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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent ia m^thode. irrata to pelure, in d D 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 riNI 1 H E POLITICAL PROGRESS BRITAIN; o R A >r IMPARTIAL ACCOUNT OF THE Principal As V St. s in the Government of this Country ^ y>o«j */-ie Revolution /« 1688. Jhe whole tending to prove the ruinous Confequenccs of the popular Syftem of War and Conquest. 9 ;|. *' THE world's MAD BUSINESS." PART FIRST. LONDON: , PRINTED FOR T. KAY, NO. 33a, STRAND ; ilND ROBERTSON & BERRY, NO. 39, SOUTH BRIDGE, EDINBURGH. MDCCXCII. [price ONE SHILLING.] i K'J ^'-s^^^^Wifrij^' \ ^i^t ? ^«*^^ :". / •i >r--«^g(^^ • '■• I'wy i ai. '!! " ' i ' j.H' ■-ijj'^-ii'' INTRODUCTION. W iiHiN the lad hundred years of our hiftory, Bri • tain has been live times at war with France, and fix times at war with Spain. During the fame period, flie has been engaged in two rebellions at home, be- fides an endlefs catalogue of maflacres in Afia and America; In Europe, the common price which we advance for a war, has extended from ooe to three hundred thoufand lives, and from fixty to an hun- dred and fifty millions Sterling. From Africa, we import annually between thirty and forty thoufand flaves, which rifes in the courfe of a century to at leaft three millions of murthers. In Bengal only, we deftroyed or expelled within the fhort period of lix years, no Lefs than five millions of induftrious and harmlefs people* ; and as we have been fove- reigns in that country for about thirty-five years, it may be reafonably computed that we have llrew- ed the plains of Indoftan, with fifteen or twenty millions of carcafes. If we combine the diverfi- fied ravages of famine, peftilence, and the fword, it can hardly be fuppofed that in thefe tranfadtions lefs than fifteen hundred thoufand of our countrymen have perilhed ; a number equal to that of the whole inhabitants of Britain who are at prefent able to bear arms. In Europe, the Ijavock of our antagonifis has been at leall not inferior to our own, fo that this quarter of the world alone has loft by our quar- rels, three millions of men in the flower of life ; whofe delcendants, in the progrefs of domeftic focie- ty would liave fwelled into multitudes beyond calcu- lation. The perfons pofitively deftroyed muft, in * Infra, chap. I. A 2 ^■*j«i'"i(J"'Hk^' i 4 J whole, hare exceeded twentyinilUoni,or two ImndVcd thovifand ads of homicide per annum. Thclc viiHiui-* hivvc been facnliced to the balance of power, and tlw balance of trade, the honour of the Britin» Hag, the imivcrfal fupremacy of parliament, and the lerunty of the Proteftant liicceffion. If we are to proceed at this rate for another century, we may, which is natural to mankind, admire ourfelvcs, and our at- chievements, but every other nation in the world mull have a right to wilh that an earthquake or a volcano may llril buiy both iilands together in the centre of the globe ; that a llngic, but decifive ex- ertion of Almighty vengeance may ternunate the progrefs and the remembrance of our crimes. In the fcalc of jull calculation, the mofl valuable commodity, next to human blood is money. Hav- ing made a grofs ellimate of the dearutlion of the former, let us endeavour to compute the confump- tion of the latter. The war of 16^9 coft iixty mil- lions of pubhc money, and at the end of it, the pub- lic debts amomited to twenty millions, or by anothev account*, to but feventcen millions and a half; fo that not more than one third part of the expences were borrowed. In queen Anne's war, forty or fifty millions Sterling were alfo funk in the fame manner, befides about thirty millions, which were added i^^ the former pubhc debt. Very large funis have fince been abforbed in other wars, over and above thofc which were placed to the national credit. In 1783, by the report of the comraiffioners of publicr accounts, the total debts of Britain extended to two hundred and feventy-nine m;llions, fix hundred and ninety- tight thoufand pounds, though many millions have been paid o(f in time of peace, by what is called the linking fund. Hence, we fee, that this fum ot two hundred and feventy-nine 7/u/lions is much inferior to * Memoirs of Biltain and Ireland, vol, ii. ,or twolmudVcd Thel'c vicl'mi^ ' power, and tlw BritiHi Hug, the ind the fecuiity re to proceed at may, which is es, and our at- n in the world earthquake or a together in the but decifive ex- f ternunute the ir crimes, je molt valuable 5 money. Hav- iftrudiun of the lie the confump- I9 coft lixty mil- id of it, the pub- iis, or by ancthev s and a half; fo of the expences var, forty or fifty he fame manner, h were added to : funis have fince and above thofc :redit. In 1783, f public- accounts, to two hundred Ired and ninety- ,ny millions have vhat is called the t this fum of two much inferior to L iir [ .'5 ] the adual charges of thefe wars. The total amount may be fixed fomewhcre perhaps between four and fix liundred millions. To this we muft fubjoin the value of fixteen or twenty thoufand merchant fhips taken by th« enemy. This diminutive article of fix- ty or an hundred millions would have been fullicicnt for tranfportijig and fettling eight or twelve hundred thoufand farmers, with their families, on the banks of the I'otowmack or the Miflllfipi. By the report u- bove quoted, we learn, that in 1783, the interetl of our public debts extended to nine millions, and five hundred thoufand pounds, which is equivalent to an annual tax of twenty fliilUngs per head, on every inhabitant of Britain. The friends of our in- telligent and relpet'lable minifter, Mr. Pitt, make an infinite bullle about the nine millions of debt which his ingenuity has difchnrged. They ought to ar- range in an oppofite column, a lift of the additional tuxes, which have been impofed, and of the myriads «f families, whom fuch taxes have ruined. At beft, we are but as a perfon transferring his money from the right pocket to the left. Perhaps a Chancellor of Exchequer might as well propofe to empty the Ualtick with a tobacco pipe. Hud the war with America laftcd for two years longer, Britain would not at this day have owed a Ihilling; and if we fliall perfill in rufliing into carnage, with our former con- tempt of all feeling and refieclion, it may ftill be ex^ peded that according to the pradlice of bther na- tions, a fpongc or a bonefire will tiniih the g^ie of funding. What advantage h:is refulted to Britain from fuch iiiccfiant fcenes of prodigality and of bloodflied .'' In the wars of I08g, a'nd 1702, this country was nei- ther more nor lefs than an hobby horfe for the Em- peror and the Dutch. The rebellion in 17I5 wa^ excited by the defpotic infolence of the Whigs. The purchafe of Bremen and Verden produced the ii";: .'-t^&-.-. . -'■ \ [ 6 ] f>prinilb War ot'i 718, niul a f(|uaaron clilpatch.-d tliriei-ent years to the Baltitk. Such cxuiti . (I fur lis' Mni«-»'-.'»^ years to tiic naiui,'^. .hk-u ^./^--lii iHS colt us :m huiulrecl times more than tliele quaRmiit Dutcliies are worth, even to the KUn^lor of Hano- ver ; u dilVmction which on this hulnids becomes nccen'arv, for as to Britain, it Wcs never pretended, that we' could gain a farthing by fuch an acqmlition. In 1727, the nation forced George the 1-ult mto a war with Spain, wdiich ended as ufual with nuicli mil • chief on both iides. The S|nmill. war ot the people in 1739, and the Aultrian lubfidy war ot the crown which commenced in 1741, were ablurd ni their mujciplcs, and ruinous in their conle(iuences. Ar iea we met with nothing but hard blows. On the continent, we began by hiring the qiieen ot Huu- pary to iight her own battles agauilt the king Prullui, and ten years after the war ended, we hired the King of PrulVia with fix hundred and leventy- one thouiand pounds per annum, to fight his own battles againll her. If this be not folly, what are wc to call it ? As to the cjuarrel of 1754, " U was rc- " marked bv all Europe," fays Frederick, '* that m " her diipute with France, every -^'loiiif AP "^'^'^ "'•' •' the Jide of Kn,(f/a/idr By nine years ut butchery, and an iulditional debt of feventy millions Sterhng, we fccured Canada ; but had Wolfe and his army been driven I'rom the heights of Abraham, our grandfons might have come too late to hear ot an American revolution. As to this event, the cucuni- Itancos are too ihocking for relledion. At that tunc an Englifli woman hud difcovered a remedy tor the canine maduefs, and Frederick lulvites a French corrcfpondent to nccnmend this medicine to the iije of the parliament of Kn^/and, as they miiji certainly have been bitten by a mad do^. In the quarrels of the Continent we Ihould concern ourfclves but little ; for in a defcniive war, we nuiy laff ly defvail the natioiv. of Europe. When the whole CI R V( nt a t) ( ( I" Vi Sc w f( w 111 ul at: in ill ar \vi P' ed fe; \Vi ih ik ih] lie im de cv lie ye a i an idifpatclicd il r li'; iicli cxcvti Ills coll hUcM^tor of HaiM- bulinui's bccoiius s never prctfiidcd, "uch an iuqiiilition. Tc tliP l"i»ll into a Lial with niucli mil- I war of t lie people r war of the crown re abfurd in their confc(iucnces. Ar •d blows. On tlio he Q^neen of Hiui- gainll the Ring of ar ended, we lured ndred and feventy- /, to fight his own : folly, what are wo ■ 1754, " It was rc- Vedcrick, '* that in wroiijf Jfrp itvis on : years of butchery, ty millions Sterling, olfe and his army of Abraham, our late to hear of an J event, the circuni- dion. At that tunc d a remedy for the i lulvifes a French mciiicine to the ufc of 'y iiuijt ci'ttainly havi: [It we Ihould concern fenlive war, we uuiy ipe. When the whole civili/-cd world was embodied under the banners oi' Rome, her Didator, at the head of thirty rhuui'and veterans difeinbarked for a lecond time on the coall of lliitain. The face of the country was covered with ;i fcired, and the folitary tribes were diviiled upon the old (juellinn, IVht jliull he kinx ■'^ The illand ns intirrpcrfed, whicli Icemcd jiccellary to explain rhem. The reader will meet with no mournful periods to the memory nl ///mW or /;•/>/////>// parliaments ; for while the mem- hers are men fuch as their jircdeceirors have alnioK always been, it is but of fmall concern whether they hold their places for life, or but for a linj',le day. Some of our projedors are of opinion, that lo (horlen the duration of parliament would be an ample re- medy for all our grievances. 'I'lie advantages of a popular election have likewife been much extolled. Yet an acquaintance with Tluicydides, or I'lutarch, or Guicciardini, or Machiavel, may tend to calm the raptures of a republican apoltle. 'J'he plan of uni- verfal fuflVages has been loudly reconunended by the Duke of Richmond; and, on the i6th of May 1782, that nobleman, leconded by Mr. J-Iornc I'ooke, and Mr. Pitt, was fitting in a tavern, comimling ad- vertifcmcnts of reformation for the ncwfpapers. Mi'- TANTUR Tempoka. But had his plan been adopted, it is poflible that we (liould at this day, have looked back with regret, on the humiliating yet traiujuil dcfi)otifm of a Scots, or a Cornilh borough. The llyle uf this work is concifc and plain ; and it h hoped that it will be {oxxnCi fiifliciently rcfpedful to all parties. The quellion to be decided is, are we to proceed with the Av.ir fyflem ? Are we, in the progrefs of the nineteenth century, to embrace five thouliind iVefli taxes, to fijuander afccond (\\c luuidrcd millions Sterling, and to exrhpate twenty n)i!lions of people? K K R A T A, P. zc, I. II, from the bottom, iov forty, rsad tiv fity mW^ii. f JULi -gL-- lie debts whiilj (read, aiul c\eu rut. nt dcilumatioii. inpoitant tacls, rlpfrfeil, wliirli The rcjulcr will the memory ot eliile the mem- brs have nhiioK •11 wlicthcr thry r a liii}',le day. , that lo (liorleii 30 an ample rc- idvaiituges of a much extolled, cs, or riutarch, end to calm tlic "he plan of iini- :onimeiided by he 1 6th of May r. l-Iornc I'ooke, , cnmjmliiig ad- wlpapers. IVIr- 1 been adopted, ly, fiave looked ng yet tranquil raugh. id plain ; and it tly rcfpedful to led is, are we to , in the progrefs :e five thonlaiul luulicd millions ions of people ? sad ixventy miles. T II K POLITICAL PROGRESS O F B RI T A I N. CHAP. I. Dutch IVowcfs, DaiiiiTi wit, and Britifh policy, Great nothing! niiiiuly tend to thee. rochrstjii. 1 HE people of Scotland arc, on all occafions, foolifii enough to interell themfclves in the good or bad for- tune of an Knglilh miniflcr ; though it docs not ap~ pear that we have more inlUience v.ith fuch a nnnif- ter, than with the cabinet of Japan. To England we were for many ccntuncs a hoftile, and we are Hill confidercd by them as a foreign, and in ctied a conquered nation. It is true, tha;: wc eled very near a twelfth part of the Britifh Houfc of Cojiir.ions; but our reprefcntatives have no title to vote, or aft in a feparate body. Every ftatute proceeds upon the majority of the voices of the whole compound af- fembly : What, therefore, can forry-five perfons ac- complifh, whea oppofed to five hundred and thir- teen ? They feel the total infignificance of their fi- tuation, and behave accordingly. An equal num- A If [ 10 ] ber of elbow chairs, placed once for all on the miiiii'. terial bejiclics, would be Icfs expcnfive to .govern meiit, and jiul about as manageable. 1 call tiicfc, and every niiniilevial tool of the fame kind, expcn- live, becaufe ihofe who are obliged to buy, mult be undcrftood to fi/l*, and thofe who range themfclvc! under the banners of oppolition, can only be confi- dered, as having raied their voices too high for a purcir.nlr in tlie parliamentary audionf . There is a failiionable pln-afe, the politus of the county, which I can never hear pronounced withou; a glow (jf indignation ; compared with fuch politics, even pimping is refpcclable. Our fupreme court iiave, indeed, with infinite propriety, interpofed to extirpate what are called in Scotland, parchment ba- rony, and have thus prevented a crowd of unhappy wretches from plunging into an abyfs of perjury. Eut, in other refpeds, their decillon is of no confc- quencc, fmce it mod certainly cannot be of the final- ltd concern to this country, who are our eledors, and repiefentatives ; or indeed, whether we are re- prcleiued at all. Our members are, moft of them, \he mere fatellites of the miniiter of the day ; and forward to ferve his mofl opprcflive and criminal purpofes. It feems to have been long a maxim of the mono- polizing directors of our fouvhern mailers, to extir- pate, as quickly as poffible, every manufacture in this country, that interferes with their own. Has any body forgotten the fcandalous breach of national faith, by which the Scottilh dillilleries have beea * " Damn yovi and your in(lrui£lfons too, I have noucnr you, " and 1 wili SELL you," (.nA a ivart/jy leprefentitive to his con- ilirucnls, when they rerjurfled him to atteiid to their intcrelt in parliament. Folilica/ Difquijltiuns, vol. i. p. aSo. f 1 o th's Rtncjal ci-iilure we can produce a few exceptions, but the inaiviaualis are lo well known, that it would be ncedlefs to n.ime them. 1 ,4W» pW Hlf W ^)u is of no confc- lot be of the final- o are our eleftors, lether we are re- re, mod of them, of the day ; and Hve and criminal ixim of the mono- malters, to extir- lanufaclure in this r own. Has any reach of national Jleries have l^eeu I, I have noucnr you, efentitive to his con- :iid to their intcrelt in p. 2S0. duce a few exceptions, it it would be ncedlefs t II J Drought to deftrudion ? "Mas not the manufavTlare of ftdrch alfo been driven, by every engine of judicial lortme, to the lalt pang of its exiilence ? Have not the m uiufadurcrs of paper, printed callicoes, malt liquors and glafi, been harralled by the moll vexa- tious methods of exatfling the revenue ? methods e- quivalent to an addition of ten, or fomctimes an hun- dred per cent, of the duty payable. Let us look a- round this infulted country, and fay. on what ma- nut'adure, except the linen, government has not faftened Its bloody fangs. In the Excife annals of Scotland, that year which expired on the 5th of July 1790, produced for the duties on foap, ft\ty-five thoiifumi pot.'/ii!.<. On the 5th of July 1791, the annual amount of tliele duties was ovAy fo^ty five thoufumi pounds ; and by the laine hopeful progrefs, in three years more at farthell, our niinilters will enjoy the pleafureofcxtirpating a brancli of trade, once floiiriiiiing and extenlive. Two juen were fome years ago exei.iifed at Mdinburgli for rob- bing the Excife Oitice ot twenty-leven pounds ; but otVenders may be named, v.'ho ten thoufand times better deferve the gibbet. We have feen that op ■ preflive Ihitutes, and a method of enforcing them, the moll tyrannical, have, in a fingle year, depriv- ed the revenue of twenty thoufand pounds, in one line only, and 1 ave driven a crowd of indulbious famiUes out of the country ; and then our legillators, to borrow the honell language of George R(jus, Lfqj " have the infolence to call this govekkmilN r." By an oriental monopoly, we have obtained the: nnexampled privilege of buying a pound of the fame tea, for lix cr eight fhillings, with which other na- tions would eagerly fupply us for twenty pence: nay, we have fo thank om prej'ent illuftrious minuter, that this trilling vegetable has been reduced from a price ItiU more extravagant. His popularity began by the commutation ad. Wonders were promiied, won- Bij mum i I i^ 3 ders were cxpeded, and wonders liave happened ! A nation, confiding ot" men who call themfelves en- lightened, have coul'ented to build up their windows, that they might enjoy the permiflion of fipping in the dark a cup of tea, ten per cent, cheaper than formerly ; though not lefs than three hundred per cent, dearer than its intrinlic price. .Such aie the glorious confequences of our ftupid ^veneration for a minifter, and our abfurd fubmiffion to his capricious didafes I At home Englifhmen admire liberty ; but abroad, they have always been harfli mafters. Edward the Firft conquered Wales and Scotland, and at the diftance of five hundred years, his name is yet remembered in both countries with traditionary horror. His adions are Ihaded by a degree of infamy uncommon even in the ruffian catalogue of Englilh kings. The rapacity of the black pruice, as he has been emphatically termed, drove him out of France. At this day, there are Englilh writers who pretend to be proud of the unprovoked mallacres committed by his father and himfelf in that country ; but on the other hand, Philip de Comines afcribes the civil wars of York and Lancafter, which followed the death of Henry the Fifth, to the indignation of divine juftice, Ireland, for many centuries, groaned under the moil oppreffive and abfurd defpotifm ; till, in defi- ance of all confequences, the immortal Swift, like another Ajax, " Broke the dark phalanx, and let in the light." He taught his country to underftand her importance. At laft ihe refolved to aflert it, and, as a neceflary circumftance, flie arofc in arms. England faw the hazard of contending with a brave, an injured, and an indignant nation. The fabric of tyranny fell without a blow ; and a Ihort time will extinguifli the laft veftige of a fupremacy, diflionourable and per- nicious to both kingdoms. %ti. " i **— "a-'"rrT < rr ; . . have happened ! 