and Your Grace and your Friends be the fi- lent and unactive Beholders of fuch Tran- factions, what would be your Ctimes and the Peoples Miferies? Shall Millions be (41 ) be levied on a People wanting Bread, and fent to that Realm,’ ftom whofe Bourn no Guinea e’er returns, ‘in Support of H—»x Slaves, ata Moment when Famine wrings the Hearts of the unhappy Natives of this Country; when Suftenance is too dear to be the Purchafe of their Labour, and even Employment wanting, which may give them that {canty Support, when Sheep and Cattle dying daily by Difeafe, threaten every humane Heart with much approach- ing Mifery? Is it then a Time to watte our Millions in Defence of H~———-r, and deny ourfelves Bread? My Lord, exert yourfelf and your Friends; be the Patron of England and Engiifhmen in Diftrefs ; let fome Part of thofe immenfe Sums which are raifed on the Labour of the Peafant and Manufacturer, be returned to_ their Support; let them not want that Bread which their Induftry gives this Country; refufe the Hanoverians our Treafure, and preferve a ftarving People from the Fangs of Famine, and yourfelf from the Inveca- G tion (42 ) tion of Cuffes in the Mouths of thofe who perifh through Want of Suftenance, oto the Juftice of which Heaven is not inclined ‘to turn a deaf Ear. gvni2 Is it not Time that H—— 7 open’ het hidden Treafure in her own Defence; faved whilft this Land was exhaufting in her Service. Is there not fome’ felected Curfe in Heaven for that Man who, -unre- lenting to the Miferies of his Fellow-Sub- jeGts, and inattentive to their Sufferings, denies them Bread, whilft his whole Soul is fixed on fupporting Gs—n Princes, whofe Avarice will not permit them to open their Treafures, in Protection of their own Dominions, and favourite Subjects. | My Lord, let the City of London be your example, they are thoroughly convinced of the Good done and defigned to this Nation by thofe who were truly honourable and active in the Prefervation of their Country, and lately difmiffed from public Ad——n 4 sie i they a € 43 ) they-mean to convince the World ‘of this Truth; and diftinguith Merit by public Ape probation. This. the Nation. in general will follow kien. ‘are. pot dna of ae Dangers which attend the Realm from the A——n of the new Man; and though. they dread his, -dateing, are, determined to -oppofe and preferve themfelves. In both thofe In- ftances i is it not the Duty of Your Grace ta join, ail to ci them? pico to Your Grace, may ropa appear extremely blunt and difgutting to you, whofe Ears have been loag accuftom- ed. to the Salutation of more pleafing and delufive Accents... But, will not Youg Grace refle& if they are hard Truths, they are neceflary and ufeful; that it. would be unbecoming in me, and might be mifchievs ous to you, td palliate by an ill-timed De- licacy or deal in Apology for {peaking ut Plains ee ( 44) Plainnefs’ and Sincerity what may be the Means of faving mine, Your Grace’s, and the Nation’s: Liberties and Properties 5 De- licacy at fuch Moments is like Flattery to the Prodigal, which only haftens his undo- ing. Nay, I'am led to believe had fome- thing Analogous to this been offered to your View when M —r; and few dared to fpeak the Sentiments of their Souls, when Men born Free, more abje& than the Slave of Philip King of ‘Macedon, dated not whifper you were a Man, that fuch Sounds though ungrateful, would ftill have admi- niftercd Utiity and Honor to yourfelf, and to the Common Weal. Things, My Lord, are brought to this Point Your Grace muft either live to be fa- voured’ by your fellow Subjects, or muft be confidered the Objet of their Averfion, Eiteem, or Deteftation you muft chufe, for Indifference and Unconcern at fuch Junc- tures, are really deteftable, and deferve’ to be received in that Light. My Motives to * this (— . 7 ( 45) this public Manner of conveying you the Thoughts of Men of Underftanding and Integrity, are to tell you what they think Neceffary ; the Nation what it has a Right to expect; that no public Encouragement may be wanting, if Your Grace fhall ag becoming an Engl ifhman; and no. Con- tempt be unattending your proceeding to the Ruin of your Country ; that neither you may have it to fay you favw not what was necdfull to be done, nor my Country be unknowing what to afk, on this import- ant Occafion. © ck It is of finall avail from what Hand thefe Sheets may come, if they afk but what is right and reafonable Your Grace ought to be pleafed with the Reception of them, though they proceeded from the meaneft Labourer of the Land ; if they require un- reafonable Things no Title nor Exaltation in the Writer can fandtify their Appearance to the World: from good Will to you, the Royal Family, and my Country they have certainly eS) { 40) certainly taken, ther Rife, and.I think I am not miftaken:: in the Rectitude of that Advice