11 theinfelves vh~ p their windnwsi, n of fipping in rit. cheaper than ree hundred per es of our ftupid bfurd fubmiflion rty ; but abroad, Edward the Firft 1 at the diflance t remembered in ror. His aftions uncommon even :ings. ;, as he has been t of France. At who pretend to es committed by itry ; but on the )es the civil wars ved the death of of divine juftice, >aned under the m ; till, in defi- lortal Swift, like I the light." her importance. , as a neceflary liigland faw the an injured, and of tyranny fell II extinguifli the aurable and per- r 13 ] in the Eaft and Weft Indies, the condudl of Bri- tarn may he fairly contrafted with the murder of Antabaha, and will prove equally ruinous to rhe de- teited conquerors*. While our fublime politicians exult in the vidory ot benngapatam, and the butchery of the fubjeas of a pnnce, at the diflance of fix thoufand leagues I am convinced from the bottom of my heart, and'fo vvill the majority of my countrymen be, long before this century has elapfed, that it would be an event the moft aufpicious both for Bengal and for Britain It Cornwallis and all his myrmidons could be at once* driven out of India. But what quarter of the globe has not been con- vulied by our ambition, our avarice, and our bafe- nels? The tribes of the Pacific ocean are polluted by the moll loathfome of difeafes ; our brandy has brutahzed or extirpated the Indians of the weftern continent ; and we have hired by thoufands the wretched furvivors to the tafk of bloodflied. On the Ihorrs of Atrica, we bribe whole nations by drunk- ennefs, to robbery and murder ; while in the face of earth and heaven, our fenators aifemble to fandify the praaice. "^ *< T/' '^^'^ '^■'•i-' "*"' *° ^^'"^ °"' ^'"''="' 'Jefire of creatlnjr Na- _^ ^o/i. gave nfc, were attended with tragical events. Bengal ^ was depopulated by every ipecies of public diltrefs. In the ^ace of> .years half tl>e great cities of this opulent kingdom __ were rendered defolate; the moft fertile fields in the world lay ^ wallc ; and five millions of harmlefs and induftrious people ^^ were either expelled or dertroyed. Want of forefight became more fatal than .nr.atebarbarifm J and men found themfelves wad.ng through J/ood and rui„, when their only objeft was «{r M-fl, r ' ^^"'■•^ -//«^2//^«. vol. iii. p. 70. This book was^pubhfhed in 1772. and the prefent quotation refers to our conduft at that period. C\!V\^'''"^^-V'"r'' '*" """ dift!ngui(hed aaor was Lord ^.live. _ iiut neither four millions Sterling, nor even imnK-nfe |iuantu,es of opium could ftifle in his bofom the agonies of reflec- t'on. In 1774, he cut his own throat. ''^TBaK35s«« - 'wi liti^^ [14] Our North American colonies w?re enahlilhcd, defended, and loft, by a fucceifion of long and bloody wars, and at a recorded expence of at leaft two or three hundred millions Sterling. We (till retain Ca- nada at an annual charge of fix or feven hundred th .ufand pounds. This fum is wreftcd from m by an Excife, which revels in the deftruclion t)f inanu- faclures, and the beggary -of ten thoufand hunell fa- milies*. From the province itlelf we never raifed, nor hope to raife, a fhilling of revenue ; and the fole rcafon why its inhabitants endure our dominion for a month longer, is, to fecure the money we fpcnd a- mong them. CHAP. II. 'Tis time to take enormity by the forehead find brand it. • ■ Een Johnsok. " D URiNG the reigns of Charles and James the Second, " above lixty thoufand Noncoiiformilts fuflered, of '• whom Jive thoufand xai-.n in prison. On a moderate " computatiori, t hefe perfons were pillaged of fourteen " MauoNS of property. Such was the tolerating, li- » Look into KearHey's or Robertfon's Tax Tables: What con- cife I what tremenduous volumes I When our political writers b.'aft of Briti(h liberty, tliey rtmind us of Sniollft's cobler in bed- lam bombarding Conftaniiuoplc. If the vidlims who groan under cur yoke, were accjuainted with the ccnlufion and flavery which our avarice or mad ambition have intlicled on ourfelves, a veiy coniidevable Ihare of thtir abhorrence would be conveited into contempt or pity. Let not the reader imagine too hafiily that this pifture is over- charged. The facis contained in this pamphlet will julHfy much ftronger expreffion?. IT ■re enablilhcd, ")ng and bloody at leaft two or (till retain Ca- fe ven hundred [led from us by clion of inanu- ifand hunert fa- ve never raifed, e ; and the fole ■ dominion for a ley \ve fpcnd a- i and brand it. Ben Johnsok. ames the Second, nilts faflered, of On a moderate aged of FOURTEEN he tolerating, li- c Tables: What con- our political writers lollt't's cobler in bed- ims who groan under on and flavery which on ouifclves, a veiy id be conveited into It this pifture is over- hlet will jidlify mufl' ( ^5 ] '^ beral, candid fpirit of the Ciiurch of England*.'" Thi-s ediniate rannor be intended to include Scot- land, ibr it is likely that here alone, I'ipilcopacy lii- criliccd fixty tlDiifand vidims. Of all forts of follies, the records of tho Church form the moll outragcou.^ biirlelque on the human underllanding. As to Charles the Second, ii. is full time that we Ihould be fpared from tlie hereditary infult of a holiday, for what Lord G.udenftone has juilly termed " his • BANEFUL RHSrORA-TION." It is vulgarly underftood that our political mille- nlum commenced with " the glorious Revolution." Let the reader judge from what follows. " Two hundred thoufand pounds a year hcjlo'weci ■' upontbe parlicpnent, have already ( 1 693) dra\vn out of ' the pockets of the fubjeds more monly than all our " kings Jince the Conquejt have had from the nation ! — > " The King ( Wilham) has about fix li-ore members, " whom 1 can reckon, who are in places, and are " thereby lb entirely at his devotion, that though •' they have mortal feuds, itjben out of the Houfe, and " though they are violently of oppofite parties, in "their notions of government, yet they vote, as " lumpingly as the lawn Jleeves. The Houfe is fo ^' officered hy ihoie. who have places and penfions, " that the King can ballle any bill, qualh all griev- " ances, and ilifle all accomptsf." A pawnbroker defcending from tlie pillory would not be fuft'ered to relume h;, profelFion. A porter convidled of theft, would be deprived of his ticket. We might be tempted to imagine, that a folicitude to embrace pollution, can hardly exift even in the meanefl: and moft worthlefs rank of mankind. It feems incredible, that an alFembly coniilling of * Vide Flower on the French Conflitution, p. 437. and hi? Authorities, f BuTgh,'s Political Difquifuions, vol, 1. p. 405. m\ ^--iJJSS^^'' [ i6 J (Jen/lc'iiien, fliall firft by a folemn vote dilchargc one of their members as a rafcat, and in a fhort tune af- ter, place him at their head. That fuch a cafe has usually happened, appears upon record. In the year 1711, the Houfe of Commons refolv- ed, " That Robert H'tilpole, Efquire, having been thi'3 " feflion of parhament committed a prifoner to the " Tower, and expelled this Houfe for a breach of " tru/i in the execution of his office, and notorioi s *' coRRTjpTJON, when Secretary at War, was, and is " incapable of being eleded a member to ferve in " this prefent parliament." Such an expulfxon would for ever have bolted him out of any fociety but a Britifli fenate. In 1715, when a new parliament was called, he refumed his feat. He rofe fuperior to competition ; and the end of his career was wor- thy of his outfet. Yet his charader can lofe no- thing by a comparifon with that of his conftituents, the burgefles of Lynn, who attempted inftantly up- on his expulfion, to return liim a fecond time as their reprefentative, but their choice was rejected. Nor was it becaufe Walpole had pilfered live hundred guineas that he was expelled and fent to the Tower. He was a Whi^, and at that time the majority in the Houfe of Commons were Tories. This was regarded as the true caufe of his fentence*. The Earl of Wharton, another Whig, was fined in a thoufand pounds for an outrage too grofs to be repeated. This did not deprive him of his feat in * George the SecoDd, on his acceilion, had refolved to dif- mifs Walpole. 7'he minifter offered on condition of keeping hi; place, to obtain an addition of an hundred thoufand pounds />er mnnum to the civil lift, and a jointure of an hundred thoufand pounds to Queen Caroline. His tenns were accepted. It is im- pofTible for the human mind to conceive a more fordid tranfadion. Edmund Burke, in what he calls an appeal to the old whigs, has gravely affured us, that " Walpole was an honourable man, and " 2l found WHIG. He was not a prodigal and corrupt miniftcr. Wf- " was far from governing by CQrruptwnP : dilchargc one I fhort time af- ich a cafe has )rd. jnimons refolv- iving been fill's prifoner to the ^or a breach of and NOTORiois ar, was, and is iber to ferve hi xpulfion would y fociety but a lew parliament e rofe fuperior :areer was wor- :r can lofe no- [lis conftituents, ;d inftantly up- nd time as their rejected. Nor d live hundred t to the Tower, majority in the lis was regarded ^mc, was fined : too grofs to be I of his feat in lad refulved to dif- ition of keeping his loufund pounds ptr hundred thoufand accepted. It is im- re fordid tranfa^ion. o the old whigs, has onourable man, and ^rrupi minifter. Ilf L 17 J the Houfe ©f Peers, nor impede his progrefs to the :^'ovcrnmeDt of Ireland, where his condud rivalled that of Rumbold in Bcng-il, or Verrcs in Sicily.—. About the year 1770, Gc:;tru; Burt^oyne was fined in a thoufaiul pounds for bribery at" an elcolion for I'relton. He enjoys a ftat in the prefent parliament. Oji the fiibjedl of purlianientary corruption, no writer has fpoken with more fianknefs ai.d pelfpi- cuity, than Mr, Doddir.gton, in his celebrated Diaiy. In a converfation with the Duke of Newcaitlc in 1753, about an elerti^.n for Bridge water, there is the foliowmg curious pa/lage: " I recoii;mended mv two " parfons, Burroughs and Franklin. The Duke en- " tered into it very cordially, and anfvvercd me, that " they Ihould have the firit crown livings that fliould " be vacant in their parts, if we would'look out and " fend him the firlt intelligence." And again, " Mr. «' Pelham declared, that 1 hud a good deal oimarktt- '' able ware, vkku\uilut\k\ wv^.kv.9-^, and that if " I would impower him to olT'er it all to the King, " xvithout comiitions, he would be anfwerable to bring " the afiair to a good account. — The Duke of New- " caftle faid, that what I did was very great, that he " often thought with furprife, at the cafe and cheap- " nefs of the eJedion at Weymouth, that they had " NOTHING like it. I faid, 1 believed there were few " who could give his Majcfty six members for m- " thing. — The eledion coll me three rhoulluid four " hundred pounds. I was fairly chol'en, nur would " the returning oflicer have dared not to return me, •' had he not been encouraged by the fervants of ad- " minidration. The borough was loll, and loft folelv " by a Lord of the Bed Chamber, and the Cultom'- " houfe oliicers." (Par nobile fratrum !J " Lord " Bute had toid Anfon, that room muft be made for " Lord Parker, who replied, that all was engaged. " Bute faid, IVbat, my Lord, the King's Admlrahy " boroughs full, and the King not acquainted ivitb it ! C tSP^ %%■ .. •'A ■ [ iS ] .♦ Anfnn I'cmal quite dilconccrtea, and knew not " what to l"ay.*" This agrees cxadly with the ac- count given by Mr. C:(,u.t.Ky. i.i a late aebatr m the Houfc of Commons, where he ohirrvcd, that members came into parUament, with a l"^"-'! a^ th^^"' mouths, intcrihed, Trr, or No. The Hate o Bntilli rcnrefentation has been often examined and cenlu_ rctl. A few particulars may ferve as a fpecimen ot the reft. , , .„. c . , Eneland is faid to contain eight milhons ot mha- bitants, who fend to the Houfe of Commons five hundred and thirteen members. At this rate, every million ought, upon an average, to chufe fixty-t""^' rcnrclVntaiivcs. The cities of London and Weft- minfter contain between them, about a miUion ot people, who eled nolfiMyfour, but/v members tov parliament. The borough of Old Sarum, which con- tains only or,e inhabitant, fends /xw members. On this t..pi.k, a iliort extrad from Mr. Burghs Political Difiiu.litions, may entertain the reader- " Two hundred and ilfty-four members are eledled «• by five thoufand feven hundred and twenty-three ♦' votes ; now, the moft numerous meeting ot the «* Commons ever known, was on occafion of the de- -bate about Walpole, A. D. 1741. There were " then five hundred and two in the Houie. 1 here- •' fore two hundred and fifty-four comes very near ♦' a majority of the Houfe, or the whole ading and ej- - ficknt number. And the greateil part ot thele il- •' luftrious five thoufand fevcu hundred and twenty- " three who have the power of conftituting lawgiv- " ers over the property of the nation, are themfelves " perfons of no property -j"." . 'rhe writer has here committed a flight inaccura- cy ; for, in the debate about Walpole, thefe two * Doddington's Diary, 3d. editiou, p. 356, 283, 293, 329 iljeq. \ Political Difquifitions, toI. I. p. 45- •^^ t' sili j> t'i!~ , and knew not 'lly with the ac-- I iiitc Ucbatr in L- ohi'rrvcd, that h a label at their \t Hate of Britiih nincd and cenlu- is a fpecimeii of millions of inha- if Commons five Lt this rate, every • chufe fixty-fovu- indon and Wcft- lout a million of tfix members fov arum, which con- members, from Mr. Burgh's ain the reader.— mbers are eleded and twenty-three s meeting of the 3ccafion of the de- '41. There were beHoufe. There- r comes very neai ubole ading and ej- .■11 part of thefe il- ndred and twenty- onftituting lawgiv- lon, are themfelves [ a flight inaccura- Valpoie, thefe two ?. 356, 283, 293, 359 I i'J J Jmiulrcd ami fifry-four mem! '.or?, who are n«)t, in fact, eltn'kd by a two liundiwlrh parr of tlic nation, would have furititd an actual majority of fix votes ;i,i;aii)'l the wliok other rcprell-iuativcs' in the Houfc. In thf year 1770, the Eiiglilh nation became jea- lous that thc-u- iibt-rties were in dangc-r, becaufe ClovernmcPt h:ul interfered in the elcdidu of Mr. Wilkes, as a meinbi-r for the County of iMiddlcfcx. The letters; of Junius are chiefly employed upon this topic. Junius, with all his merit, refembled a bar- ber, wIjo plucks out a lingle hair, when he ought to 'ie iliaviiig your beard. It could not be of the Icall confequence to the County of Middlefex, nor is it of nny concern to any other county in England, who are their reprei'entativcs, fmce the two hundred and fifty-four members who are elecled by .\ rwo hun • DRKDTH I'ARr of the nation, and the forty-five make- weight Scotch members, are alone fulHcient to in- fiire a majority. The fubjc*!! is too abl'urd to admit of an argument, and too deteftable for declamation. If Government were candidly to fend two hun- dred and fifty-four cxcifemen, or clerks from the Bank of England, into parliament, in place of thefe two hundred and fifty-four members, it would fa\'e the expence of eledion, and a great part of the neceflary exigence of corruption. It is true, that the mailers of rotten boroughs are often inrolled in the ranks of oppofition ; and among others, the Earl of Chatham beijan his progrefs as a member for Old Sarum. But an oppofition always confills, in part, of adventurers, who, as Dr. Johnfon ob- ferves, " having efiimated themfelves at too high *' a price, are only angry that they are not boi/jjht.*^' There is a cant expreflion in this country, that our Government is defervedly the wonder and envy of the world. With better reafon it may be faid; Vidt Falfe Alarm. Cij 'V J- [ 20 J lliiif pnili;im<*nt is a infre ourwcirk of the court, .^ pliaJunx of nitrccMaries emlKiftled jiguiull (lie u-a f(»n, the lia|)piiit.'fs, and the liberty of mankind. The game laws, the dog ad, the ilmp tax, tlie win dow tax, the pedlar tax, tlie attorney ta\, and ;• thuiifand others, give u«! a right to wilh that ihcii authors had been hanged. CHAP. III. -Fflicior fiTem Anpufl,!! opi>)us : in»llrm tolrrare Sabinos, Kt Vrjos : brcvior duxi leturius xvutn. Ipfa nocet moles. CLAL•DIA^f. It is now eighty-eight years fince* we furprifeHGib • raltar. W<; have retained this barren, ufeleis rock, uiu der the pretence of pro;erting our trade in the Me- diterranean ; and it is even a furry conceit in Hri- tain that we are tlius mafuns of a kind of toll bar to the entrance of that iea. Had the pallage been on^ ly five hundred yards wide, this fancy would have had fome foundation. But, unfoitunately, the Sfrait, as we call it, isforfy nulcs in breadth ; fij that all the lliips in the world may pafs it every day, in con- tempt of all our batteries. As to the protection of our merchants, it is equally fuperHuous, for our com- merce to that part of Europe was tar more cxtenlivc, long before we polTeiled Gibraltar than it is at this moment f; and this unqueftionable fad> proves the abfolutc impertinence of the whole fclieme. A plain * In 1704. ^ f I his circurailar.ee has been fully expL-.iued by Ur. Aclair Smith, in his Iinjuiiy, book ^j. chap. 7. ■)!' the court, .^ gaiiill the rca y of mankind. p tax, tlic win loy tax, and ;> wilh that tlicir LLAVDIAK. e fiirprifeaGib- .ilclcis rock, un- •adc in the Me- conceit in Hri- ul ot" toll bar to aflage been on- icy would have itely, the Strait, ; Ui that all the ry day, in con- he protection of IS, for our com- more extenlivc, an it is at this fa(^ proves the :licme. A plain ined by Dr. Aclair L ^^ ] .wnpanlon from doiuollic lite will illuAratc \vl,.(t Ifay. I-et us put the cafe, that a private gentle ■ man ii. like liriiain, overwhehiied with ilehr. Ho hiiilds and fmniiljo a handlonie inn on th«r mad to his ci'iiniry feat, ami he gives the premiles to lii>j Initkr, with u penlion of five hnmlred p.-unds, on coiulition that in dirty \ve;-rhcr, he lliall l)e I'ull'ereil to i)iiJl utr his boots in the kitcluMi. liut were even rhe j)ort of Gibraltar funk to the centre of the earth, we can have no want of Ihelter at the Ihortell dif. tuiice. There are three ports on the oppoiitc tide oi the Strait. I5ecr tiunum ; fMi multiplying thi,> fiim by eighty -eight, we are pre- sented with an amount of fevcnLeea millions and (ix hundred thouliiiid pounds Sterling. Clould tiu; pie- uiifes be dilj)ufed, the total cxjjence wouKl exccxl credibility ; for at the ra'.e of live/;.?- ctnt. of com- uound interell, a fum doubles itfelf ui fourteen yea.s; ■iid, coiifequenily, in tlie courie of eighty-fourycurs^ i I J ^■orii 1734. fn I7^S, tlif Jirll jKivtiiont of two lu.i, (Ircil tlxniliiiid i»()iiiuls will im rciili? to fuclvt- milliui, mil ci.i-lit luimlrcil tliuuliind. 'I'lit- flinpk' iiitnell ( t ihu limi, l()r the lour luUlitiotial ye irs, fnini r;^-;, to 179: iiulii(ive, uniouiits to two millions live lii;ii ilrcil uikI li\ty tlioulaiid pounds, and the whole u rifcs io Ji ft ten iiiillions tbrtr hu/uinJ nnd jixiv il>',u Omd fmotil.i. This, fiowcvcr, concerns only o'lie ycai of our con(|uclt. 'J'lic \\\[\ four years cxtt nd in \\\\u\ to Jijly-Jcvi'ti mi//io//.( and fix hunihi-il th'juf.ind p'lunl- Sti'rlin,\r. Allot lier lol's ;dfo mull be taken into tlii; unfithomable accompt. The garrilon of i his fortrr-i's confills. always of at lead luur thoufand men, and lometimes of more than twice that number. An (-r dinary workman can earn ten niillings a week, and tlie hi))our of four thoufand fuch workmen is worth to tljc pui)lic above an hundred thoufand pounds />,/ annum. This adds one third part more of additional Jofs. The total expence therefore, which this accjui fition exhaulled in the firll four year; only, in chiding the legal interelt (jf our money down to thi? day, cannot have been icfs than cl^bt^-Jix miU'ms four htmdtfd ihjujmid puunds. We are likewife entitled to compute not only what we have pofitivf ly loll, but what we mi^,ht with equal certainty have. gained. Britain and Ireland contain about an liun- dred and four thoufand Iquare miles, and if this luin of cighty-lix millions four hundred thoufand pounds liad been expended on the purpofes of agricultuii', it would have fai)i)lied a fund of eight hundred a;ul thirty pounds SterJinr; for every fquare mile. liencc. inftcad of an intcrell of Jhc per cent, the funds thus employed would have returned a profit of ten, or twenty, or perhaps oijlfiy per cent. The reader may prolecute, and contemplate thr tlie fequei of this calculation. All the current calli in Europe, or in the woild, would come infinitely Ihort of dilrharging fuch a reckoning. Britain niav nt of two Jiui, > fvvrivf iiiillitii, inplf iiiii rell . i •irs, from 178-;, illidiis live hcii il the wliok- .1 nnU jtMy ih;u ns only one ycai JXti 11(1 itl wlldl' th'iul'.ind l)'jut:d: ' taken into thi) w of I his fortrc'b iland nu'ii, aiul umber. An or- KS a week, ;in(l >rkmtn is worth iincl [loimils Pi I ire of additional hicli this acquj. ^ear; only, in cy down to thi? r^hty-Jix millms 'e are like wife e have pofitivf. I certainty have. I about an Inin- and if this fuin ^loufand pound'; of a;Triculturi'. ht hundred ami e mile. Hence, the funds thus irofit of ten, ()!• ontem plate thr he current calli come infmitcly , Britain niav L ^s J I),- luppofcd at this time to i-ii'iiin abot;' fiUceu liumlrcd tliourmd famJc'i, bfiid'-» rhole who arc liippcrtcd upon th;irify. N.^V, dividuii^ the prcfeiit ,innual e.\p<"iur of five bundled tlnufaml poniidj. n|in»lly anii ng ihetn, it iunuuut<; to a iiiure of fix Ihilliiigs and fij;Iir pcnec pet family. 'I'li;- money ought tu be raifid ujider a dillind title, Inch as tlie (iibraltar (uiliii^u.il /hilling duty on lej^/itiet. Ill thai cafe, the nation v.iuiM inlhnuly confider what they are about, and call ollluch a prepollcrous burden. The payment of fix lliillings and eight jicii'.e is frec]uciilly the fnudlell part of the gricv-- .nice. Ry the cxpence lif excilemen, ot profecutions, and of peiiahiis, live ihillin.u;s. of revenue may often toft a Britilii Jrcevum ten times as many pounds Stcrhng*. Before the ac(iuilition of Gibraltar, England, in the whole courle of her liiilory, had only three wars with Spain. Tiie full in 15S8, was produced l)y the piracies of Drake and others, and by the uf- lillance which tli/abeih atlbrded to the Dutch rc- * I fliall mention «o example in point, wliich crcurs wliile I am now writing. An old woniiin hail betn in the praflice of fupijlying her neighbours with huU'pennywcrthj of ftiuff. She wnj ordered, under a penalty oijif-y f>uund\, to pay^w jhilling^ for a licence, and (he diil (b. Had (he been able to buy Ironi the manul'jfturcr four pounds of (nuff at a time, the bulinefi might have relied there ■, but as tiii» was beyond her power, it was required by the terriers of tax.aion, that Ihe rtiould mako oatli, once a year, to the (juaiiiity (l\e fold. Her memory failed, and Ihe is now, wiUi a crowd of other vii'lims, in an excile court, wlii<:l> will very pollibly bring her to beggary. I hi* in like a drop in the ocean of excifc. The viry lound of thr word an. nounces Utter ddtiudion ; for it is derived from a Latin verb, which lignilies tn cut u/) by ibe ruols. What " our moll excellent conlhtution" may be in theory, I neither know nor care. In pratlii •;, it i« altogether a coNSPiHACT fit THE Rl;:il AGAINST rilJC rO'R. ih M^ ', ift voi'ers. The fccoiul war was likcvvifc unprovoked on the parr of Spain. CromwL'll found it ncccfniry to vent the turbulence of his fubjccls in a foreign quarrel, and Jamaica was invaded and feized wirli'. out even a pretence of juilice. On this confjucl> clueny has /.ngland founded that hopeful branch of her commerce, the Slave-Trade, Mhile the climatr has annually extirpated, by thoufands, the va-rantn from Europe. The third Spanilh war had an oririn xvorthy of its prcdecelVors. The King of Spain, 'by his will, transferred his dominions to a prince of the houfe of Bourbon. His fubjecls confented or fuh- mitted to the choice, and England, with a degree oi' inlolence unmatched in hiftory, interfered inVavou: of an Auftrian candidate. Tiie conteft ended with our acquifition of Minorca, and Gibraltar ; an in jury to Spain of the moft oirenfive nature. Since that period her court has always been forward to contend witii us; and five wars*, begun and termi- nated in the ihort fpace of fixty-five years, alTure us ot their indelible indignation. Norcan we be fur-. pnied at their aniniollry ; for what would an Eng^ lilliman fay or feel, were Plymouth and Dover for titled by a French garrifon? Happily for the fpecies our countrymen at Gibraltar have been but feldom attacked. Hence, in a time of war, they have com- monly mHic^lcd and fufTeied far lefs mifchief than muit have been committed on both fides in a piniti- calcxpedition to the coail of Peru, in defolating the plams of Hindoitan, in burning the (liipping at St. Maloes, or in forming the pellilential ramparts of the Havannahf. In 170B, we captured Minorca, and after what I T^' M'•''^'"p "'V '"" .'"^^' '" ''^'' ^•"^^ '" ^779- t Ihe Major of a Bntiil, remanent who Icrved at that iicLT, had in his company on his arrnal at Cuba, an hundred and n.'nr healthy men. Of thcfc, as he himfclf told mc, /v, onlv returr.. r.d to Europe. KWJ-, ;vviic unprovoked, found it neccfriry bjccls in a foreign and fcizcfl with. On This coiKjucIl liopcfii) branch of vhiJe the climatp nds, the vagrant, v'.ar had an oripjii ung of Spain, by to a prince of tlk confented or fub. , with a degree oi' terfered in favour ;-)nteft; ended with jibrultar ; an in e nature. Since been forward to begun and termi- e years, afTure us or can we be fur It would an Eiig- h and Dover for \y for the fpecies, been but feldom , they have com- fs niifchief than . fides in a piniti- in defolating the ic fiiipping at St. itial ramparts of and after what '6'j, and in 1779. Icrved at tliat iio^rf, an hundred and nine lie, JiVf onlv returr.- [ 25 ] T/nat has been faid as to Gibrahar, it is unneccfllir^ to expatiate on tlie mnnftrous expences which it nnift have cod us during half a century, till it was in 1756 furrcndered to the French. On this event the whole Englii^i nation fecrned to have run out of their fenfes. Yet to the lofs of this fortrefs, we may in fonie meafure attribute our fihcefs, as it was call- ed, in that war ; for the charge of fupporting Mi- norca mull have been felt as a dead weight upon our other operations. It was rellored in 17O3, and in 17S1, it was a fecond time, and I hope for ever, fc- parated from the Britifli dominions. By the lofs of this fortrefs we fave an inceflant and extravagant ex- pcnce. With me it is an objecl of regrcr, that the brave Elliot and his garrifon iiad not been f(jrccd to capitulate by the firil bombdifchargcd againlt them. The individuals, acting as they did, from the mod generous and honourable principles, have acquired and deferved our warmed gratitude ; and, as it may be expected that fuch events will hereafter become lefs frequent, their glory will defcend with incrcaf- ing ludre to the lad generations of mankind. But their efforts were fatal to this country ; for it is felf- evident that we had much better have wanted this mock appendage of empire. The fiege itfelf produ- ced fcenes of fuch ftupcnduous dcdrucficm that they cannot be perufed without horror. Nine years of peace have hnce elupfed, and, in that time, includ- ing the endlefs cxpencc of tbrtificaiions, it is proba- ble that Gibraltar has cod us at lead five millions Sterling ; befulcs, wc have been again on the verge of a war with Spain, winch has audcd a comfortable item of four millions to the debts ot the nation. If the annual cxpcnce of Gibraltar, amounts to five hundred thoufand pounds, this is about one thirty- fecond part of our public icvenue. Nothing but the power of its difpofal can obtani for a i^ritiih minider a majority in the Houfe of Commons. Three D ^^i^a^^ji' -^ [ ^6 J iinndrccl and twenty members arc about the uCial uwwhcr undrr bis i?ijluc/icc* ; and therefore the pa- tronage of Gibraltar m.ay be conjec^lnred to purchafc ten votes in the market of St. Stephen's chapel f. Though writers have prefumcd to fpecify the an- nual charge of Gibraltar, an exact edimate cannot poflibly be obtained. The public accounts are prc- lented to parliament in a ftate of inextricable confu- ijor.. Indeed their immenfe bulk would alone be fufTicient to place them far beyond the reach of any human comprehenfion. A fingle circumftance may ferve to fliow the way in which parliamentary bufi- nefs is commonly performed. A ftatule was pafled and printed foitte years ago, containing three fuccef- five references to the thirty-TiRSt day of November. ' For a foreign conteft, our government is moft wretchedly adapted. In the war of 1756, Frederick, that Shakefpeare of kings, fought and conquered five different nations. In the courfe of his miraculous campaigns, he neither added a fingle imp9ll, nor at- tempted to borrow a lingle fhill'ing. At the fame time our boafted Earl of Chatham was overwhelm- ing this country with taxes, and contrading an annual debt of fifteen or twenty millions Sterhng. With a more de(lru6live miniftcr, no nation was e- ver curfed. Yet this man we prefer to Sir Robert Walpole, a flatcfman, whofe maxim it was to keep us, if poflible, at peace with all the world. * Wlien the vrhole ftreiigth of cacli party !• called forth, a rniuority are commonly within an hundred voices of the minifter, •Ahicli correi'ponds with tolerable accuracy to the computation in the text, in the regency queftion, Mr. Pitt, with the whole nation at his back, muftered only two hundred and fixty-nine jnembers. f In the Spanilh negociation in 1757, the Earl of Chatham (tlien Mr. Pitt) propofed to cede Gibraltar to Spain, and again, in 1761, he offeted it as ihe price of the Family CumpaR. Vide f/jj Life^ in two large volumes juil publiflied. This propofal e- vinces, that the lortrefs was not, in Mr. Pitt's opinion, of much .mnortancc to Britain. ^4 - ,---7,*c*i.r«i *w*i-* bout the ulAial erefore the p;i> red to purchafe ti's chapel f. fpecify the an- }(limate cannot .-counts are prc- xtricable confu- would alone be he reach of any Tumrtance may iamentary bufi- tule was pafleci ng three fuccef- Y of November, rnment is moft 1 756, Frederick, i conquered five his miraculous ; imp9ll, nor at- T. At the fame was overwhelm- contrading an nillions Sterhng. nation was e- fer to Sir Robert 1 it was to keep world. rtj » called forth, a aices of the miniller, i the computation in *iti, with the whole ndied and fixty-nine he Earl of Chatham to Spain, and again, imiiy CumpaEl. Vide d. This propofal e- t^s opinion, of much L 27 ] la 1062, Dunkirk, then poirefled by England, coft an annual expence of a hundred and twenty thoufand pounds. At the fame period the whole re- venues of the nation did not amount to eleven hun-^ died thoufand pounds. The retention of ihe town mud have proved a hot-bed of future wars with France. Charles the Second, at this time fold it to Lewis the Fourteenth, for the fum of four hund'-ed thoufand pounds. This was, I believe, the only wife, laudable, or even innocent adion of his reign. It had almoll produced Zi, rebellion ; and. as Mr. Hume obfervcs, " has not had the good fortune, to " be juftified by any party." Domeftic improvement is, in all cafes, more ad- vantageous than mihtary acquifition. Yet in the great outlines of our hiftory, we have inceflantly for- faken the former, to purfue the latter. James the Firft, though in private, and even in public hfe, u-- niverfally defpifed, was one of the beft fovereigns that ever fat on the Britifh throne. Without a iingle quality which could recommend him. to our efteem, lie preferved the Englifh nation, though much a- gainil their will, in peace, during his entire reign of twenty-two years. Hence both illands made rapid advances in wealth and profpefity^ " Never," fays Stowe, " was there any people, lefs confiderate and " lefs thankful than at this tmie, being not ivUUng to " endure the memory of their pr.fcnt happinefi." On the fame principles of rapine, Xvhich dictated the re- tention of Dunkirk, James has been feverely blamed for delivering back to the Dutch three of their for- tified towns, which had been put into the pofleflion of Elizabeth Mr. Hume has, with much propriety, yindicated his condutl. Had it been polfible that the life of fuch a prince, and the tranquillity of this' country, could have been prolonged to the prcfent day, it is beyond the power of Britifh vanity to con- 'X'ive the nccumulated progrefs of Britilh opulence" D ij ,.^:.-s:.^^.^a:,ifcA-- ^i>' [ 28 ] Both ifland'i would, long before this time, h:ive ad- vanced to a ftate of cultivation, not inferior to thaf of China. The produdions of the foil, and the num ber of inhabitants, might have exceeded, by tenfold, their prefent amount." Public roads, canals, bridges, and buildings uf every defcription, mull have multi- plied far beyond what our molt fanguine wilhes are capable of conceiving. A iliort review of the dc llrudion committed by foreign wars within the lafl hundred years of our hiftory, can hardly fail to a • mufe, and may perhaps inilrud: the reader. CHAP. IV. Facilis ej} dcfcenfus Averni, 'Tis eafy into hell to fall ; Bui to get out again is all. VlRG. The ground of the firft war," fays Dr. Swift, " af- ter the Kevohition, as to the part we had in it, was to make France acknowledge the late king, and to recover Hudfon's Bay. But during that whole war the fea was almoft entirely neglected, and the greatefl part of fix millions, annually, em- ployed to enlarge the frontier of the Butch. For the king was a general, but not an admiral ; and al- though king of England, was a native of Holland. " After ten years of fighting, to liule purpofe, af- ter the lofs of above an hundred thoufand men, and a debt remaining of twenty Jnillions, we at length Ixearkeued to the terms of peace, which was con- [ 29 ] his time, have ad- lot inferior to thaf foil, and the num :eeded, by tenfold, ds, canals, bridges, , mull have multi- anguine vvilhes are review of the de- irs within the lad m hardly fail to a • lie reader. VlRG. 'ays Dr. Swift, " af- part we had in it, Jge the late king, But during that entirely iieglecledi lions, annually, eni- the Dutch. For the n admiral ; and al- , native of Holland. :o liuie purpofe, af- i thoiifand 7nen, and ilUons, we at length ce, which was con- ■ I hided with great advantages to the Empire and " H.illand, but none at all to us*" This account does not give us much encourage- ment to fend for a fecond fovercign from Holland. Dutch gerierofity appears to have proved a very mi- ierable bargain. It is hardly polhble that James, with all his priefts and dragoons, could have com- mitted one hundredth part of this havock. So muck for a Proteftant hero, and a glorious Revolution. William afccnded and fupporfcd his throne by a feries of the meaneil and moll difgraceful expedi- ents. He excited Argyle and Monmouth to rebel- lion. He bribed the fervants of James to betray to himfelf the fecrets of their mafter. He inftrudled thefe minifters to drive the King of England into thofe very meafures which fotccd a Revolution. He was bafe onough to deny the legitimacy of the Prince of Wales ; he taught two thanklefs danghters to for- iiike, and ruin, und inllilt their father. When cm- barking for this country, " he took Heaven to wit- " ncfs, that he had not the lead, intention to invade " or fubdue the kingdom of England, much lefs to " make himfelf mailer thereof, or to invert or preju- " -^ire the lawful fuccelRonf" James had quarrel- kd with the Church of England, and this was one of the chief caufes of his deftrudion. Yet all the bifhops, except eight, as well as many temporal peers, refufed to take the oaths to the new govern- ment; and.Sancroft, Archbilhop of Canterbury, who had been at the head of the oppoiition to James, was along with five other Bifliopi depofed for his refulal. The convention parliament T.'ho made William King of England, were ele^led by himjhlf, and contained, belides other extraordinary materials, fifty inenibt:rs of the Common Council of Lonihn, With this very par-^ » The Condua of the Allies. f Macpheri'on's Hiiloiy of litl';ain, vol. i. chap. S. ^•^SiiMiMii^^^B^.i • , ' • 4.4 i liaraent he was immediately on the worft terms; and Sutherland, Marlborough, and Admiral Ruflel, with tnany other chiefs of his party, entered into a con- fpiracy for his expulfion. The Iiifh rebels had for- feited lands to the value of three millions three hun- dred and twenty thoufand pounds. This immcnle property William divided almoft altogether among his Dutch favourites, and the Countcfs of Orkney, an EngUfh concubine, whofe fervices were rewarded ivith an cftate of twenty -fix thoufund pounds u.-year; while, at the fame time, with the moll fordid in- gratitude, he turned his back on the family of Mon mouth, who had been his tool and his victim. Thefe adts of robbery were reverfed by parliament. I pafb over the tragedies of Glfencoe and Darien, for on fuch a cliarader, they refled no peculiar reproach. William was the father of our public debt, which he multiplied as much as poffible, that befides other mean purpofes, he might attach to his perfonal fafc- ty the creditors of the nation. As to parliament, in X690, the Speaker ^' promifed to the King to manage " his own party, provided be rhij^ht be furnijbed with •' money to purchafe votes* '^ His majefty confented. In the progrefs of this confpiracy, his agent was ex- pelled from the Houf^ of Commons, for accepting from the city of London a bribe of a thoufand guineas. A bribe often thoufand pounds, from the Eaft- India Company, " was traced to the kingf ;'" a magiftrate, whofe office it was to lit^n the warrant for executing a pickpocket. William extinguilhcd this inquiry by a prorogation. " Thus ended," fays the hiftorian, " a *• wretched farce , in which the feeble efforts for ob- " taining juftice were fcirce lefs difgraceful than ve- " nality itfelf." On the 20th December 1697, the Commons granted Willjjam feven hundred thoufand • Macpherfoa's Hlftory o'f Great Britain, vol.' i*. cha^. lc». f Ibid. vol. a. chap. 2. 