which, they contain ;, to you, My — ‘Lord, ‘it remains to chufe whether, you and your Days fhall. be miferable, and. your Grey Hairs go down in Sorrow to their “Grave, or your Country lift her drooping ‘Head, and be once more re{cued from Per- dition. You are now diftinguifhed with the Power of being more infinitely important to the State than ever you have hitherto been. Your Prince, your King, your Country, © ‘and-your God call upon you at_this Mo- ment of Importance; will you then flight this favourable Occafion of ferving yourfelf ‘and the Community ! P Snatch the Rewards of this World and the next. ‘Embrace the | Inclination of your, Fellow, Subjects, and confirm their Opinion. of your good Heart, Embrace the Promife of Salvation from the God of our Religion, which is offered to the Sinner that repenteth. Fly from the Paths which lead to that Region, where there is Weeping and Wailing, and Gnath- Ing a | C47) ing of Teeth. And thus living refpected and efteemed in your latter Days the greateft Blefling this Earth can beftow, leave this World with fure and certain Hope of a joyful Refurrection, and happy Immorta~ lity. meres cr oO a tg oe ee ee _ ' a4 “as . ‘ yA His GRACE the DUKE O F | N.* * # # # * * *, ON THE PR ES E.Ni die CRS tS IN THE AY. F.A 1 Bes o F GREAT BRIT? ©™ CONTAINING, ReFiections on a late GREAT RESIGNATION. mitt i O NE SEs: Printed for R. GRIFFITHS, in the Strand. + ; ; - | { — oe SH ee ree i a Oe EE LEME WAVE MAHA OMOH2> CHooHoayookocyookooyo Rotoagookoosooijoaito LENDS SILEIVL A ir Tes RR, ere My Lorp D*#**, KOKO UR Grace may perhaps be y furprifed at the contents of this x letter; but I flatter myfelf the be NOK +* impartial public will not think the points here difcuffed unimportant, nor improperly addreffed ; fince you are zow fuppofed to have the fupreme dire@tion of the affairs of this nation. Your adminif- tration has occafioned much political rea- foning ; your friends haye often pro- claimed the juftnefs of your meafures, your enemies as often arraigned them: in this letter, my Lord, { fhall fteer a mid- B | ue © (2) dle courfe: no dupe to prejudice, un- warped by faction, I fhall freely praife or condemn, when | fpeak of paft times, as your conduct deferves. The affairs of this kingdom, fora few years, have been managed with fuch wif- dom and prudence, that the effects appear in every corner of the world: Britain is alike victorious by fea and land, a circum- {tance which, I believe, will be very dif- ficult to fhew was ever the cafe before. This fhort, but bright period, was pre- ceded by one the very reverfe ; 1n war we were unfuccefsful, and the domettic g0= vernment of the nation was torn by faction; in a word, by blunders and knavery we were in a very low and pitiful condition. Foreigners wonder that a government, which political writers reprefent as the model of perfection, fhould be in a man- ner fo unhinged, and confufed at the breaking out of a war; when it is fuppofed that a monarchy fo powerful as this, whofe affairs are well conducted during a peace, would not, in the natural courfe of things, be (3) beat fuch a Jofs when a war became necef. fary. The furprize is natural to thofe who are “not acquainted with what may not improperly be ‘called; the effence of our government. Sir Robert Walpole, who con- tinued prime minifter much longer than any one before, or fince his time, owed the duration of his power, ina very great meature, to his keeping his country in profound peace : it is true, in this he gave up the intereft of his country to fecure himfelf ; but with many prime minifters that.is but a trifle. The {prings of our | government are eafily continued in th: ir natural motion in peace ; but when a war breaks out, a vatt quantity of new ma- chinery is neceflary; the management becomes more complicated, much greater abilities are required to conduét it, and the pilot muft have great fkill, or he will not avoid the multitude of rocks that fur- found him, If we confider thefe points with at- ' tention, we cannot wonder at the con- fufion fo generally evident in a Britifh 5 2 3 miniftry a ( 4.) miniftry when this difficult trial is made 3 nor can we wonder at the unpatriot {pirit of thofe, who facrifice the intereft of their country to their own, fince that is quite confiftent with the nature of man. In fa&, we did not find the miniftry, at the breaking out of the prefent war, more prepared for {uch an event than their pre- deceflors, nor more willing to refign their power to thofe who were abler to con- du& the ftate machine; but warded off the dreadful blow of a war as long as pof- fible, in hopes to prolong the peace by ne- gociation at any rate. At laft, unable to ftem the torrent, they were obliged to refign their places, or ra- ther to fhare them with another fa¢tion ; and then was produced that coalition of parties, fo