'orft terms; and tal Ruffel, with ;red into a con- , rebels had for- ions three hun- This immcnre together among :cfs of Orkney, were rewarded pounds u.-year; moll fordid in- family of Mon- s vidim. Thete lament. I pafb Darien, for on ;uliar reproach. debt, which he It befidcs other Is perfonal fafc- parliament, in King to manage e funiijhed with jefty confented. is agent was ex- 5, for accepting loufand guineas, n the Eall- India ;'" a magiftrate, It for executing this inquiry by he hiftorian, " a e efforts for ob- raceful than ve- mber 1697, the ndrcd thoufand vol.' I*. chajJ. IcC r 31 ] pounds a-year for the fuppiort of the civil lift. This comprehended fifty thoufand pounds a-year, whicn lie promifed to pay to King James's queen as hei* jointure, and fifty thoufand pounds a-year, which he demanded as neceflary to ellablilh the houfehold of (he Duke of Gloucefter. To the queen he never paid a farthing, and to the Duke only fifteen thou- fand pounds a-year. '^'his prince died on the 24th of July 1700, ^hd in 1701, the Commons, af.er a violent debate with the adherents of the court, com- pelled William to refund the fifty thoufand pounds, which he had engaged to pay to the exiled queen, and above twenty thoufand pounds, which the Duke of Gloucefter had left behind hlnl*. Mr. Pitt com- plains of authors who publifli libels on the Revo- lution. To forbid a perfon from publifliing his fen- timcnts on a hiftorical event which happened above an hundred years ago, is in itfejf an example of the utmoft infolence of defpotifm. To depofe one ty- rant was highly proper; bat it was not lefs foolifh to exalt another f. ; : ' ' • Macpherfon, vol. U. chap. 5 and 4. The hiflorian has related this anecdote in luch a manner, that we cannot learn what fums the exiled queen ought to have received. When her jointure \% twice mentioned in chapter 3, he calls it fifty thoufand pounds a year. But after four years, in chapter 4. he contradicts this ilatement, by informing us that William had retained the fifty thoufand pounds due to her, which, with the re- verlion by the death of the Duke of Gloucellor, amounted to " near an hundred thoufand pounds." By the account in chap- ter 3, the whole funs, including interefl, Oiould have been about tiva hundred and fifty thoufand pounds. This miilake is hardly worth notice here, but is mentioned merely ta (liew that one may fometimes be forced to feek a ivay through very discordant materials. f Smollet's charader of William is a curious jumble. " He was religious^, temperate, generally jujl inAJincere He " involved thefe kingdoms in foreign connexions, which, in all " probability, will be produSlkie of their ruin. He fcrupled not " to employ alJ the engines of corruption. He entailed upon the " nitioa a growing debt, and a fyliem of politics big with mifc- [ r- ] hfore CO ft 711 jfc hri'.nr, fays 1 lie prcvcrb ; ritui i)) this rule the Rcvuluticni was certainly a more Iplcu- did traniadion than tlic nation luid ever feen. "The ♦♦•cxpcncTs ot" Knglund. from the landing i>f the ••Prince of Orange on the ^tii of ISiovembcr 16^8, " to the 29th of September ibgi, had amoiuiiecl to " near eightekn mij.mons. Bcfidcs great arrears " were owing to the army in Irclajul, the navy was " dclHlute of lU.n-s, and the Ihipr itrn' out of rcpuir'^-r In 1693, ii bill paired botii Houfes, providing foi annual" feffions of parliament, and a new elcdinn once in three vear^. To this bill, the founokk or ENGLISH Fiu-KDOM tefiifcd liis ufllnt, N^'hicli m 1694. was obtained by compuUlon. After having told all the world for ten years, that James had impdcd a fpurious prince upon the nation, he engaged m 1O97. to obtain that prince to be dcclaied his iucecUorf. A man of common fpirit would rather have been a chimney fwecper than fuch a fovercign. As for the inferior adors in the Revolution, wc may inquire ivbnt bm'e they done ? They did nm transfer the load of taxes from the poor to the rich. They did not extirpate entails, and rotten boroughs. They did not edablifli an univerial right of conlci- cnce, and an univcrfal right of citizenibip. They did not advance even a fmgle ftep towards exalting the motely parliament of England into the adual rc- pvcientatives of a free people. They* did not avoid a mult deilvudive and cndlefs quarrel on the conti- *• rv defpnlr, and denmflion." The reft of this pafTage is too Ions' lor iniertion -, but tlie author's inference appears to be, that ■William was the moil ruinous fovereign »\lio ever fat on the I throne of Enijland. . " , , ,„j 1 * Maciiherfon, vol. 7. rh:ip. 1. All our continental jvars .ini fubCidies, from 168S, to this day, muft be alcribed to the Revo-i ^"T"hid, Tol. 2. chpp. 3- The author adds, " The fuccc^.r^l " provided 1>V the aft of fcttlement. he euher d^fpijed or abho'.-^ *•■ rid:'' Thefe were the illuftrious Houlc of Brunlwick. "* 'i''^"'W«_a^«P"-ii|,'lSi'», ovcrb ; nmi i)) f a more Iplcu. cr fecn. " The landing of the November i6S8, ul amoiinictl to , great aiTcai" , the navy was out ofrcp.tir*." ;, providing foi ci new elcdinn ;hc FouNuvR or whicli in xG()4. having loid ull s had imjidlcd :i ngaged in 1O97, 1 his i'ucccUbrf. her have been a ign. Revolution, vvc They did noi poor to the rich. rotten boroiigiis. right of conici- iienibip. They towards exalting ito the adual rc- ,ey did not avoid el on the conti- of this pafTage is too ! c appears to be, that | ^lio ever fat on the I continental wars and ] I'cribcd to the Revo- ds, " The fuccc^Dr?! htr difpifed or abhor L>t" Brunlwick. C 33 ] nent. They did not reduce the civil lift even to the prodigal eftablillinient ot'Chri'les the Second*. They did not extirpate the moll ai^lurd and extravagant prerogatives of the fovereign, to adjourn or diltblve a parliament at pleafure, to baftardi/,e a peerage with the nuj)pets of dclpotilin, to intcrpole a rcfufal to tho molt nccellary lu'.vs, and to plunge at his will three nations into blood iuid bankruptcy. IVbat then did ibty d|^-ffi:^Siti?^V%ii-- ^ ^■^-Ss*«©'J^.^"^^Sir- &6^!^^Sr^K -^i*^' hW«-<*S«»«**5»' 'ts of a penny for h more tlian up- property of both ) this ftatement, iUlions thus ex- \zled among our- tvent out of the 'thing poorer than If we might op- to the jargon of that when a gra- down and rob- guineas are to be s or of London. h adminiftration, r it, was a fcene nillions out of the the fervice of 1 others who ftole to ends as honed the farmers and This is not very way is com men- us proceed. In war, there was juivalent to thefe ed, that a work- bout ten (hillings nt about half the taylor. Reduce mum, and his hfe lurchafe, or three blic. In the war d Ireland, the author ending nations durinj; Sterling, exclufive of mutual ilaughter. [ 39 J m queflion, we loft an hundred thoufand men, and by this moderate and fimple computation, the price of their blood to Britain was not worth lefs than thir- ty miUions Sterling. Even this number of an hun- dred thoufand lives is moft likely far lefs than the ac- tual deltrudion. Four thoufand merchant fliips were taken by the French privateers, and thefe alone mult have required, one with another, twelve or thirteen mariners, which gives us an amount of fifty thoufand prifoners ; of whom, befides the numbers killed, at leall ten or fifteen thoufand would perifli of jail dif- tempers, of their wounds, of cold or hunger, and a- bove all, of a broken heart. As the pillage of public money is one of the worft confequences of war, I fliall here fay fome- thing farther on that fubjedt. In 1695, Knight and Buncombe, two members of the Houfe of Commons were expelled for having forged indorfements on Ex- chequer bills. Duncombe confefTed the charge, and his Ihare of the booty had extended to four hundred thoufand pounds. I am not informed what was the amount of Knight's plunder ; or that of feveral others who were concerned. The Commons, in a fit of purity, pafl:ed a bill to fine Duncombe in half his eftate. Ey the ftatute laws of England, he fhould have fufFered death. The bill for his fine was re- jected in the Houfc of Lords*, by the carting vote of the Duke of Leeds, who was himfelf a fwindler of the firft diftindion. The Earl of Chefterfield had feme reafon for terming that houfe an hofpital oi In- curables. Salmon tells us that the minillry gave whatever interefl and premiums were demanded for the loan of money, and that provifions and naval llores were taken up at an advance of thirty, forty, and fometimes fifty per cent, above their proper price. But, indeed, after the difmiflion of Mr. Dun- Mcmoiis of Great Bihain and Ireland, part ili. book 4, te>„'*«S««»'**" f tt»l i m» r ^ r i m »i fi i^ ii'i j rf ^ f » ' * '' ^' f v^ ' * »' ^ * -i^* t ^x r<^'*n^^^V'^ [ 40 ] combe, If itb bis four hundred tlKufmd pounds in Ln pocket, every cliarge of this kind becomes perfedly credible. Whether in the prefent age, matters have been much mended, there was nobody better able to in- form us than the late Earl of Chatham. " There is " a fct of men," fays he, " in the city of London, " who are known to live in riot and luxury, upon «' the plunder of the ignorant, the innocent, and the " helplefs, upon that part of the community, which •• ftands moft in need of, and beft deferves the caio " and protedion of the legiflature. To me, my Lords, » whether they be miferablejobbers of Change- Alley, •« or the lofty Afiatic plunderers of Leadenhall Street, " they are all equally deteftable. I care but little " whether a man walks on foot, or is drawn by eight " horfes, or fix horfes ; if his luxury be fupported " by the plunder of his country, 1 defpife and abhor •' him. My Lords, while I had the honour of leiv- •• ing his Majefty, 7 never ventured to look at the •« TREASURY, but froiH a dijtance ; it is a bufinefs I ♦• am unfit for, and to which 1 never could have lub- " mitted. The little 1 know of it, has not ferved to •' raife my opinion of what is vulgarly called the " monicd intereji ; I mean that bloodsucker, tlur " MUCKWORM, which calls itfelf the friend of Govern " ment, which pretends to ferve this or that admi- " niftiation, and may be puichafed on the faiw •' terms by any adminijiration. Under this defcrip " tion, I include the whole race of commiflaries, jol)- " bers, contradcrs, clothiers, and remitters*." • Vide his fpecch in the debate on Falkland's Iflands, wKicr has been reprinted in the Anecdotes. This quarrel ended like othsis, in our dil-ippointment, aru perhaps dlfgrace. Befides much expence and trouble to inaiv. duals, the nation fquandcred between three and four nnlaoi!. Sterling, ^id vis in/a ne? ■ '■ ~>S^-r-=^A.5="= . nd pounds in Im comes perfectly tters have been etter able to iii- im. " There is city of London, id luxury, upon inocent, and the nmunity, which eferves the chip 'o me, my Lords, if Change- Alley, eadenhall Street, [ care but Uttle s drawn by eight iry be fupported lefpife and abhor ; honour of ferv- d to look at THE it is a bufinefs I r could have fub- has not ferved to Igarly called the .ooDSUCKEK, tha' friend of Govern this or that admi- fed on the fame ider this defcrip commiflaries, jo!)- eniitters*." kland's Iflands, wKicn j r dil'ippointmcnt, aru ind trouble to iniivi ,ree and four niil'aui! r 41 ] The war of 1689, is at this day almod forgotten, in the blaze of more recent and ftupendous follies. Yet the prcfent rtiurt (ketcli of thofe calamities which it produced, cannot fail of leading us into fome me- lancholy rellcclions on the general tendency of the military fyftem. War may produce advantage to a race of barbarians, who have nothing to do, and no- thing to lofe ; but for a commercial nation, it can be no better than an alderman deferting his ledger, to bet in a cock-pit. Of this fyflem there is no part more injurious than that which enjoins the capture of merchant Ihips. An honell mariner has by the labour of half his life earned a thoufand pounds, and embarks his whole property in a velTcl freight etl from Leith or Dunkirk. He is boarded by an enemy's privateer; his etlects are forfeited; and he himfelf is to rot for iix, or twelve, or eighteen months in a I'Vench or Englilh jail ; while his wife, his children, or perhaps his father — but this part of the piclun.- becomes too Ihocking for tiic contemplation of hu- manity. Of thefe matters, kings or courtiers almoll Jiever think. At a certain elevation, the human lieart feems to contract: a Jrojf more impenetrable than the funnnit of the Alps or the Andes. It would be an aufpicious event for mankind, if all tlie Ihips of war in the world could be reduced to afhes in one day. We have adopted a fancy, that frequent hoflili- ties are unavoidable. Yet the Swifs, a nation of fol- diers, and placed in the midll of contending tyrants, have hardly been thrice at war in the courfe of three centuries. The reafon is, that their governments ru-e founded on wifdom, benevolence, and integrity ; while ours breathe only maxims of a lets amiable na- ture*. Other inllances from the hiftory of our own * " The republics of Europe are all, and we may fiiy aUvay* " in peace. Holland and Switzeriand are without svari, foreign " or dumelUc } monarchical governmenls, it ii true, are never F [ 42 ] iHancl mny be adduced to the Hiinc puvpoie. " For " more than a century after the inemorable year 1 189. " there \v;is no national c]uarrel, nor national war " between the two kingdoms'*." Tliis circuniihmce becomes tlie more remarkable, bccaufe, at that time our anccftors were fit for almoft nothing elfe but fighting. The fatal conted that began in the end of the thirteenth century, fprung from the ambition of f:du'ard the FirR. The refpe^ive nations lived in a profound peace, and were alike folicitous to pre- ferve it. From the year 1403, to the battle of Flodden, in 15 r3, being u fpace oi an hundred and ten years, peace was maintained between the two kingdoms, with very little interruption ; thougli fometimes there there was a war which hardly laired above a fingle campaign. During the long and bloody rtruggle be- tween the houfes of York and Lancalter, the Scots interfered only once or twice at nioit, and that was at the earnell defirc of the Engliih exiles ; but they formed no ungenerous and imprac'licable plans of conqued. Even to Flodden they were driven by the temerity of their fovereign ; and his fortunate death put an inftaiit cm\ to hollilitics. Our anceitors, whom we confidcr as barbarians, were unacquainted with the deliberate fyilomatic thirll; of blood which marks a modern politician ; and what quarrels they had, arofe from the folly of their fevcral monarchs. We have not enjoyed ten years of peace together fince the Revolution. Even when we ceafe to light in Europe, a war mud immediately commence in Ada, or Africa, or America, and in the face of all " long at reft -, the crown itfclf is n temptation to enterprifinc; •' ruffians at heme; and that degree of pride and infolence. ever " attendant on re^al authority, I'wclls into a rupture with foreign " powers, in inllances where a re])ublican g;ovcrnnicnt. by beint^ " formed on more natural principles, would ncgociate the mil- " take." Common Sciifc. * Annals of Scotland, by Lord Haile?, vol. i. p. 133. ivpolc. " For hie year 1189. nari(jnal war s c ire u mil; a nee "e, at that time thing eUe but L^an in the end 11 the ambition nations Uvecl licitous to pie- nf Flodden, in en years, peace ingdoms, with metimes there above a fingle Jy rtruggle be- liter, the Scots and that was cilcs ; but they cable plans of : driven by the "ortunate death Our anceltors, D unacquainted )f blood which t quarrels they 'cral monarchs. peace together e ceafe to fight commence in :he face of all on to cnterprifini!; ir.d inlolence. ever ipture with foreign trnnicnt. by beinrj ncgociate the mil- C 43 J this worlc, wc call ourfelves the happicft people in the world. Peace may be conlidered as the univerfal parent of human .happiiiel's. Indullry cannot long thrive without it, and to this we are indebted for a great part of our comlorts, our enji^yuitnts, and our rclburccs. Spain ha ^ long been en vied for her gold and lilver mines, which, by Dr. Roberrfon's account, have in two cen- turies and a half, produced about two thouiiiud mil- lions Sterling. But fober induary is vaftly more va- iiiuble than all the mines in the world. If we can forbear butchery, wc need not delpair of difcharging every penny of our public debt, with eafe, in lefs than a century ; or if we fliould not. Hill the pro- perty of the nation will increafe with fuch rapidity, that the debt itfelf mult be hardly felt. To make this truth evident, let us attend to what follows. As a counter part to the bubble of Falkland's Iflands, four millions Sterling have lately been expended on a Spanilh convention. Had they been placed out at tive^fr cent, of compound intereft, they would in ninety-eight years have produced live hundred and twelve millions Sterling, and at prefent one half of this latter fum would be more than fuliicient to dif- charge all our incumbrances, and make us as free of debts as our grandfathers were when tlie Prince of Orange landed. It is true, that the job government of Britain cannot, like that of a Svvifs canton, place money at interelt, but from calculations of this lurt, we may form a conjefture, as to what we are capable of faving, by conlidcring what we have ipent. The American war alone added about one hundred and fifty millions to our public debt, and yet we are in reality a richer nation than when that war began*. Our funds, as we call them, have not On the fuhjeft of national improvement, the reader may wnfult with advantage Dr. Campbi;ll's JPoluical Purvey of Bri- F2 M [ 44 ] hitherto recovered the fliock, but that is, in fpitc if common prejudice, a happy circumflancc. Had •iiiK YOUNG MAN bccu ublc to borrow money with equal facility as his tathcr, we (liould certainly have been fcourged into a Spanilli war. Now, though the country has recovered, and though our commerce is greatly fuperior to what it l>atl ever before been, it is evident that if we had not poitclloil an almoft inexhauftible vital principle of reproduc- tion and accumulation, fo great a havock of proper- ty as an hundred and fifty, or even an hundred mil- lions Sterling, muil have reduced whole provmces of this illand to a defart. Such a complete recovery fi-om the lofs of more than an hundred mdlions in lei's than ten vears, prefents us with a regular annual overplus of at lead fix or eight millions. But that we may not overlhoot the mark, let us rate the clear annual profits of Britifli commerce and agriculture at only five millions. We fiiall find that this yearly accumulation of ftock, with the legal compound in- tereft only, amounts, in twenty-eight years, to three hundred millions. So that by a peace of twenty- eight years, we fliall become a more opulent nation, " than we would be at this moment were all our debts paid off to the lafl: farthing. Before we call this profpecT: extravagant, let u^ confider what has adually happened. The moft fanguine projedor, thirty years ago, would not have prefumed to believe that four miUions Sterling were by this time to be employed in extending and a- taiii, an Eftimate of the Comparative Strength of Britain, durinsT the prefent and two preceding reigns, by George Chalmers, m. and a continuation of this latter work, by the fame elegant and profound writer, publiihed about fix months ago. Our prelUs are groaning under controverfial divinity, heraldry, blank verie, commentaries on Shakeipeare, and every other imagmable Ipecies of nonfenfe, while the books here referred to, have not in tin; country been honoured, as I am infoimcd, with even a lecona edition. 