greatly advantageous to this nati- on, and fo honourable to themfelves. You, my lord, was nearly connected with that event, and I cannot here deny the tribute of praife due to you for your feare, in the conduét of the following campaigns : they were great and glorious, and redounded as much ia Se ee eS el CUC CTU CUCU mh hr ~ Vey much to the honour of the then miniftry, as to the bravery of the people they guided. While they continued united; the war was carried on with all imaginable - vigour, and our arms were attended with the greateft fuccefs. Moreover, this coa- lition of parties united fuch interefts, that war was conducted with as much feeming eafe as if all was peace abroad, as well as harmony at home... No fupplies were demanded for the fervice of the nation, but they were immediately granted by parlia- ment, and raifed by the credit of the miniftry, | A late great refignation has, to appear- - ance, diflolved this union; at leaft, it is certain, that the adminiftration of the-af fairs of the nation is no longer in the fame hands. You mutt certainly allow, my Lord, that an event fo fudden, fo un- expected, and of fuch linportance,. mutt greatly alarm the nation: , not perhaps from a want of a good opinion of thofe who continue in power, but from a fear of its being the occafion of a bad peace - cOn- , ‘ > 1 ? i | ¢ : - } cy ( 6 ) concluding fo glorious a war. I jut now mentioned the difficulty an Enghfh mini-~ ftry finds in conducting one ; this refults in a very great meafure from the want of fupplies to fupport it. A parliamentary intereft may procure their beine “voted ; ‘put the people, my Lord, muft have an opinion of a miniftry before they can be raifed; and a good opinion always arifes from the confideration ‘of paft times. Your Grace has too much experience to be furprifed’at the ftrefs Llay on rarfing the fupplies. Nor can you wonder at the forefight of the people in not fubfcribing to funds, when they cannot depend on the miniftry’s purfuing thofe mezfures that are for the advantage of the nation. The value of feck, is fo nearly connected with the public affairs, that every man, before he fabfcribes his money for the ufe of the government, will undoubtedly confider the fate of the nation, or in other words, the ftate of the miniftry ; for by woeful ex- perience we have often found, that the former ? Pt tad é 4-579 ——.- - ’ . - (8s) former is but too nearly dependent on the latter. | The nation had a high opinion of. the great Commoner who lately bore a fhare in the adminiftration of affairs; and I believe it wasvery juftly founded: this opinion arofe from the fuccefs that attended his meafures, which were in general deemed national. His refignation certainly {peaks /ome alter~ ation; for as he has met with little oppo- fiticn in parliament, and..according to the general notion, poflefied his. Majefty’s good. epinion, why fhould he. refign? A near enquiry may perhaps unfold. the caufe. of an event which appears ftrange merely, for want of reflection. , The fuccefs of this war has been fo;en- tirely on our fide, that we cannot be the leaft furprized at our enemies trying every meafure to change their bad. fortune: *till.very lately they have been utterly dif- appointed : (I fay “till. very lately; becaufe their fuccefS in the late negociation 1s quite unknown.) Finding how unlikely they J, +. ( 8.) they were to gain any thing by continuing the war, they very judicioufly recolle&ed the pacific overture from Great-Britain and Prufia; and ‘they propofed a conerefs, which was accepted: in the interim, anego= ciation was opened between our court and that of France. The terms demanded by the French. miniftry were fuch, that a compliance with them would at once have gave up the advantages we have gained in this buarthintirne: and expenfive war. The refufal gave rife to new propofals, and new wtifwers, ‘till the negociation was fpun out to fome length: almoft at the conclufion of it, (if it is ended) the court of Spain made fome new demands on Great-Britain ; and in their memorial, as we have reafon to believe, threatened us ‘with a war, unlefs we were more modeft in the terms to which we expected ourenemy to agree. The French minifter who conduéted the negociation, no fooner departs, and new refolutions are taken, than the principal perfonage in the mini- ftry, who had been fo inftrumental in the conduct of the war, refigns his poft. This 1s 5 is the fhort ftate of the affair, that fills © many men with furprife, That there is fome caufe which produced this effect, is certain ; and it is alfo clear, that we cannot prove what that caufe is: but from many attendant circumstances, your Grace will allow me at leaft to form fome conjectures. Wee know extremely well, that the late minifter’s maxim was'to make no peace with France, until we could command fuch a one as would {e- cure our pofieflions in America, and repay us, by an acceffion of. trade, for the enor- mous expences of the war. © This plan he — made the rule of his meafures, and we are to fuppofe :that he infifted, as far as his power reached, on the fame being re- garded in the late negociation with M. Buffy. If he met with no oppofition, what {hould occafion his refignation ? Nothing : but it is well known, that. the C———]. were divided in their opinions concerning the. terms of the peace, and that it was with great difficulty this minifter could get thofe cflered by France then, rejecteds as However & 46+) . However he carried his point fo far as to eet Buffy difmils'd for the prefent. Pre- fently after comes the Spani/h memorial, which is followed by his refignation. Your Grace will not be furprifed at. my fuppofing Mr. P***’s motives to confift in his being againft the meafures that he then found were likely to prevail. . As he was for continuing the war, we are confequently to fuppofe that the ‘prevailing opinion in the miniftry was for peace. But it may be afked perhaps why he fhould not pro- mote a peace as well as the reft of the miniftry ? We may certainly anfwer, that his aim was peace; but that his idea of that peace, was different from theirs. He thought the terms then in debate were not good enough; they thought otherwife. And as he found the contrary opinion likely to fucceed, he thought proper not to be concerned in an affair which he could not approve. It will certainly be:afked, why the peace does not appear which this gen- tleman difapproved? And it will be objected, that fo far are we from an appearance of peace, « it) ". peace, that new preparations are now mak- ing for war. ‘ . : Your Grace knows very well, how im- pofiible it is to point out particulars in fuch affairs as thefe. When we argue from conjecture, we mutt be content with appearances, and not expect'to have every Affertion grounded on faéts. The notion which I have advanced, is entirely confif- tent with the objections here fuppofed to be formed. ‘Two campaigns pafled after the Marlborough miniftry was removed from their employments, but it was clearly forefeen, what turn the affairs of the na- tion would take when a new fet came in, whofe hopes, and private imterefs were founded in a fpeedy peace. And accordingly, at the peace of Ufrecht, the advantages of a long and glorious war were given up, and facrificed to the private views of a new’ faction. The Oxford party then found themfelves unable to continue a war, which required great fupplies to be raifed, by the credit of C3 the (.12 ) the miniitry ; and as the duration of their power depended on a peace, they hattily patched one up, which has been 'the evi- dent oceafion of every war that has hap- pened fince that time. They atted in al- moft the very fame manner as a fucceed- ing miniftry did, in a peace concluded not a great while ago; when another mini- firy, your Grace very well knows which 1 mean, followed their example, and by fo doing, brought their country into that terrible fituation, from which it was fo lately retrieved. Nothing can be more pernicious to the intereft of any nation, than the conclufion of hafty. treaties, made more to anfwer private than public ends. It is always the certain fign of an unfettled government, and wavering meafures ; and confequent- ly muft difguft other, powers, whom it would be greatly for our advantage to have for allies. The Dutch were of infi- nite fervice to the common caufe in the queen’s war; and although great coms. plaints every now and then were made of : | their ( 13 ) their not furnithing the quota’s towards the war, which they were obliged to do by treaty, yet they really bore a very confi- derable fhare in it, and aGed with great vigour throughout it. The infamous peace of Utrecht forced them to give up many advantages which their intereft re- quired fhould be fecured to them, becaufe’ they were unable to continue the war without our affiftance. The fineft oppor- tunity was thrown away of fecuring the neighbours. of France from her incroach- ments ; and that critical moment loft, which, till the prefent time, never oc- curred again, Could we wonder, with any reafon,; my Lord, at the caution of our friends the Dutch, at the beginning of the laft war? At Utrecht thy were forced into a treaty again{t the mutual engagements of both nations; and when a fecond war broke out, they certainly ated with great pru- dence, in not being hafty in fuch alliances; hor can we blame them for the backward- nels they fhewed, during the whole war : it ee ( 14) it was but juft policy. They had before been deceived by our government, and they determined not to make too great a rifqgue on the faith of it again. In Eng- land we abufed them for this condu&, and readily attributed their motives to the