'ion II I of ck incnt, etl til were mull Caiiai Coin] niillil Yet i jirt f cciurl Mr. : with the 11 thoui '•oyal to all * I Duke 'he g '■vcn I There pound bankr an am conce fuch i ter ol have a ftk f.veep ]iia61i mull with In the i "ah " Oia "ing " fev is, in fpitc i f lance. Had money with uld certainly war. Now, id though our ; it had ever I not polVcflcil of reproduc- )ck of proper- hundred mil- e provinces of plete recovery red millions in regular annual ins. But that i rate the clear nd agriculture hat this yearly compound in- years, to three ce of twenty- apulent nation, fc all our debts avagant, let u^; ■d. The moft would not have is Sterling were ^tending and a- 1 of Britain, durinjj rge Chalmers, Elq. ic fame elegant and 1 at^o. Our preff(3 rald'ry, blank vxTie, r imaginable fpecii-s to, have not in tlii? ^ith even a fecotid [ 45 J lorriing a finglc city in Scotliintl. Yet this progreK- of cleij;ance continues to rile upon us like enchant- ment. Who in the lail century would have fufpccV- ed that by this time our North American colouic? were to contain four millions of inhabitants ? It mull be owned, that belidcs other evils, Gibraltar, Canada, Nova Scotia, Hotapy Bay; the Kail India Company, and the civil'lill, are a fort of political millilones hanging at the neck of BritiJh profpcrity. Yet fucli arc our rcfources, that if wc cluife to de- lilt from the war fyftem, our wealth mull in the 'Xiurfe of fifty years extend beyond all calculation. Mr. Fox, if providence ihall continue to blels us with his abilities till that period, will not then have the fmallefl: difliculty in obtaining a pcnllon of forty tlioufand pounds a-year for every defcendant of the royal family. Thrceungratcful nations will then ceafe to ailirrn, that for his conducl in a certain debate*, * Vuk bis fpcecbes in parliament on the fettlcmcnt of the Duke of York. If the clerk of a counting-houl'c were to lofe at •lie gamingtable a thoul'and pounds of his mafter's money, or tvcn of his own. he would Lc difchnrgcd as unworthy of trufV. There i-; a man who is faid to h;ive loll five hundred thoufand pounds in that way, and when l-.c bad tlius reduced kimfelf to bankruptcy, we have fccn him prefeircd to the management of an annual revenue of fixteen millions Sterling. It is dilhcult to conceive a more giganiic inllance of llupidity and depravity than fuch a choice. 'J hat a Iloufe of Commons Ihould adopt a minif- ter of this fort, is quite I'/i charafltr ; but th.at individuals who have tlie happincfs of their country at heart Ihould applaud fuch a ftkaion, muft fill every fober man with allonilhment. To f.veep off large fum-. at the gaming tabic, is a dilhonour.ible dirty ].raaice. Mr. Fox, in the boundlefs diverfity of his adventures, mull liaye luincd many a family, and font many a hciplLls woman with fcrrow to the giave. In the manufcrint of a tour in Switzerland, which I have fccn, the following paltage defervcs peculiar attention. " At Bern, " a heavy pe .alty is impof.^d upon any perfun, wlio in one day " fliall lofe more than two poniuls five Ihillings Sterling, by gam- " ing; and every member of government, and olhcer in public " fcvvice, is obliged to take an oath, not only that he ihall faith- r t 40 ] any ofhcr nun -.vould have dell-rvcd a lloeqinir nr every whipping poll in Kngh.nd. At that happy penot , \vc IhuU hipport, without winching, an hun- drcd Lords ot tiie B.-d-ch:Mnbcr, and as many Lud, ot the Nccedary ilouk. With thclc crumbs olcoai- lort, I proceed to the war of the .Spamlh luccclhu;i a legacy from uur Dutch bencfaclor. c n A p. VI. iingland has been the prey of jobs ever fincc the Revolution. PAINP. Charles the Second king of Spain had no children' he was of dechning years, and a feeble conllitutiori. I here were three candidates for the inheritance of his dominions, the Emperor, the Dauphin of France and the Ekdoral Prince of Bavaria. The Emperor clauned right as male rcprefentative to the tlimily of Aullria Ph.hn the Fourtli, predeccllor and rather to Charles, had* left behind lum two daughters by different marriages. The eldelt was mother to the Dauphin ; the yoiu.gell had efpoufed the Emperor, and their daughter, an only furviving child had been married to the Elector of Bavaria, to whom ihe had born that prince who was at prefeiit a canch- " fully and honourably obferve this law, but that he fl>all zeal- ouily maintaiP ,t and that ht ll.all freely and impartially give information aga.nft all pcrions vxho to his knowledire Ihall of- ^^ fend aga.nll u. The prelence of fome of thofc diaingulfhed perlons in all good companies, proves in faft an invincible bar to .mmoderatc play." With what contemptuous pity would a bwjis hear us pratthnj, that our government is the ^nvy of the world . -^ lli, J a no,a;ginj',- nt At that happy inching, an hiiii- i as many Lordi criMiil)s orcoui- •anilh luccclUo;), e the Revolution. ad no children; )le conllitutiori. inheritance of phin ot" France, The Emperor o the family of lor and rather daughters by mother to the . the Emperor, ng child, had , to whom ihe •efent a candi- lat he fhall zeal- impartially give iwltrdife Ihall of- lofc diftinguifhed an invincible bar uous pity would s the envy of the [ 47 J (•ate. It r..'ems that flie Dauphin of France, as de- K^i'iiding from the cidcit (hu];r' ' of Philip the Fourth, had the nearelt right, out as the other na- rioiis of Kin-ope wore extremely jealous of Franco, it was early forelVcn that the Dauphin's claim would ,iiect with a dangerous oppofuioii. On the ill of (Jc- 'ohi'r I()(j8, the King of France, tlic King of Eng- liiitl, and tiic Rc|)uhlic of Muliaiul, engaged in a c'latracl as fo this fuccelli )n. 'J'hcir bargain wa*:, t!iat the Dauphin (hould I'uccced to the kingdom'^ i)f Naples and Sicily, and a cerrain portion of the provimes of Spiin ivfelf. 'I'lic other two candidates were to Ihaie \'m rcll of the dominicjns, and this a- -leement hath lince been called the ,//;// treaty of p.iitition. So vail an accellion of territory would li.ive rendered France a moil fonnidaljk- neighbour id the Dutch, and on their part the treaty fcems to h;ive been an ad of imprudence. The fecrct of this Combination ha\in/; come to light, diaries in a rage iiiliantly macL' a teilamvnt, by winch he transferred the whole dominions (if S])ain, to the young Prince of Bavaria, lint as the latter died local after, he ;iiade a li^cond will, by wliich he bequeathed the i'uccoffion, alfo entire, to the Archduke Ciharles, the r.inperor's I'econd fon, by a rnarriar;e uhicii he had filtered into after the death of his Spanifli emprcfs. i'lie former parties, on the 14th Marcii 1700, en- caged in a ftcoiid treaty of partition, by which the Dauphin was to receive a large addition to his (hare, and the remainder was refcrved for the Emperor. Tills trani'acliun alfo reached Charles, before it was clofed ; and in Auguil 1699, his ambalTador at Lon- diin delivered to the Englilii miniflry an interelling appeal on the conducl of VVriliam. He remarked, !iiat if fuch proceedings were allowed, no people, no dominion could t)e fate ngainll the ambition of the iliongcll, and the deceits of the mod malicious; that ili'juld llrangcrs be fullered to put theu" hands into Mi ■>i I L 48 ] ilic lines of lucccfriori of kiii'j;^, no ftatutc^, iv; im. iiicip^il laws uouU he ubl'crvcd; lliur no cro'.vn could be free from the attempts of aliens ; and tlic ciour of Kni.|,land lefs tiian any crown ; ami that \v<:v nifji to lie watching for tlic lickncr-. of fuvercigih, no health could he conllant, and no life fecinv. He alfo reminded them, that the cxpences of a Wiii and the deftrucVion of commerce, mull be the cer- tain confctjucnce of fuch r.dventurcs. l'"or this hoiicll produclion, tlie ambuHIidor \v:i, forced to leave l:'.r.,c,lanil. On tiie id of Oiiuhi; 170C, the Kinp; ot" Spain, by the advice of the Pope mudc u third lellament. To put an end to all [U' . jecls of a partition, he left the whole empire, iiiidl videil, to the J)uke of Anjou, the fecond Ion of the Baiipiiin of I' rancc, and granill(>n to Lewis the Four- teenth. By this choice, lie attempted to avert tin. calamities of 4 difputcd fucccnion. For as the Duk^ of Anjou was not heir to the crown of France, tliut circimillancc remtJved the objeclion of makinc; a h;i vardous augmentation to tlie French dominions. 'I'hi meafure was more rnnj)le, jiift, and practicable, tli;iii that adopted by \\ illiiiin and the Dutch. On tin a^tli N'ovcmlx-r lycr, C>har]es died ; and thf)Ugli In' he(|ueailied inch a iplcndid le!';acy to the houle <>. l-5ourbon, he had been one of William's allies in hi lafl h)ng and bloody wara.gainil France; a tacl wliith evinces the mutability of the political vvurld. On the death of theh" fovcreign, the Spanilli n;i- tion determined that a confpiracy of foreigners ihoul I not bo fuifcred to partition their provinces. Tliey difpatched a courier to the court of I'rancc with tlit" tellament of their late loveri",ign, and if Lewis Ihouid refufe to accept the monarchy for his grandfon, they gave him orders to jiroceed to Viemia, and m.ikt an offer of the uni\ erfal fucceflion to the Archduke. Thus Lewis had his choice of two meafure.s. If Ik accepted the teftament of Charles, his grandfon wn.i i €l % AO 1 [atutcs, jv^ nil. 110 cro'.vn (.ouli! and tlie tniUT and that W'.r' . of lb vc reign >, life I'ccurc. He inccs of a Win null be the cci- ambulilidor \v;], 2d of Oilohc'i ice of the ?()])(', I end to all piv. c empire, uiuli- ■cond Ion of tli( Lewis the I'oiu- cd to avert tiit Kor as the Duk' of Fiance, tliui of mailing a h:i- doniinions. Thi' jraeticable, tli;iii Dutch. On till 1 and tliougii lie to tile houfe m ani's allies in hi ite; a fa(!:l; wliiiL il Wurld. the Spanilli im- fnreigners ilioui I •ovinces. Tlicy I'rancc with iIk" I if Lewis lliouitl s grandfon, they 5nna, and m.iki the Archduk'j. "leafures. If he his grandlbn \rni j 5f once and without oppolitiun, put into pofloiriun ut the Spanifh diniinions, ai tjic h i/ard of a (piairel with the Diiiih and Kn-iaud. If he leiuied thi', of- fcT, the Aulhiim Arcliduke was with ecjual certain- ty to afcend the (hrnue, and Lewis was to depend on the very donbii'ul fncndllnp of.liis old enemies, the Dutch and {England, for i heir aHillance to con- quer a /hare .if Spain, in oppoiition to the Emperoj and that nation. lUit as Lewis himfclf was feared and hated botli in Holland and England, there is not the lead probability, that he would have obtuineJ iiny lerious aid in his pivtenflon?, from thefe two countries. We cannot therefore with reafon con- demn him, when he accepted for the Duke of A.n- jou, the otler of the Spanilh crown. The reader is rrquefted to pay partic ular attention to this concifc and candid Hate of the cafe ; for even at prefent, It is tlie vulgar opinion th;it Lewis acted upon this occafion with treachery. It would be more proper to fay, ti- 't William engaged in an enterjjrife far a- bove his power, and that he lliewed an utter indif- ference to the intereit of his kingdoms. The pre- ference which, the Spanilh nation bellowed upon the Duke of Anjou, was in the moral fenfc an ample vindication of the acceptance of Lewis. If there be fuch a thing as equity upon earth, it nnid begin with this maxim, that a people are at all times en- titled to their choice of a mailer. On the 17th of April 1701, William acknowledg- ed the Duke of Anjou, as the lawful fovereign of Spain, by a letter under his own hand. The Dutch alio recognized his right. On the 7th of September thereafter, William, with his wonted confiftencv, entered into an alliance with the Emperor and Hoi- land to attack the young monarch. The defign a- vowed in the articles was, to ol)tain the Dutchy of Milan from the crown of Spain, as a compenfation to the Emperor ; and Flanders, or part of it, as jt G W y '. [ 50 ] barriiT tor IFolliiiul. What Enf.laiul w.is to oj; rain, Wl- arc not itifuiniecl. On the 6th Si-ptcmbf i7or, janics the Srronil cxpircil, and Lrwis. on hi^ (li-ath, acknovvledgttl his Ion as King of Kngland. Thoiij.',h tills was but an empty form, Williani fni- ployetl it as a pretence to fcchicc the nation into v tecond w.ir. His project was embraced with exuha- tion by nil parties. Yet though Lewis was to blame, we ourfelvcs had behaved bur little better. Our alliimcd title as A7//f (if rr/uice, is not only a dillionourahlc untruth, but a wanton infiilt to a refperlable penplc. William prepared for a campaign, but happily both for o- thers and himfelf, a fall fioni his horlc, put an end to his battles and his treaties, on the 8th of March 1702*. Before we enter into the events of this war, it may not be improper to illuftrate, by an exud. and inte- reftinjj; parallel, what Dr. Swift calls " our iiifwnoiir " treaty c^f partition." Let us iuppolc, that for fome * In drawing up tkis flntemcnt, Mr. Macpherfon has been chiefly followeil, with iomc additions from the Memoirs of Great Jkituin ana Ireland, printed in 17S8. In this Tall work, William 19 every where reprel'entid as a virtuous and fublimc charaftei. The llory of tiie Countcfs of Orkney, and the tiite catallrophc of Darien, with many others of the fame fort, are completely ex- plained away. The partition treaties are defended, as pregnant: with future bledings to tngland ; fi,r the hiilorian feems lo fancy that the Allies could have divided the provinces of Spain, with the cxaiflnels and tranquillity of a grocer cutting a pound of theel'u. The fequel fuflicicntly proved the abfurdity of fuch a fuppofilion. This writer has alTigned a remarkable reafon for fending into the world, his fecond volume. " But iering England lately, as '' I thought, on the brink of ruin, becaufe the was on the brink " of a continental -war, I thought that the piflures of miltry, " even amid fuccifs, which the continental wars of the two grand *' alliances prefent, might make the public attend to tkc profhcH " before then,:'' It is impoffible to publidi from more honourable motives, or tJ attell a more important truth. ol; 1 w.i"; to •til Svptcnibf" Lewis, on hi- of r,nglaii(!. William t-ni- ' nation into u I with cxulta. ourfelvcs had il litlc as A7//f untiuth, but •)lc. William y both for o- e, put an end 8 th of March is v.ar, it may xart and inte- ' our iiifamoiif that for fome )herfon has been (leinoits of Great II work, William ublime cliarnftei. tiitc catallroplie re complettly ex- ded, as pregnant in feemn lo fancy > of Spain, with :injr a pound ot urdity of fucli a for fending into tigland lately, as ivas on the brink 5\ures of miltry, of the two grand d to I he proJf.cH lie motives, or tu L 5« ] years before the ckath of Q_iieen Fli/.abcih, all Ku- rope had forelren that llie was to the cliildlfrs, that I lilies liie Sixth of Scotland was to be her liircedor, aial ,hat by iucii an iiicreal'c «)l' dominion, Eni',!and uas to enfnre a dccifive addition of poutr and im- portance. *• No," exclaim the Dutch, th(? l-'rench, iind the Aulhians, " wi: cannot, .I'.li/.abeth, ivr'uit " you and your people lo chii'i' a fovcrei,L'n f.i i.ii,';. " land. \Ve all know that Mjirr* James is a tool. " lie has married a daughter of the king of Den- "mark; and lirnce the Hritifli empire would be- " come but a province to the court of Coiii-nhagen, ■ We have formed a much better plan, and you " iiuiil adopt it. jerfcy, Cniernfcy, and Plymouth, " Dover calllc, ind the county of Kent, arc to coni- " pole a frontier m the hands of his Moll Chrilliaii " Majefty. The illos of Wight, Anglefea, and Man,, " mult be delivered up to their iJigli Mi/'htinclVe^ " for the convenience of importing gm, and you " mufUikcwile permit them to catch and cure pilcli- " ards on the coalt of Cornwall. To Ireland you " never had any title but tliat of a robber, ancl a> " you are detellcd by the whole nation, t(> the very " lafl man, it is neceilary, for i»rclerving the haUincg " of power, to declare them independent. As for " the rcll of your do'iiinions, we have brought you a " GKKMAN matter, born at the diihuice of a thoufand " miles, a ftranger to your country, your laws, your "manners, and your lang>iage. in defence of his " RIGHT, we have difcnibarked on the coail of York- " fliire two hundred thoufand armed rulliuns ; and " utdefs you inibmtly acknowledge him as lucccilbr, " we fliall fpread delolation from (-aithnefs to the " land's end. If his Danilh majeily declines to af- " iilt us in overwhelming his fon-in-law, our admirals " have orders to beat Coperdiagen about hii cars. f Henry the Fourth of Fr.nirc uf'.d to call hiiu il', G 1 ■fi [ 52 j !' We are perfedly detcrniincd ; and before we give " up the point, we fliall fpend the lad drop of our " blood, and the laft farthing of our money ; befides " diving into more debt than our pofterity can pay " off in an hundred generations." On the 4th of May 1702, hollilities were declared againft Spain. " We haftily engaged in a war," fays Swift, " which hath coft us sixty millions, and af- " ter repeated, as well as uncxpech-d fuccefs in arms, " hath put us and our pofterity in a worfe condition, •' not only than any of our allies, but than even our " conquered enemies tbemfelves* ," The two firll cam- paigns efcaped without any dccifive event. On the 25th November 1702, the Commons, in ccnfequence ot a mendicant melfage from the Court, affigned the yearly fum of an hundred thoufand pounds to the Prmce of Denmark, her Majetty's hulhand, in cafe he fliould furvive her. So extravagant a penfion confirms the remark of Milton, that the trappings of a monarchy ii:oiiId Jet up an ordinary commonwealth. On the 28th Qdober 1708, the Prince died, and as he was a perfon of the mod innocent charader, it lounds harfl)ly to fay, that his exit was deGrable. Yet had he outUved Anne, twenty thoufand necef- fitous families muil each have paid five pounds a-ycar of their pittance to iupport him. And this fingle im- pofition would, while it lafted, have comprehended more fubflantial injuftice and opprcffion than all the other thefts and robberies in the country. In September 1703, Charles, thefecondfon of the iCmperor Leopold, was declared King of Spain, and * The Conduft of the AllJes. This is the cafe at the end of aonoft every war, and reminds me of a remark made by Lord JWonboddo. Somebody once alked him, Whether Europe or America had profited ix.oft by the difcoveries of Columbus > ^_ Ihc balance " rephed his Lordfhip, " is pretty equal. We gave them brandy and the fmall pox ; and they gav- us rum ** And the great pO!t,'''> V *> = [ 5?> j r. fuch, was acknowledged by all tlie Allies, includ- •np the Dutch and England, who had both former- ly recognized the title of the Trench Prince. It is ueedlefs to expatiate on the jullice or decency of luch a meafure. In Augud 1704, Marlborough won the battle of Blenlieim. In October 1 706, Lewis of- fered better terms of pacification than were after- wards accepted. With uhat propriety then are we ro blame bis amljition ? " I'he Whigs," favs Mr. Macpherfon, " who were now pollefled of the' whole " power of government in Lnglaiid, in/idted common ''Jhije, in the reafon which they gave for rejeding " the propofed peace. They lUid, that the terms of- " fered by France were too goou, to be the founda- •' tion for a laftjng tranquillity, i+nd therefore they " ought not be admitted."— Had Lewis engaged to leftore Normandy to England, that, upon Whig prin- ciples, would have been a ftill better reafon for re- fufing an agreement. Such were the political heroes whofe virtues we vaunt of adopting, and by whom Europe was condemned to remain l^r fix years and live months longer, a fcene of confufion, diflrefs, and carnage ! This infolence very loon met with its reward. On the 25th April 1707, an entire PVhig army was difperfed, taken, or extirpated, at Alman- n, by the Duke of Berwick. Sixteen thoufand of the vanquifiied were killed or made prifoners. In this campaign, tiie Duke of Marlborough atchieved nothing worthy nf his former fame. Prince Eugene with forty chouliind men, invaded Provence, and in- yefted Toulon. His forces were in danger of being iiirrounded, and liis efcape or flight was marked with the ufual and heroic circumftances of flaughter and devaftatjon. Four Englifli men of war, with Admiral Shovel, a perfon whole abilities had railed liim from the rank of a common Jailor, feundered on the rocks of Sciliy. In Ihort, the difufters of the Allies were lo numerous and fevcre, that Lewis [ 54 ] might at this time have turned the chafe, if his cour.- Icls had not been governed by an old woman. The Scots, by a bargain fuiBciently queftionable, had been vnhed with England. 'I'lic whole nation were inflamed into a degree of madnefs. The Prctondrr's birth-day was publicly celebrated at Edinburgh; and a memonul was tranfmittcd to France by a number of nobility and gentry who promjfed to cm- body in his favour five thoufand horlc and twenty- five thoufand foot. The propoi'al was rcjefted. In 1708,. the Allies were more fuccefsful, and amonri; other blefied events, they gained Lifle, with the 1( . of eighteen or twenty thoufand men. For w^.lt notable purpofes have we dragged the fmith ii in his anvil, and the farmer from his plow I in 1709, the Government borrowed from the Bai,k " England four hundred thoufand pounds, at lix /.r cent, befides granting them feveral advantages, which may have railed the real intereil to ten or twelve pit- cent, and all this for the pleafure of making a Ger- man King of Spain. The pradice of advancing money to the pubhc was at that time, and has been ever fince, a very profitable traflick to thofe gentle- men of whom Lord Chatham has made fuch honour- able mention. Lewis, in the beginning of this year. had renewed his oU'eis of peace. He attempted, as Torcy relates, to bribe the Duke of Marlborough, by a conditional prcfent of four millions of livres; but his Grace, after due confideration, declined the propofal. The aged and unfortunate king promifcd to yii'Jd the iv/jo/e Spani/h monarchy to the houje ofji/f- trui without auy eijuivulciit*. He confented to a fe- ries of the moil degrading demands which his ene- mies could invent, but they left him nv; choice be- tween refinance and dellrui^ion. France was in the mean time ravaged by a terrible famine, which ferv • Macplicrfon, vol. ii. cliap. 7. L SS J •J to fill up the meafurc of univerfal wrctchednei'^ Whatever ue may think of Lewis himfelf, and even i defput may detcrve our pity, one niufl have the nerves of a Dutchman or a lVhi_^, if he does not feel for the miferies of twenty millions of people. On the 10th of September 1709, thefe conferences were uiccceded by the victory of Malplaqudt, which Marl- borough purchal'cd with the lives of twenty thou-- land men, while the French, though defeated, left but eight thoufand dead on the field. In 1 710, Lewis made frcfli offers of fubmifllon. " He promifed even a fubfidy of a million of livres " monthly to the Allies, till King Philip /hoidd be " driven out of Spain*." But mark what follows: — They required that Lewis fiiould aflTill them with all his forces, to expel his grandfon from the throne of that kingdom. We need not enlarge upon the bafe- nefs of trampling a fallen adverfary, fince our illuf- trious pnc( ors might have improved their morality from a b^ ; lagc. A ring of chairmen would be afliamed .f "sch confummate barbarity. Whether Lewis would have fubmitted to this lafl: a«fl of degra- dation is doubtful, for Eugene and Marlborough ob- Ih'udled the progrefs of explanation, and commenced the campaign. " They gained three places of im- " portance, and conquered twelve leagues of a fine " country. But they loll twenty-iix thoufand men " by the fword. Half their infantry was ruined by " wounds, difeafes, and fatigue f." In Spain, we ob- tained during this year two victories. Stanhope, the' Englifii general, entered Madrid. " The army lived '' ut large upon the people, without order, without '' moderation, and without difcipline. They raifed' '' contributions on private perfons. They pilla^ijed the* "'churches, and f/d puh/icly the utenfls of the a/tar If..'" * Macpherlbii, vol. ii. clinp. 7. f Ibid. X Ibid. ^"ifKasss^Rfa. ■;^^^ff^0m^^Q»mis^^MM&imMt^3ii»* [ 54 J might at this time have turned the chafe, if his cour.. fels had not been governed by an old woman. The Scots, by a bargain fuificiently queftionable, Iwd been united with England. 'I'lic whole nation were inflamed into a degree of madnefs. The Prctcndrr': birth-day was publicly celebrated at Edinburgh ; and a memorial was trani'mittcd to Trance by w number of nobility and gentry who promifed to cm- body in his favour five thoufand horlc and twenty- five thoufand foot. The propoi'al was rcjecTied. in 1708,. the Allies were more fuccefsful, and amon.', other blefied events, they gained Lifle, with the h . of eighteen or twenty thoufand men. Tor wht notable purpofes have we dragged the fmith ii in his anvil, and the farmer from his plow I in 1709, the Government borrowed from the Bai/k England four hundred thoufand pounds, at lix / r cent, befides granting them fcveral advantages, which may have railed the real intereil to ten or twelve pit cent, and all this for the pleafure of making a Ger- man King of Spain. The pradice of advancing money to the pubhc was at that time, and has been ever fince, a very profitable traflick to thofe gentle- men of whom Lord Chatham has made fuch honour- able mention. Lewis, in the beginning of this year. had renewed his oilers of peace. He attempted, as Torcy relates, to bribe the Duke of Marlborough, by a conditional prcfent of four millions of livres; but his Grace, after due confideration, declined the propcfal. The aged and unfortunate king promifed to yleJd the ivbo/e Spani/h monarchy to the hovj'e ofji/j- trui without auy eijui-vidoit*. He confented to a fe- ries of the moil degrading demands which his ene- mies could invent, but they left him r\.'. choice be- tween refinance and deilrurlion. France was in the mean time ravaged by a terrible famine, which ferv * Macphcrfon, vol. ii. cliap. 7. Mritm if^^^afe fe, if his cour.. woman. The ^ftionable, Iwd )le nation were "lie Prctcndn's t Edinburgh ; Frnncf.' liy a ro'.nifed to cm- : and twciity- s rejected. In al, and aiiion.f e, with the 1( . n. For wLt :he fmith ii m his plow I in n the BuLk mds, at lix /.; antiiges, which n or twelve ^(/ making a Ger- of advancing , and has been o thole gentlc- e fuch honciiir- ng of this yenr, ! attempted, as • Marlborough, lions of livres; 1, declined the king promilcd he hovj'c of J 11]- fented to a fe- which his ene- r\.'. choice be- ince was in the ne, which lerv L 5S J •J to fill up the nieafurc of univeifal wrctchedner"?. Whatever ue may think of Lewis himfelf, and even i defput may deltn-ve our pity, one niiifl: have the nerves of a Dutchman or a /T/'/f, if he does not feel for the miferies of twenty millions of people. On the loth of September 1709, thefe conferences were uicceeded by the victory of Malplaqudt, which Marl- Lornugh purchafcd with the lives of twenty thou • land men, while the French, though defeated, left but eight thoufand dead on the field. In 1 710, Lewis made frcfli offers of fubmiflion. " He promifed even a fubfidy of a million of livres " monthly to the Allies, till King Philip /hould be " driven out of Spain*." But mark what follows: — They required that Lewis Ihould aflill them with all his forces, to expel his grandfon from the throne of" that kingdom. We need not enlarge upon the bafe- nefs of trampling a fallen adverfary, ilnce our illuf- trious pnc( 'ors might have improved their morality from a b^ ; ^agc. A ring of chairmen would be afliamed -f ':_h confummate barbarity. Whether Lewis would have fubmitted to this laft a«!l of degra- dation is doubtful, for Eugene and Marlborough ob- Ih'uded the progrefs of explanation, and commenced the campaign. " They gained three places of im- " portance, and conquered twelve leagues of a fine " country. But they loll twenty-iix thoufand men " by the fword. Half their infanlry was ruined by " wounds, difeafes, and fatigue f." In Spain, we ob- tained during this year two viftories. Stanhope, the- Englidi general, entered Madrid. " The army lived '' lit large upon the people, without order, without '' moderation, and without difcipline. They raifed '' contributions on private perfons. They pilla^ijed the^ "^ churches, and fold puhliclj the utenfils of the altar If.." * Macpherlbn, vol. ii. chnp. 7. f Ibid. X I^'d. [ 5f> ] tvlobody can be forvy to hear that on the 8tli of lie. reniber 1710, thefe rulTians were defeated. Stan hope himfelf was taken prifoner, with five thoif. fand Britifli troops. By this time tlie nation were almofl: tired witli the expence of this war, and hud begun to ralpccl the abfurdity of its firfl: principles. But as the Ca binet was completely garrifoned by the partilims 0:' Marlborough, to reverfe the fyftem, required both i ftrong and dexterous hand. A circumftance inii. felf trifling contributed to this event; and the friends of mankind mufl acknowledge, that for once at leail, public happinefs has been promoted by public fu. perdition. On the 3d of November 1709, Henry Sacheverell, a Tory parfon, preached at St. Paul's a fermon, in which he enforced, with much virulence, the nonfenfe about paflive obedience and non-refift- ance. In this performance, the Earl of Godolphin, Lord High Treafurer of England, and one of the chief leaders of the Whigs, was perfonally attacked, and the whole party were eager to punifh the man who had thus contefted their darling doctrines. Thev brought him to a trial before the Houfe of Peers; and this meafure gave the Tories an opportunity for afferting that the Church was in danger. The great body of the people broke into a tranfport of rage. " The current, which had been long changing, ran " down with a force, that levelled every thing be- •' fore.it*." During the trial, the pews of five dif- fenting meeting-houfes were burnt in the ftreets. The outrages of the rabble were direcfted by perfons of higher rank, who attended at their heels in hack- ney coaches ; the watch word was — The Church and Sacheverell, Thofe who joined not in the Ihout were infulted and knocked down ; and Burnet tells us that at his door one man got his Ikull cleft with a * Macpherfon, vol. ii. chap, 8. '%!.isigjMSi^^ n the 8tli of lie. defeated. Stan with five thou- Imoft tired witli begun to iurpccl But as the Ca- f the partil'iins of , required both i rcumftance in ii. t ; and the tViemk L for once at leail, ed by pubhc i\i. ler 1709, Henry ed at St. Paul's a I much virulence, re and non-refift- arl of Godolphjp, , and one of the rfonally attacked, puniih the man ; doctrines. Thej Houfe of Peers; n opportunity for n^er. The great tranfport of rage, ng changing, ran d every thing be- pews of live dif- rit in the ftreets. irefted by perfons leir heels in hack- — The Church and in the fhout were 1 Burnet tells us, Ikull cleft with a' [ 57 ] ipade, for his rcfunil. Tiic fermon was ordered to be burnt by the hangman, but the public flume was kept up with much addrds by the Tories. Sache- vcrcll made a journey into VVales, ami was e\ory where received with raptures of admiration. The Queen, l)y dct^rees, embraced this oppo/tunity to free herfclf from the tyranny of an.infolent taction. On the 8th of Augull 1710, Godolphin was difmifled. t\ new parliament was fummoned to meet on the 25th of November thereafter. Tiie frenzy of the mob was fupported by the fubllantial logic of the Treaiury ; and a majority was returned of Tory ir.embers. Harley, the new minilter and his allb- ciutes, had too much fenfe to difcover abruptly their (Icfigns to the people. 'J'he fum of fourteen millions five hundred and feventy-three thouland, three hun- dred and nineteen pounds, nineteen fliillings and eight pence halfpenny, was voted to difcharge the arrtais in the navy and other olhces, and the I'ervices of the current year. At this critical moment, a fe- cond ftroke of fortune advanced the pacific views of the T(;ries. On the n't of May 1705, the Emperor Leopold had died, and on the 6th of April 1711, his eldelt fon and fucceflor, Jofeph, died alio, and with- out regarding his own two daughters, left his bro- ther Charles, our intended khi^ of Spnin, his univerfal heir. " His i\hefe by the court of Ha- '• 497- [ 59 ] in the Houfc of Commons ; but his party was fome what inferior in the Houfe of Peers. Affairs had now come to a crifls. 'I'he leaders of the Whigs were fuf- peded of intending. an immediate appeal to arms. It became therefore neccffary to difmifs the Duke of Marlborough from his military command, and on the iaft day of December, Harley produced what is now called a batch of peers. Twelve gentleman devoted to the court were cr.'^ated -mljers of the Upper Houfe. Anne had t' ve^^ me right to have cj - ated twelve thoufand. The ^v^nltitution of Britain, like the fword of Dionyfius, hangs by a fingle hair. On the 1 7th January 1712, Mr. Walpole was com- mitted to the Tower. He had received five hundred guineas, and a note for five hundred more, for two contracts when fecretary at war, for fupplying the forces in Scotland with forage. " A member " fays Burnet " who was a Whig, was expelled the Houfe; " and a profecution was ordered againfl him : but '^ the abufe £oes on flill, as avowedly as ever." The Duke of Marlborough's condudl underwent a feverc cenfure, and Cardonnel, his fecretary, was expelled by the Commons. The campaign of 171 2 was un- fortunate on the part of the AUies. The Britifh forces under the command of the Duke of Ormond remained inadlive ; and even the abfence of the abi- lities of Marlborough feems to have been feverely felt. The peace was not finally fettled fill March 1713. The Whig fadion, to their eternal infamy, drained every nerve to prevent it. By this peace, befides the illands of Minorca and St. Chrillophers, and the fortrefs of Gibraltar, for ourfelves, we ob- tained the ifland of Sicily for the Duke of Savoy, which produced the Spanifh war in 171 8, a partial right for our merchants of trading to South Ame- rica, which began the Spanifh war of 1739, and Nova Scotia, which gave rife to the French war in 1756. This war was more deflru6livc than that of H3 [ 6o J 1689, as it lartoil for cloven campaigns. Dr. Suitr computes that each of them coll us fi.x or lexcn mil- lions Sterling. The lofs of lives and of (liipping could be hardly, if at all inferior to that of the former war, as our battles were numerous, and as the protection u'i our commerce was altogether uegledcd. In a wonl, the nation fquandered feventy or eighty millioiii' that Marlborough might pilfer o/u: To Dr. Swift we are much indebted for the termi- nation of thih war. His pamphlet on -The' Condntl of the Mies excited a fort of political eartlujuake, and more than all his admirable verfes mull endear him to diilant pollerity. A few pallages may ferve as a fpccimen of the rclt. " It will app ur," lays w., " by plain matters of lacl, that no nation was ever " fo long, or lo kandaloully abufed, by ilie folly, the •' temerity, the corruption, and the ambition of its •' domcllic enemies ; or treated with f ) much info- " lence, injuftice, and ingratitude by its foreign " friends. — We are deftroying many thoufand lives, " and exhauiling our fublhmce, no't for our own in- " terell, which would be but common prudence ; " not for a Hiing indillcrent, which would be fufli- " cient folly ; but perhaps to our own deftruclion, " which is perfed madneCs.— The common queftion " is, if we mull now furrender Spain, what have we " been fighting for all this while? the anfwer is ready. " We have been fighting for the ruin of the public in- '• tereft, and the advancement of a private We have •' been fighting to raife the wealth and gran* urof u " particular family •" (that of Marlborough, y " to eii- " rich ulurers and llockjobbers, and to cultivate the " pernicious defigns of a faction, by deltroying the " landed interert.— Since the monied men are fo ^^ fond of war, 1 fhould be glad they would furnilh " out one campaign at their own charge. It is not •' above fix or iit\tn millions ; and I dare engage to " make it out, that, xvhcn they have done this, inaead f...