in- fluence of French gold: but did the en- fuing peace convince them that their fuf- picions were groundlefs ? fo far from it, that your Grace very well knows it was a fecond Ufrrecht. . The interefts of this nation, ard its allies were given up; not from an inability to continue the war, but for its neceflity. to fecure private interetts, At the opening of the prefent war, we, as ufual, endeavoured to involve the Dutch in it;. but experience had made them: too wife to put any truft ina government fo un- {table imits foundations, and fo fluctuating in its meafures, They had twice paid ex- tremely dear for their alliances with us ; common prudence now taught them to re= nounce any offenfive connection with us, to defpife our miniftry, and laugh at our remonftrances, Thus, my Lord D* * *, we | 4 | ta t i 3 bs " = i ¢ Me | ae (a3) ee we loft the afliftance of this powerful peo= ple, which would have been of very great confequence to us in the late campaigns» I believe the moft fenfible politicians will agree, that it would have been -much more advantageous for us to have made Flanders the feat of war, than the country on the other fide the RAmme: thof fortreffes which were heretofore fo famous! are no longer the fame places, and the eafeof fupplying an army in Flanders, efpecially when the. Dutch were our friends, mutt naturally be much greater, than where the war is now carried on, ° | Your Grace will readily perceive from what I have faid, that I am of opinion, a peace at prefent, may not be fo far. off as is commonly imagined. As to the preparations for war, they appear ‘as a gale, which may very {peedily be blown over. If this peace is fo far off, and an anfwer given to the Spani/b memorial that is agreeable to, the intereft.of this nation ;, it forms a contradi@tion to the Great Com- moner's refigning his poft at fo criticala time. €D (16 ) time. Have we the leaft reafon to fuppofe that he would take this ftep merely from caprice ? Is it not rather much more like+ ly, that his motive was the difapprobation of the meafures which he perceived were then going to be executed? His intereft in the adminiftration was not confiderable enough, to dire@t the affairs of peace and war; perhaps it would have been for the intereft of this nation, if it had been fo. [ would not be fuppofed from hence, to intimate that we are juft going to have a peace: I would only fhew; that new maxims have been adopted, which, I apprehend, will in the end be productive of fuch a one as Mr. P * * * would never have approved. The prefent campaign, my Lord, is not yet finifhed; fo that there is time enough yet this winter, to conclude avery admi- rable peace. I don’t know whether we have not one or two firft rate peace-makers in _ this kingdom, that would patch up an- other Utrecht ina month, or perhaps lefs time. Tis true, your Grace’s abilities are perfectly well known ; your difintereftednefs | is Date i ee ls Ne a eb rl es a a ee ee a a we - (Ge) 18 very celebrated; but above all, your former adminiftration has rendered you fo Gefervedly Jamous, that Britain cannot but regard you as one of her guardian angels, and the chief pillar of the ftate; fo that we can have little. to fear, ‘as long as your Grace’s infinite abilities are employed int the fervice of your * * * #* & &% the meaning, my Lord D.* * *, muft be very obvious. The prefent miniftry, my Lord, fhould _ €ertainly confider the opinion of the peo- ple; if they are perfuaded that the admi- niftration of affairs is in the hands of men who will only -confider the nation’s good, fupplies will eafily be raifed ; and while that is che cafe, the war may eafily be continued, But if any change happens, which thould give the people reafon to fufpect that new maxims are adopted; can it be fuppofed they will fubfcribe to’ funds ?. if the mini- {try have not credit enough with the mo- neyed men to raife the fupplies, they muft either refign their power to thofe who have more credit-than themfelves, or make a | 1D) peace, a” af te toe 9 eS Tape cae ee ere” | ete toi E eemae ay» my “>. ‘ —— i ey (28: -) peace, and by fo doing finith the period of wanting fuch immenfe fums. As to the firft point, I hall fay nothing of that; but the fecond is much more probable. The national debt, my Lord, 1s now become an object. of very ferious concern to this nation: it would not require a ereat deal of reafoning to prove, that there is at this time a real crifis in our affairs, © and arifing, ina very great meafure, from tliis enormous debt. The very intereft of it now amounts to upward of three mil- lions, vifibly! And I have great reafon to believe that when accounts come to be fettled, it may difclofe fome unexpected items, that will not a little furprize the nation. When a government is fo im- menfely involved, thofe people who lend money {to it, will be very