^^ S-, '•_ j_-4k^«- 1 vs. Dr. Suitt i or levcn niil- lliippirig could lie foinicr war, le protcclion ot 'cl. In a wonl, ighty millioiii,, I for tlie ternii- n Tbc' Cothiuti al earrhcjiiake, L"s mull endear igcs may lervii P'ur," lays \w., Mxon WIS ever / I lie tolly, the nibition of its fo much info- by its foreign houfand lives, iir our own in- on prudence ; u'ould be fufli- •n dellruclion, mnon queftioii what have we nfwer is ready, 'the public in- ate We have I gran« ur of a )ugh,) "toeii- ' cultivate the ieltroying the i men are fo would furnilh i^e. It is not are engage to le this, inftead " of contribatin'!; equal to the landed men, thty will •' liave tluir full pniK'i')al and intcT-jil at lix p-r c nt. " remaining of all the monjy thoy ever lent to the " govern. nent." Even at this day, we arc deafened about tiie g^)- uous vidori'..'s of the Duke uf Marlborou'^li. and tiuiugh by the death of the Kmpfror' Jofeph, the (tb- jrd of difpufe was utterly extin^uilhed, a cro\v;l of ,i!ithors perull in lamenting that our commander wa:i checked in the career of pillage and butchery. U;ip. py might it have been for this country, had iVIarl borough, wiih all his forces, perilhed on the field of Hlenhcim ; lince it may be fuppofed, that fuch a llroke would at once have blailed our crufades upon the continent. As if his Grace had not enjoyed fuf- ficient opportunities of plundering the ta-aliiry of thr nation, as if the manor of Woodllock, the palace of Bleidieim ■*, and an hundred thoufand pounds a- yearf, had not been adequate to the fervices of him- I'elf and his Dutchefs, we arc faddled with an an- nual payment of live thoufand pounds to his family I'ur ever. When a conllitution, deferving tliat name, Ihall fucceed our prefent political anarchy, it is not dilficult to forefee fome of the firfl: objects of refor- mation. Ihe hlarl of Chatham enjoys four thouiand pounds a-year, becaufe his father added feventy mil- lions to the national debt. The Duke of Richmond luifes froni the city of London an annual revenue, laid to be twenty thoufand pounds, becaufe he is defcended from tlie fon of a criminal :f, who deferv^ * Dr. Swift clliniatcs Woodflock at forty thoufand pounds, and adds, that Blenheitii Iloufc had coll two hundred thouiand pounds, and was at the time of his vvritin^c unfini/hid. There can be no wonder, th:ii we mud now pny ninepence per pound of ioipottation duty for Peruvian bark, and three guineas for leave to ihoot a partridge worth two pence. f Tlie fu.li hii> been lilted higher, but fach computations arr always in pi'rt random. I Charlei 11. [ 62 J ed an hundred times over to have been Hogged ou; of human focicty. As a commentary on the preceding narrative, uc may confult a (luotation from J)r. John Ion's pamphkf on Falkland's Ulatids. Tlie rclleclions which it con- tains have more than once extorted, in my hearing the admiration of the late Dr. Adam Smith, who vas far from being a general advocate for this Au- thor. •* It is wonderful with what coolnels and indiflc- •' rence the greater part of mankind fee war coi;i. " menccd. Thofe who hear of it at a dillance, i " read of it in books, but have never prefented it, " evils to their minds, conlider it as little more thiui " a fplendid game, a proclamation, an army, a bat- '* tie, and a triumph. Some indeed mufl perilti in " the mod fuccefsful field, but they die upon the " bed of honour, reji^n their lives amiJJf the joys of " conqutji, and, filled with England's ^lory, Jimh' in " death. •' The life of a modern foldicr is ill reprcfented by " heroic fiction. War has me^ns of delliucli .11 more •• formidable than the cannon and the fword. Ot " the ihoufands and ten thoufands who poriflied in '• our late contefts with France and Spain, a very " Imall part ever felt the itroke of an enemy ; the " red languifhed in tents and fliips, amidil damps " and putrefadion ; pale, torpid, fpiritlels, and help- " lefs ; gafping and groaning, unpitied among men, " made obdurate by a long continuance of hopelel's " mifery ; and were at lail whelmed in pits, or heav- " ed into the ocean, without notice, and without re- " membrance. By incommodious encampments and " unwholefome fiations, where courage is ufelels, " and enterprife impracticable, fleets are filently dif- *' peopled*, and armies fiuggiflily melted away. * The manniig of a llect lias often produced almoft as much roifchl'/f as its d fofiu.'atiun. On this lubjcJt there is here fubjoii;- Xi*»v cen lloggcj oiii I)'- narrative, mc 11 foil's pamplihf lis which it coii- in mv hcarin? am Smith, who ate tor this Au- el's and indiflc d fee war cor.u It a di (lance, i ;r prefeiited it) little inure thiui ;m army, a bat- in uft peril h in _y die upon the liiiJJt the joys of • ^lory, Jinhv in rcprefented by lelliucli '11 more the fword. Of ■ho poriflicd ill Spain, a very in enemy ; the , amidll damps itlefs, and help- ed among men, ice of hopelefs n pits, or heav- ind without re- ampments and •age is ufelefs, are filently dii- Ited away. d almoft as much ire is here fubjoi;;- [ '53 1 •' Tluis is a people gnulually cxJKiiiilcd, for the, ■ molt part with little ellccl. 'I'lic wars of civili/.cd " nations make very flow changes in the lyllcm of • finpire. Tht.' public perecives fcarcely aiiy altera- " tion but an iiicicafc (;f debt ; and tlie few indivi- " (tu4b wlio are benefited, are not fuj^pofcd to have >;-tbe clearcll right to their advantages. If he w!io '' (harcd thi; (langcr enjoyed the prolir, and after '• blecduig ill the battle grew rich by the victory, '• he niij'/iit Ihcw his gains without tiwy. But al " the conclulion of a wi\ year's war, how are we fj a fliort but (liocl.inf^ llf>ry, wlilcli liappcncil mIkiiu the time wlifn Dr. jijliiifou'i piuuplilet w«s \\\[\ prinrtd, and wliich can haidly be rtv,:tidcd as a veidict, and fucli an acceptance can leave no llilitin^ iniprefilon oi Icinale ircnercfity. Another I'plcndid i'ptciincn of an J'.nglill'. jury (hall conclude this lonij note. Some years iigo, Mr. Coup'.r of London, was accufed of beiiii; the printer and publilher of a iicifbrnr.inct. deemed a libel. Upon Ihiift inijuiry, It was found, that it Iiad been printed athisollitc- but it wa« proved that at thi; tiui*' when this was done, hr was in ib dangerous a flatc of health, as to be ^^Iven up by the phyficin; who attended hiiu, and lliat for fcvcral nionilib before the piibli cation, as well as at th.i' period, he had been entirely difableJ by fickntl's froi.i tiilicr allcnding hii udlce, or knowing wiijt %vas doing in it. Notwithtbmding tlKfccirrumltanrcs, a Middle- lex jury found him guilty ; and, as foon as he had recovcieil from his ficknri'?, be v\as placed ou the pillory, and, no doubt, would have been pelted by Miiiiflerial iiirtlinijs, had not a nnra- her ot refpcflalde ;;(;nllemen prevented it by llitir prilonal at tendance. Jio much for the liberty of the I'lcfj^ when proteclel by a Middlefcx J'lry. iiiule'!, aiwi the phitliig tliL- fvid. Mis, contrailun hiiic like nieic i;i1:iti()iis. virtur, Uljour, r country is im- liiKuy (ir aml)l tr ami devalli- at bravery aiic! re to li};iirc, an J con trad from a the prolits ut' a irtli a fliiUing, wii iig; u (i4)xy who \\:ii c editor of a Lou- Lir thoufrind foiiiu!' J an amour witli her was at a great dii- d, and conltquently of I'.ngland, the lav* There can be no iig; ain^iu-d by thi) lulling inipr«:{]'ioii (li men of uu I'.nglill' iVas Jiccufed of beiiii; 'nicd ;i libpl. Uijoii printed at hii ollice- was done, he was in vi|) l)y the phyfici;ii; lii before the piil,>li- en entirely diiabled , or kriuwiiij; wltat milaiircs, a Aliddlt- s he had rccovcied )ry, and, no iloubt, ijjs, had not a mini- »• ihtir prifoiial at Cm, wlitn proteclc 1 [ 65 ] CHAP. vir. Where I have treated hif;li life with freedom, I hope I ihali not be undcritood to propag.ite the dodiine of levellers. I liavc no fuch intention. — 1 mean to give a jull pidure of human lift, according to my own knowledge of it, and according to my Icnfe of truth, without cetcniuny or difguife. — I do not wilh, in any degree, to diminilh the relpeil which is jullly due to perfons and families of dillinction. Lelitr to the l\-u/)le of Laurencekirk. 1 HKRK ]>, not in hillory a more lignal example of ingratitude, than the condudt of the Kniperor, the Diitcli, and Marlborough, to the Q^iecn ot England. She had fought for ten years, the buttles of her Al- lies. She had advanced her general to be [he full llibjed in Europe. When Hie rcfufed to complete the ruin of her ccnmtry for the caprice of the former, when the inlblence of the latter compelled her to dilmils him loaded with the plunder of nations from her prefence, thei'e worthy allbciates cui fpired for the (leltrudion of their benefadrefs. It is not cer- tain that William himfelf had ever proceeded into llich a climax of bafcnefs. Though his partition treaties were abfurd in a Britilh fovereign, we may forgive, in his hoitilities with Lewis, the refentment of a Dutchman. When we perufe the plan of Eu- gene for fetting tire to the (Ireets of London, an.' 'Hf palace of St. James's*, e ,en his tranfcendant bthiii, ,••. our at the Revolution almoll fades before it. By the prudence and firmnefs of Harley, the plots ff Eugene were difcovered and difappoincd; and * Macpheilbn, vol. ii, chap. 9. % L 66 J on tlic lyth xMarcli 1712, lie was obliged to embark with fonie precipitation for the Continent. The neutrality of tlie Englilh forces in the next cam- paign, with the finul termination of the war, has al- ready been mentioned. It does not appear that the Eledor of Hanover was engaged in the fchcme ot" dethroning Anne. His beggarly condition may have contributed to the moderation of his fentiments. In 1713, he folicited from the Enghfh Crown, a pen- Jion for his mother the Princeis Sophia. " In the " prefent fituation of his affairs, a frefh fupply of rc- " venue was much wanted. His agents every where " complained of their too fcanty allowaitce. The " Whigs, with all their patriotifm, were fultcit'ing for " penjionji. Some Lords, who were zealous for the " Proteftant fuccefllon, were, it feems, too poor tofoU " low their confciences. "They hnd fold their votes to " the Minjjlry. l&xxX.-^they ivoidd take fmalkr fiims ^^from HIS ELECTORAL HIGHNESS. The Earl of Sunder- " land, in his attachment to the family of Brunf- " wick, had advanced three hundred pounds to one " of thefe poor confcientious Lords. The Earl widied " to fee this fum repaid. Though the Eledor might «♦ be willing to gratify fuch faithful friends, he had " reafon to exped: that they would help to ferve them- *' felves. They were, therefore, defired to promote, " with all their influence, the penfion demanded for ♦• the Princefs. His Highnefs was no ftranger, upon *' the prefent occafion, either to the abilities or po- •* verty of the Duke of Argyle. The whole world •' knew his Icve of mpney. He defired that noble- ♦' man, and his brother the Earl of Hay, to promote " the allowance to the Eledrefs, as they mijht expe^ " good penjions to themfelves from that fund*." This penfion was never obtained ; and the Eledrefs her- felf died about fixteen months after, on the 28th * Macpherfon, vol, ii. chap. 9. and Hanover Papers, January ^s^W-^^^^a^^Ss^^L^^^ ligcd to embark )ntincnt. The tlic next cani- the war, lias al- appear that the n the fchcme ot" lition may have fentiments. In ; Crown, a pen- phia. " In the ;fh lupply of re- nts every where Uowance. The vere fuhciting for zealous for the IS, too poor tofoU hi their votes to 'ke fmaller fums Earl of Sunder- imily of Brunf- 1 pounds to one fhe Earl widied le Eledor might friends, he had Jp to ferve them- ired to promote, n demanded for 3 ftranger, upon abilities or po- "hc whole world fired that noble- lay, to promote they mi^ht expe^ \fwid*." This 2 Eleftrefs her- ;r, on the 28th ver Papers, January I O7 ] of May 17 14. " The Elcdor liimfelf feems to have " become indifferent concerning the fuccellion ot his " family to the throne. Tcazed by the unmeaning " profefiions of the Tories, and harafled by the de- " mands of the Whigs, he dropt all correfpondence " with both parties. He fullered his fervants to continue " their intrigues in London. He lillencd to their in- " tclligence. But to the requifitions of his Whiggidi " friends for money, he turned a deaf ear. He was " however perfuaded at length, to order fix hun- " dred pounds to the Lord Fitzwalter, to enable " that NKEDY PEKR to repay a debt of three hundred " pounds to Sunderland. Be allowed forty pounds to " the author of a iiewfpaper, for conveying to the '^public, paragraphs favourable to the PROiESXANr ' siKXKSsioN. He added ten pounds to that fim- " menfej fum, after various reprefentations from his " conned and fervants ^." — " The excluded party in '■' Britain harafled, at the flxme time, the Eledtor, " wdth propofals for his invading the kingdom with a " body of troops. They fuggelled, that lliould the " Dutch refufe a fquadron of men of war, fomc Ihips " of force might be obtained from Denmark. But " the Eledor rejeded the fcheme as utterly impro- " per and impracticable f." On the 9th of April 1713, the Queen opened a feflion of parliament. The ilream of popularity had now turned againll the Whigs. " In this ditlrefsful " fituation, they implored Kreyenbeg to lay their " humble fohcitations at the feet of the Eledor. They " entreated his Highnefs, for the fake of Heaven, to " fend over the Electoral Prince. Without the pre- ■' fence of one of the family, they folemnly aver- * Macphcrfon, vol. ii. chap. 9. ■\- Ibid. This was about tlu- 2iA of Marcli 17 131 a full year iifter the departure of Prince iiugcne. Their objerts were to prevent the peace, which was (ic;ncd about this time, to recover their places, and ruin the IMinillrv. 1 i ^im tHU'WiBi] UtJU- I I i4 [ 68 ] " red, that the fucceHion mull inevitably be defeat.- •' ed*." All thi? canting- had very little foundation in fad. The bulk of the nation were determined in favour of the Protedant fuccclTion. But thefe fyco- phants wifhed to make thenifelves of importance with George the Firft. The following paffige will fet the nature and motives of their condud in a proper light. •• The Whigs had, in the beginning of the year " (17 1 3). harafled the Eledor with demands oipeii- *'JionsJhr poor lords. They had perpetually teazed " his Highnefs for money to political writers, and for " fpies planted round the Pretender. Though their " felicitations on thefe fubjeds had been attended " with little fuccefs, they continued to make appli- " cations of the fame difagreeable kind. When the " fellion was drawing to a conclufion, and a diflo- " lution was forefeen, they demanded one hundred •' thoufand pounds from the Eledor to corrupt boroughs, •' to influence the eleSlions, and to return men of conjji- " tutional and Whiggish principles to the enfuing par- " liament. The magnitude of the fum left no room " for hefitation in rejeding their requell. One re- " pulfe, hovi'ever, was not fufficient either to intimi- " date or difcourage a party fo eager in the purfuit " of their defigns. They diminillied their demand " to fifty thoufand pounds. The Eledor plainly told " them, that he could not fpare the money. That *' he had done the greatefl fervice confirtent with his " own particular iituation, and the ftate of Europe " in general, to the well affeded in Britain. That •' he had engaged the Emperor and Empire to conti- " 7iue the war agawfl France , That he had empluj - •' cd-feventeen thoufand of his troops againft that king- " dom. That this circumllance had deprived the " French King of the power of fending an army into " Britain with the Pretender. That could he even Macpherfon, vol, ii. chap. 10. jfi^^^,^",';^^^^^!^S^^fe^^5^^^'^^^^"i^^^^K^--^^?^^^^^^^:^" ■" ■ **"^5PT ^rn-"-- ■^'^»« - ■ y ig - ii f J - '. ' W-l ' T'V^K-t^'-j^ ibly be def'eaf- ttle foundation determined in 3ut thefe fyco- nportance with ige will fet the a proper light, g of the year emands oi'peii- letually tea/eil writers, and for Though their been attended o make appli- d. When the [1, and a diflo- :d one hiwdred rrupt boroughs, t men of conjli le enfuing par- n left no room uell. One te- ther to intimi- in the purfuit their demand or plainly told noney. That firtent with his ate of Europe Britain. That mpire to conti- i had empio) - linft that king- deprived the J an army into could he even [ 69 ] • advance the money, which was flir from being the " cafe, the fecret could never be kept ; and that a " difcovery might be dangerous, from the offence " that the meafure was likely to give to the Britifli " nations*." Within a few pages, we meet with, frcfli applica- tions of the fame kind. " The Whigs again urged " the Eledor to invade the kingdom. They promifed •' to furnifli him with fums, upon his credit, to fave •' their country, and to execute his own defigns ; but ■' with an inconhllence repugnant to thefe large pro- " mifes, they reverted to their former demands of " money from his Highnefs. They afked peniions •'/or poor confcientious Lords who ivcre in want of fub- ''fijlence. They demanded, with the moll vehe- " ment entreaties, two tboufand pounds, to carry the " eledions for the Common Council of London. They " reprefented, that, with that fum, they could chufe " their own creatures, an-1 terrify the Qiieen and par- " liament with remonllrances and addrelfes through- " out the winterf ." It is not furprifmg that Mr. Macpherfon is a mofl unpopular hiltorian. But the fads which he has advanced are unqueftionably true. The original corrcfpondence of the parties is ftill ex- tant in their own hand w'riting. Let us proceed, therefore, with a few farther extradls from this au- thentic and inftrudive author. " A propofal made " by the Baron de Bernftorff, Prefident of the Elec- " tor's Council, was received by Marlborough and " Cadogan with eagernefs and joy. He infinuated, " that his Eledoral Highnefs might be induced to " borrow to the extent o^ twenty tboufand pounds from " his friends in Britain. This fum was to be laid out " on the poor Lords and the Co?nmon Council of Lon- " don, during the three years the parliament was to " fit. The firft would be thus enabled to vote ac» r ii ^ Macpherfon, vol. ii. chnp. 10. t Ibid. [ 70 3 it i '' cording to \.