obferving how -its affairs go: a ftrong proof of this, ‘is the effet which good or bad fuc- eefs has on the price of ftocks. For if the very intereft of the debt amounts to fo con- fiderable a part of the annual revenue of the kingdom, the value of the principal will ( 19 ) will depend entirely on the riches of*the nation; and it is very well known how nearly connected thefe riches are with the terms of every treaty.of peace we con- clude. I will readily allow that this debt is not an objet of dread, if we encreafe our trade by the enfuing peace in propor- tion to the encreafe of debt. But; if on the contrary, we fhould confiderably in- creafe the burthen, without, at the fame time, enabling ourfelves to bear it; we mutt be making hafty ftrides toward bank- ruptcy. | — The terms of peace; which I am. in- | formed by very good ‘authority, were re- jected as long as a certain great man was in the adminiftration, were tack as could not be agreed to by us, the. leaft confift- ently with. our interefts. There were fome particular articles which concerned our trade more nearly than the reft; the one was yielding up Guadalupe to Frances and another returning them Canada, re- ferving only a Seaitiies giving them-li- penty to fith on the banks of Nese: D 2 land, cd) ( 20 ) land, and ceding the ifle Sad/e to them for drying their fifth. I fhall not make a mi+- nute enquiry into the expediency of agree- -ing tothefeariicles; but pronounce them to be extremely. bad. We certainly. went tO war to fecure our colonies in North- America ; this.work, if fuch a peace en- dues, we fhall evidently have to perform again. As we have been at fuch an im+ menfe expence in profecuting the war, we may reafonably expect fome advantage from it; and how can this be obtained but by retaining our acquifitions? If we give up Guadalupe, we give up an immentfe trade with it; that valuable ifland produces as much fugar as Maritinico, and maintains a ereat number of failors yearly. The pre- ferving fo valuable a conqueft will very greatly affilt in repaying us-our expence in making wat .The Newfoundland fithery is another prodigioufly important branch of trade: even while the French had by treaty only a {mall fhare of it, they were able to underfell us in the principal mars kets of Europe, and confequentiy almoft ingrofled the trade; what therefore will they aX ( 23 9 they do when they have the ifland-of Sable in their pofieffion, which is fo well fituated for the fifhery? Why it will moft certainly be found a fecond Cape-Breton to them, and their fifhery will be juft as valuable to them as it. was before the breaking out of the prefent war. Thus we fhall give up the very point for which war Was commenced; and plunge ourfelves into a moit enormous expence,. without gain- ing any equivalent, or means to bear it. The people of this nation are deceived with refpect-to the ftability of their’ com= merce. Some men fancy from the im- menfity of trade we now poflefs, that we fhall continue to keep it. But if ‘fuch«a peace as I have juft. mentioned is con- cluded, nothing can be more fallaciousthan this notion. Great- Britain, <1 believe J may with fafety fay, never poflefied fo ex- tenfive a commerce: but: a very great part of it is owing to the deftru@ion of that of France. We now ferve a multi- tude of markets, which the French before had entirely to themfelves; and although | neutral . a, ( 22 ) neutral nations have profited by the war -be- tween us, yet fome branches are entirely in our pofleffion. The cod fithery zow brings prodigious fums into this kingdom: our fugar trade is alfo greatly increafed ; and the demand for our manufactures in North-America is infinitely fuperior to what it ever was before. ‘Thefe are the advantages we enjoy at prefent; but will this, my Lord, be the cafe after fuch a peace? Every article will be totally dif- ferent. Our trade will be very different from what it is now ; our neighbours, the induftrious French, will foon poffels a flourifhing commerce ; and as their’s in- creafe, our’s mut neceflarily diminith. At prefent we do not feel the burthen of our national debt fo extremely heavy ; but what fhall we do when we have loft fuch confiderable branches of our trade, which is the fource of our riches, and which alone -enables us to pay three millions a year in | interelt : P Doubtlefs the great Commoner confider- ed thefe points with that attention which their al ( 23 ) their importance deferves; and he could not refleét on them without feeing the ab= folute neceffity of making a wery good peace. He indeed had fpent many mil- lions, or to {peak more to the prefent pur- pofe, had greatly increafed the debt of the nation ; but then muft not any other mi- nifter have done the famne; and perhaps without making fuch great acquifitions ag we have done’ during his admiuniftration ? Have not every ’miniiter fince we have had a debt done the fame ?. But whoever fpent the nation’s money fo much to its advan- taze? Mr. P* ** certainly knew theconfe- quences of running fo deep in debt ;. but he alfo knew, that fuch a peace as he pro- pofed to make, would fully enable us to bear the weight of the burthen laid on us to obtain it. | - Now, my Lord D * * *, we have fome reafon to fear, this nation will find, at a peace, her debt immenfely increafed, with- out a proportionable increafe of trade. This isa very ferious confideration, and mutt {trike a terror into every honeft. man who Sy { 244 who loves his country. Here it will naturally be afked why the minifters, who remain in employment, may not be as able to conclude a good peacé jas Mr. P*** 2 This is a queftion which at firft fight appears to carry fome degree of rea- fon with it: but may I not anfwer, my Lord, that without confidering their abili- ties, we fhould refle& on the motive which induced that gentleman to refign ; which I have already fhewed to be his difapproba- tion of the meafures then purfuing. This clearly tells us, that the prefent miniftry were of a different opinion from him; or in other words, that they were inclined toa | peace which he did not think good enough: Isit likely, my Lord D***, that this party fhould have changed their notion fince his refignation ? Nothing furely: fo improba~ ble ! I have explained, how many reafons they may have to make a peace ; nay, that they will be neceffitated to it, for want of fup plies. It has been very currently reported, that one material reafon for this great man’s refignation — (=) -—— = im. = . _ %, ( 25) tefignation, was his being ftrongly oppofed an his defign of entering into a war with Spain. I fhall not here enter into a mi- mute enquiry concerning the particular points on which the wifdom of fuch a meafure would depend ;. but one thing is very certain, that the affair of a Spanifh war, and a peace with France, were very neatly connected. A war with Spain would have thoroughly convinced the na- tion that the miniftry were determined — never to agree to an indifferent peace. The great Commoner was for entering im- mediately into one: What could be his motives, my Lord, for fuch a condu@? Sure he did not form the {fcheme without having fome reafons forit. Wasnot the me-" morial of the court of Spain, which I have before mentioned,. the caufe of it? Do we not know from undoubted authority, that the Spaniards, for fome time -patt, and even at prefent, have been making very great preparations for war? What is the meaning of this? Does it not corre- fpond, with that memortal? Were we not threatened in it with a war? It is true E the oy, ( 26 ) the Gazette has told us, we need not have any fears of fuch an event ; but is not that article fince Mr. P***’s-refignation ?— Does not fuch a concatenation of circum- ftances clearly fhew, that there is much more behind the curtain relating to 2 peace, than appears to the world? If the demands of Spain were refufed, and the miniftry were determined to profecute the _ war with vigour, why fhould the great Commoner refign at fuch a critial period ? In fhort, my Lord D , the Gazette may tell us juft what tales it pleafes, and the emiffarics of the prefent m———~y may fcatter their reports in every corner of the town, to make us believe that the refigna~ tion will have no confequences; yet the in- quifitive minds of refiecting people, will believe their own reafon fooner than any affurances that can be given them. The prefent m- y perbaps would continue the war till they could procure a good peace; but their abilitics muit be con- fidered, and their intereit. “No doubt we fhali hear of the moit pompous thews -of ro | warlike pee TN | | | | | —< . * Pe ere ee ey ES - Saabs Mi Be — lO > a — ’ % ( 37.3 2 warlike defigns till the {——ies for next year are granted, and if poffible, raifed 5 but then, J, my Lord, thall expect to ee: a different tale. | | The people in. general of this nation form a very juft opinion of the minifters wh» conduct the public affairs : they judge by a fign, which, in thefe cafes, with a few exceptions, feldom deceives; and that is, /uccef/s. It cannot be wondered at, that we fhould. have been very fond of Mr. P ; it would have been extremely | ungrateful sae we had not. He, by the wildom of his councils, .and his well- formed plans of action, brought his coun- try to its prefent high pitch of glory and profperity. He fucceeded a fet of men who. were unable. to conduct the great machine of the ftate, and who in many, very many inftances, had proved how little they regarded the intereft of their country, when it came to be balanced by their own. Such an adminiftration had reduced us to that low degree, from which his abilities raifed us, Is it not therefore very natural, 2 ~ that