\\t\T principles ; the latter might ply th( " government, and haiafs the Queen and her minu- " ters with remonilrancer. in favour of civil libeity " and (be Protejtant fuccejjion. Marlborough and Ca- " dogan undertook to furnifli the money on the ob- " ligation of his Elecloral Highnefs, provided the in- " terefl: of five per cent. /Jmild he regularly paid. But " his Highnefs would give no obligation either lor •* the principal or interell. He however lignified ti, " his agents, tliat his friends Ihould ii.dvance the mo- *' ney, as they might be certain of being rei'iiburlcil " as foon as his Highnefs, or the Electrefs his mother, " fliould come to the throne*." It does not appear that his friends chofe to advance their money on thib promife. On the 20th of March 1714, George made anfwer to fomc frefli demands " of money for poor " Lords, Common Councils, bribery of members, " and private penlions, that he would hear no morl " OF THAT AFFAIR. I'hat, froiTi the narrownefs of " his own income, he could not enter upon tbele " heads, into any competition with his antagonill, " the Lord Treafurer. But that, except in the article " of expences, he was willing to fupport, to the ut- " mofl:, their party f." It would be idle to fuppofe that one part of the ifland was lefs corrupted than another. In July 171 3, " the Duke of Argyle told *' Halifax, that with tiventy thou fund pounds he would " anfwer for all the elections in Scotland:):." The reaion alligned for refufing thefe apphcations, was clear and fatistadory. A letter from the Court of Hanover contains thefe words : — " The Eledor cannot *' give the money demanded for the eJecfions. Bc- " tides, he Ihould fail infaUibly, as the Court tirndd *' always have the hi-avicjl purje\'^ Nothing is more furpriling, than the inaccuracy which abounds in many, even of our bell hitlorians. ^ Macpherfon, vol. ii. cliap. lo. \ Ibid. X Macpl>ti foil's State I'apcrs. voJ. ii p. 4oS. k Ih, p. 497- r might ply tit and her minii. [){ civil liberty arough and Ca- mey on the ob- )iovided the in- larly paid. But ition either Ibi 2ver lignified t, dvance the mo- ;iiig rej-nburlcil :rels his mother, loes not appeui- r money on tliib \, George made money for poor y of raembei'3, hear no morh narrownefs of ter upon tbele his antagonill, 'pt i?i the article jrt, to the I'.t- idle to fuppofe corrupted than of Argyle told ounds he would tland|." The iplications, was ■n the Court of : Eledorcaunot sJeclions. Ee- le Court woidd the inaccuracy bell hiilorians. + Ibi J. i I!), p. do?. [ P ] Tliere cannot be ftronger proofs imagined of the cor- ruption of both lioufcs of parliament, than what have been jull now produced. Yet, with this blaze of evidence before his eyes, the writer of the Memoirs of Britain has advanced a very Itrange alTertion. — When fpeaking of Mr. Dunconibe's acquittal in the Houfe of Peers, in 1695, he adds, "lor the honour " of the Houfe of Lords, this is the only in/lance in " EngU/h hi/lory, in which the dillribution of private " money was fufpeded to have had intiuence with a ' number of Peers*." After fuch a fpecimen of the honefty of the Whigs, it would be unneceflary to enumerate all the other methods which they fell upon to cmbarafs their un- fortunate Queen. One of their fchemes was, to bring over the Eledor Prince, under the title of the Duke of Cambridge, as a head to their party. But un- lickily this projed was equally difogreeable to the Lledor of Hanover and to the Qiieen. In a letter to George, dated 30th May 1714, " I am determin- " ed," fays Anne, " to oppofe a project fo contrary " to my roval authority, however fatal the confe- " quences may bef ." And George himfelf abfolute- ly refufed every propofal of this kind. " His rcfufal " was fo peremptory, that the Whigs, and even his " fervants made no fcruple of afcribing his condu<5t " to ajcahufy of his own fan %." It has been faid, a thouiand times over, that George the Firft enter- tained the moll violent fufpicion as to the legitimacy of his fon ; and that his jealoufy was fatal to the life of a Swedifh nobleman. His wife, the Princefs of Zell, was at this very time in confinement for her amours ; and in this fituation the unhappy woman died, after a melancholy captivity of thirty-fix years. Another modeft: contrivance to harafs the Queen, * Memoirs of Britain, vol. ii. part 3d, Book Jv. f State papers, vol. ii. p. 621. t Macphcifon, vol. ii. chap, xa. . 1 1.1 1 .14 .. l U ip jIgJ " ytl ff l ffl P.- ^ ''f [ 7* 1 deCerves peculiar notice. On the 8tli of April lyq. " it was propofed to requell her Majelly to iilue h " proclamation, fetting a price on her brother's head. " The Tory Lords reprefented, that the motion was " as inconfillent with common humanity, as it was " repugnant to the Chridian religion ; that to fet a " price on any man's head, was to encourage aflliffi. *' nation by public authority ; and that Ihould ever " the cafe come before them, as peers and judges, " they would think themfelves bound, in juftice, ho- " nour, and confcience, to condemn fuch an adion *' as murther. The Whigs argued vpon the ground oj " EXPEDIENCY*." The motion was rejected. The Whigs did not always confine their opera- tions to bribery. We may comprehend from what follows, the genuine character of fome of their principal leaders. In 1694, William plaimed an ex- pedition againft Breft. The particulars were betray- ed to James the Second, in a letter from Marlborough, where he complains that Admiral RulTel was not fuf- ficiently hearty in the caufe of the exiled. In con- fequence of this adt of treachery, the Enghfli forces were repulfed on their landing at Breft. Six hun- dred were flain, and many wounded; one Dutch frigate was funk after lofing almoft her whole crew. Another example may ferve to lliow the charader of thefe leaders in a proper light. In 1695, Sir John .Fenwick, a Major-General, had been engaged with Penn, the founder of Philadelphia, and others, in a projed for a rebellion in England, and had on its difcovery fled. Some time after he returned, was found out, and arrefled. To fave his life, he tranf- mitted to the King an account of the treafonable correfpondence of Godolphin, Marlborough, Ruflcl, and many other Whigs ofdiJihi£lion with James. His accufation " is now known to have been in all points *' true j" and as there was only one evidence -junll ■* Macpherfon. vol. ii. cliap. 10. ^WSffr K'#g#a;^j^# 8g^ry^"^;^^:<^ ,uj|ji i 4^ 5th of April lyq. Majelly to iillie a her brother'' s head it the motion was iianity, as it was Dii ; that to fet a encourage aflliffi- l that Ihould ever peers and judges, ind, in juftice, ho- Tin fuch an adion vpon the ground of s rejected, rifine their opera- :ehend from what of fome of their .m pluimed an ex- ulars were betray- Vom Marlborough, luflel was not fuf- i exiled. In con- the Englifli forces t Breft. Six hun- ided; one Dutch t her whole crew, low the charader In 1695, Sir John een engaged with i, and others, in a id, and had on its he returned, was his life, he tranf- if the treafonable rlborough, Ruflcl, 1 with James, His been in all points e evidence • '♦inll [ 73 ] him, " he could not be conviclcd in a court of law, " which required two." But the perfuns whom he had uccufed, " believed that they could not be fafe " a.i long as he lived." A bill of attainder was there- fore brought in againft him, and Ruflel appeared at the head of the profecution. The fcquel produced a crowd of proceedings " whicli exceeded the injufticc " (»rthc word precedents in the v/drrt times of Charles " the .Second and his fuccefiur;" and the whole were vindicated by Burnet, in a long fpeech. The bill palled both houfcs by a narrow majority; and on the 28th of January 1696, Fen wick was beheaded on Tower-hill, " without evidc?ice or law." Lady Fen- wick attempted to bribe a pcrfon whofc tcflimony (lie dreaded, to fly tlie kingdom. The accufers pre- vailed on this wretch to place people behind a cur- tain to overhear the offer; " and this attempt of a " wife to fave her huftiand's life from danger, was ^^ turned into an evidence of his guilt*." Thefe are the words of a hiftorian, who is himfelf a profefled Whig, who has been a lawyer, and is now a judge. It is difficult to fay, whether the condudl of the par- liament who paffed fuch a fentence, or of his Majef- ty who figned it, was moft completely indefenfible. On the ift of Augufl: 1714, Queen Anne died ; and as much has been faid in praife of her virtues, a lliort account of a tranfadion conducted by her Tory parliament is here inferted, which in part is a- bridged from the Anecdotes of the Earl of Chatham. It has been told by many hiilorians, that for four years, Queen Anne gave an hundred thoufand pounds per annum out of her civil lift, to fupport the war a- gainft France ; and hence they deduce an argument of the oeconomy and patriotifm of that Princefs. — But, on the 25th of June 1713, her Majefty ac- quainted the Commons that flie had contraded a very large debt upon the revenues of the civil lift ; * Memoirs of Britain, vol. ii. part 3. book 7. K ■~l i ■■■; I "m^ ^I.IIU I i mn ' IgMsMUlM. [ 7-1 ] and flic I'pcciticJ that this tleficiciicy aninunrcd in Augiill; 1 710, to tour hundred thoufand pounds. ->- Mr. Smitli, one of the tellers in the Kxcheciuer, who I'eems to have been too honed a man for his oliicc, arofe and informed the lioufe, that the edimate ot this debt was to him allonifliing ; as at the tinic pointed out, he could ailirni, that the debt amount- ed to little moic than an l)undred thoufand pounds. Other members undertook to prove, that the funds afligncd to her Majeity for feven hundred thoufand pounds y«7- annum, had produced ei^ht hundred thou- fand pounds, fo that in the courfe of eleven years, her Majeily had received eleven hundred thoufand pounds of an overplus, and after deducing the pre- tended gift of four hundred thoufand pounds, Ihe had ftill fcvcn hundred thoufanc pounds Sterlinjf of the public money in her pocket. Though this was the fame virtuous aflbmbly which had expelled Walpolc for bribery, thcfe obfervati(jns could not obtain at- tention ; lince the very next day the Houfe voted five hundred and ten thoufand pounds for payment of this debt. *' This," udds the hillorian, " is the •' truth, and the whole truth of that generous ex- " ploit of the daughter of James the Second. It " was a mean trick, by which the nation was cheat- " ed of four hundred tlioufand pounds *." He fliould have faid five hundred and ten thoufand pounds, for that was the exact fum granted. It is entertaining to remark the ilyle in which a courtier fometimcs talks of his r()vereign. When William, ira a fit of defpondency, had once threaten- ed to ref)gn the crown of England, " Does he fo ?" faid Sunderland, " there is Tom of Pembroke," (meaning Lord Pembroke) " Avho is as good a block *' of wood as a king can he cut out of. We will fend " for him, and make him our Kiscf." To tlie fame * Anecdotes of tlie Earl of Chatbani, vol. ii. p. 50. f Memoirs of Great Btitain, vol. ii. I'art 3. book 7. T, 'f^T^^^^'"' ^^^^^p^^y^^' amounted in iiul poimds.— . iiccifliir)'- *' liuiirc-kfC|)crs, piuvi-yors of birad, puivcvors ol " wine, purveyors of fifli, purveyors of hut'tt-r and " CKgS purveyors of contl-aiuii.uy, deliverers ol " greens, coll'ec-woiiU'ii, rplctry-uien, I'piecry-nu ii\ •' alliftant-clerks, cwry-men, eury-ineti's uHilhuii- " clerks, kitchcn-cltiks.eonii)tr'..lltrs, kitchcn-clcrk- " comjnroller's iirll clerks, kitdieii- clerk -comptru!- " ler's junior clerks, yt(;men of the mouth, under •• yeomen of the mouth, grooms, grooms children, paf- " try -yeomen, harbingers, liarl/iiigers yeomen, keep- " ers of ice-houfes, cart-takers, cart-takers crooins. •' bell-rin^ars, cock and cryer, table decker^, water " engine turners, cilleru cleaners, keeper of fire buck " ets, and a thoufand or two more of the fame kim!, " which if 1 were to fet down, I know not who would " take the trouble of reading them over. Will any *' man fay, and keep his countenance, that one in one *' hundred of rliefe hangers-on is of any real uk: — " Cannot our King have a poached egg for his fup- " per, unlefs he keeps a purveyor of eggs, and his " clerks, and his clerk's dcputy-derks, at an expence "of 500I. a-yeari' while the nation is finking in a •' bottomleh ocean of debt ? Again, wlio are they, " the yeomen of the mouth, and who arc the undcr- *' yeomen of the mouth? What is their bufinefs' " What is it to yeoman a King's mouth ? What i^ •' the nccefiity for a colierer, where there is a trea- " furer ? And, where tiiere is a colFerer, what occa- " fion for a deputy-collerer? ^\\: v a necefiary-houf-- "keeper? cannot a king Irave a wai-'r-clofct, ,v,V(. " keep the key of it in /.-is own pocket ? And my " little cock and cryer, what can be his poll ^ LJ'-.-ev '■ he come imder the Kinf!,'s chamber window, and ccjlVfrrr ot tlic )ufclit)lJ, cicrki rs of the huuli.-- ksol ilic Fioull*- itrs, tu'cifliiry- , jjiiivcyors ill (>i hiiUer and , deliverers ol , rpiccry-nuii's lien's uHi!l;iiU- kitclieii-cltrk- :lcrk-comptiul- niuLith, iiiulei IS children, pal- yeomen, keep- -takers s'.rooins, dcckcri, water )erof fire buck tlie fame kiiu!, not who would ver. Will any that one in one iuy real iifi ? — rgg lor his lup- t" eggs, and his , at an expence is finking in ii , wlio are they, arc the under- thcir biifinefb r Lith ? What ii. :herc ii a trea- rer, what occa- iiecenary-houft ii-'r-clolct, ,v,7(. rt .^ And my Ills poll ■" JJ'.)!.'- r window, and [ 77 J call the hour, inimitking the crowing of the cuck^ "This might be of ul'e before clocks and \vutchfs, efpecially repeaters, were invented ; but ierms a;; fiipcrlluous now, as the drlivrver oF greens, the cot". fee women, I'picery nien'^alliUant-derks, thekitcli- en-comptroUer's firil clriks and junior clerks, the groom's thildrtMi, the harlungcr's yeomen, y*-. Does " ihe maintaining Inch a multitude of idlers luit the •' prefent llute ot our fiui.ncesP WIumj will tVugali- "ty be nctollary, if not now? Q^ieen Anne gave " iiu hundred thoufand pounds a-year to the public •ll-rvice'. We pay debts on the civil lilt of lix " hundred thoufand pounds in one article, without ■' rillhiti- how there comes to be n deficiency \y The following eonverfations on the fame fubjed, between the late Princefs of Wales and Mr. Doding- iu!i, cannot fail to excite the attention and furprife nf every reader. " She," the Princefs, " faid, that •notwitl'landing what I had mentioned of the " thing's kindnefs to the children and civility to her, ' ibofc things did not impofc upon her — that there were • 'ither things which Ihe could not get over, flic wilhed •' the King was lefs civil, and th '* he put lefs oi' their " money into his own pocket: that lie got full thirty "thoufand pounds per annum, by th-: ])oor Prince's death. — If he w mid but have given them the '• Dutchy of Cornwall to have [laid his debts, it ■ would hi'.ve been fomething. Should vefentments • be carried beyond the grave ? Should the inno- ■ cent fuller ^ Was it becoming fo great a King to •'leave his Jons debts unpaid? ami fuch inconiidev- able debts ? I allvcd her, what fiic thought they • might amount to ? fiie anfwered, flie liad endea- ' vourcd to know as near as a perfon could properly • inquire, who, not having it in her power, could * The reader is already acquainted with the lirojird'i and ter- mination ot tliis aft of royal munificence. f Political Dlfijuifuions, vol. ii. p. 1 28. M r 7« 1 '* not prcteml to pay rlicni. Slir (liou;;lit, that ii, '• the tradcfmeu aiul Icrv.iiits tlicv did not ainouii' " to ninety tliouiand pounds ; that there; was lomi; " money owing to the Karl otScarljorou.uJi, and ili.it " ♦here was, abroad, a debt f)t' about Icvcnty thou- *' land pounds. 'I'liar tliis lunt her cxcceiliiifjy, " though (lie did not Ihcw it. 1 laid that it was ini. " pnlUblc to ncvv-niakc people; the King could not, " now, be altered — ." *' Wc talked of the King's accumulation of trcn. " furc, nhich Ihe reckoneii at four millions. I t(jM " licr, that what was become of it, how employed, •' where and what was left, I did not pretend to *' guefs ; but that I computed tlie accumulation to '* be from twelve to liftecn millions. That ihvk *' things, within a moderate degree, perhaps lefs tliiiii " a fourth part could be proved hryoufi nil Ito/Jihilityiij " /I {lai.vfl ; and, when tlie caic lliould cxilt, would " be publidied in controverJial |)amj)hlets*," In 1755, Mr. Pitt had a conference with the Duke of NewcalUe, which has been reccjrded by Mr. J)o- dlngton. A fhort fpccimen may I'ltixc to lliow Ikuv the Britifli nation has been bubbled by Government, " The Duke mumhlrU that the Saxon and Bavarian " fubfidies were otlercd and preffril, but there wa, " nothing done in them : that the Ileflian was " jierfeded, but the Kufllan was not concluded. — *' Whether the ])uke meant unfigned, or unratified, " we cannot tell, but we underlland it is ligned. '• When his Grace dwelt fo much upon the Kiii.ii'". " honour, Mr. l"itt alked him — what, if out of the riv- *' TEKN MILLIONS icbicb the Kinj{ had Javed, he iliould "give his.kinfman of Helll- (jue hundred thoufaiid " pounds, and the Czarina one hundred and lii'ty " thoufand pounds to be otVfrom thcfe bad bargains, •' and not fuft'er the fuggellions, fo dangerous to his * Dodington's Memoirs, p. 1C7 and 29: I'lince of Wales arc ftill unpaid. Thcfc debts of the J', thou;;lit, that lo / (lid nor ainoiinr there was I'Dnn: joiouL'Ji, and ili.it Dut Icvcnty (Iidu- hrr fxcccdiiij'.iy, id that it was im. L- King could iku, miilation of trcn. millions. I toM t, how employed, 1 not pretend to aceunnilation u ms. That !hiM'i.' perhaps lei's tliiiii 'jufi all linlJihility 'if Duld cxill, would ij)hk-ts*," t:c with the Duke »rded by Mr. J)o- ii've to iliow how by Government, :on and Kavariaii v/, but there wa; the Ileflian was lot concluded. — led, or unratified, and it is ligncd. I upon tlic Iviii.i;''". :, if out of the riv- i Jnved, be jhould lundred thoufaiid undred and fifty lefe bad bargains, dangerous to his :. Thcfc debts cf the L 1 concerned, the utmolt accuracy may be expcc'led, and therefore it mull here be premifed, that in four- feen years, an hundred pounds produce about a fif- tieth part lefs than a fccond hundred pounds, that is !i) i\\y, nintty-fevcn pminds nineteen Jhillini^s and e\^ht pcnee, or in decimal fraclioiii. .9799316 parts of aii integer. Now, at this rate, thefe fifteen millions vould, in thirty-fcvcn years, have multiplied to more than ninety-one millions and an half. It is indeed true, as Mr. Dodington lays, that we cannot tell wliai has hccotnc of it, or how it has been employ- tJ, but we know that no part of it has been applied tothe fervice of the nation. We have fince paid fc- vcial large arrears into which the civil lift had fallen, and an hundred thoufand pounds per annum, have licen added to the royal falary. At the fame time, the: nation has been borrowing money to pay that falary, the expences of Gibraltar and Canada, for the fup- port of the war fyftem, and other matters, iiominal- lyat three and a half, oxiowx pet cent, but in reality, as Ihall be explained hereafter, at fix ov eight per i'l'iit. lience, by the way, the calculation'^ a . to Gib- I ibiii. p. :?7.5. I I ■"'W - *'*fJg^' 3 lli. [ 80 ] raltar are one third part lower in point of compouml intereft than they pould have been, and the fifteen millions of George the Second, inftead of increafine; to ninety-one millions and an half, would, at fcveii and an half /)(?r cent, have extended to about an bun. dred and ihirty millions, /even hundred and fifty thou- fand pounds ; which would at prefent buy out more than one half of our national debt, and fave tht country from an annual burden of perhaps f)ur mil- lions and an half Sterling: The moll miierable part of the ftory Hill remains to be told ; but the particulars mud be deferred to fome future opportunity. The civil lift is a gulf yavvning to abforb the whole property of the Britilli empire. We look back without fatisfadion, and forward without hope. Lord Chefterfield informs us, that George the Firft was exceedingly hurt even by the weak oppofition which he met with in parliament, on account of fub- fidies ; and could not help complaining to his moll intimate friends, that he had come over to England to be a begging King. His vexation was, that he could not command money without the farce of a(k- ing it ; for in his reign, as at prefent, the debates of parliament were but a farce. Such were the liberal fentiments of the firft fovereign of the Protellant fucceflion. Y I N I S. ■TKr^a^j^r^^" ,-^5...:VXVv^r.7-;^,^,^'?.^^' ■"■■■--'*. '"'"■-^-^' point of compound I en, and the fifteen iftead of increafing ilf, would, at fcveiij ed to about an bun- ulred and fifty thou\ efent buy out morel debt, and fave the! Df perhaps four mll\ le ftory flill remains lud be deferred to I civil lift is a gulfj iperty of the Britifti ut fatisfadion, and hat George the Firft he weak oppofition :, on account of fub- iplaining to his moll me over to England iation was, that he out the farce of a(k- :fent, the debates of Lich were the liberal 1 of the Protellant S. ■f "mmws^m^Mmd^t^&Kiidm-'