IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^/ **' 1.0 1.1 lit L° 120 IL25 III 1.4 11.6 flioto)grapl»ic 3 Science CorpQraliQn O k 'jy WBT MAM STRnT WIIITIR,N.Y. UStO (7U)I72-4S03 \ » ' • CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Inatituta for Hiatorical Microraproductiona / Inatitut Canadian da nticroraproductions hiatoriquaa ^a li Technical and Bibliographic Notas/Notes techniquas at bibliographiquas The Institute has attempted to obtain the bast original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D D n Coloured covers/ Couvertura de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagAe Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^ et/ou pellicuMe I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur □ Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or di£ .ortion along interior margin/ La re liure serrde peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intirieuro Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutAas lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais. lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas At* f ilmAes. L'Institut a microfilm* le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a *t* possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-*tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite. ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m*thode normale de f ilmage sont indiquis ci-dessous. pn Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagies Pages restored and/oi Pages restauries et/ou peliiculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxet Pages dAcoiories, tacheties ou piqu 32X ails du idifier une fiage Th« copy fllm«d h«r« has b««n r«produc«d thanks to tha ganarosity of: Library of tha Public Archivas of Canada Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality posslbia considaring tha condition and lagiblllty of tha original copy and in kaaplng with tha filming contract spaciflcations. L'axampiaira filmA f ut raproduit grAca A la gAnArosit* da: La bibliothAqua das Archives publlquas du Canada Laa imagas auivantaa ont 4tA raproduitas avac la plus grand soin, compta tanu da la condition at da fa nattatA da l'axampiaira fiimt. at an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da filmaga. Original copias In printad papar rovars ara fllmad beginning with tha front covar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- slon, or tha back covar whan appropriate. Ail other original copies ara fllmad beginning on tha first page with a printad or llluatratad impres- sion, and anding on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplalres orlginaux dont la couverture en papier est ImprimAe sont filmAs en commenpant par la premier plat at en terminant soit par la derniAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'lllustration, soit par la second plat, salon la cas. Tous les autras exemplalres orlginaux sont fllmiis en commen^ant par la premiere paga qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'lllustration at an terminant par la darnlAre paga qui comporte une telle empreinte. The lest recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applied. Un dee symboles suivants apparattra sur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols ~-^ tignifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols ▼ signlfle "FIN". IMaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratioa. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are fllmad beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as requ!:^ J The following diagrams Illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fllmte * dee taux da rMuction diff Arents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atra raproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant la nombre d'images nAcessaira. Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. rrta elure, A 3 2X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 i I si. tf Political Difquifitions. [Price Eighteen- Pence] IPIH - ly, but fliall alfo take the fame Liberty with his Arguments, as the Method moft likely to avoid being mifundcrflood ; and this I mention once for all, to obviate the Charge of Plagiarifm. .1 . L :* ■■I In thofe unhappy Countries, where Def- potifm rules with a Rod of Iron; where the End of Government is inverted ; and the People feem to have been created only for the Plcafure of the Prince, Indolence and Fride diclite to the Latter, to delegate his Power into other Plands, in order to avoid the Trouble of exerting it himfeif, and ihun every Kind of Intercourfe with his Subjedls, that may leiTen the artificial, blind F'^fped: raifed by Myftery and Dif- tance. . Hence the abfolute Monarch almoft al- ways employs a Perfon to ftand between him, and his People, who, under the Ap- pearance of delivering his Mailer's Will, too often confults only his own, and lite- rally enjoys the Sovereign Power in all it's Plenitude 5 and this is a Prime Minister. ... -^ With ■i \ ( s ) With Indolence it is vain to reafon: But would the proudeft Prince take the Tiouble of a Moment's Thought, he muft fee that this Indulgence of his Pride difap- points itfeif. Such a Delegation of his Power is an implicit Acknowledgement df his own Inability to ufe it, which n^ceila- rily lowers hhn in the Eiiimation 6f Ms own Subjects, and of every I^oreign Po^^r with whom he may have Intercourfe, -i Hiftory confirms this by innumerable Ex- amples. The Emirs of the Caliph of Bag' dat, and the Sultans of thofe of Eg^ptf and (to come nearer Home !) the Mayd^s '$fthe Palace to the Kings oi Fr<7«r^ibdr€e- ly left thofe Princes the Shadow of Sover- eign Power ; (the laft difdaining even ^ fubordiilate Name, at Length aflumed thit Shadow too, along with the Subftancc, and adually depofed a Race of Kings, who had long been their Slaves.) And all thife^ere originally Prime Ministers. And in oar own Timtrs, what Figure have the Kirtj^s Of Spain made in Europe, frdin the Reign of f! i: '! { 6 ) of PMif II. to this Day, under the Govern* ment o/'Prime Ministers. The Wifdom of thofe, who form*d the Britijh Conftitution, faw this Evil in the ftrongeft Light; and being equally attentive to the Honour of the Sovereign, and the Liberty of the Subjedt, tacitly precluded the Inftitution of an Office, equally preju- dicial to both, by making no Provifion for it. An exprefs Prohibition was not necef- lary, as it was clearly implied in the fun- damental Principles of the Conftitution 5 if it was not rather omitted from Refpe<3: to the Idea of rational Sovereignty, fuch as was eftablifhed at the Head of chis Go- vernment ; to which it feem'd an Affront to apprehend even a Poffibility of its being capable of fuch an Errowr, This Cuftom, therefore, which may be only abfurd in thofe Countries, where the Will of the Sovereign is the Law of the Subjedt, and muft not be controverted* deferves another Epithet in a Government, founded ;jiV t,'; .i,.-' -!r'i' ( 7 ) fouhded on the Principles of Liberty, and where all Power is limited by fixed and known Laws, fuch as is the Glory of Brt" tain, the Birthright of her happy Sons, if they will but know their own Happinefs. , • •■.> -- r » - — .- • . ■■ • M ,- ' I am aware, my Lord, that to many this will at firft feem a bafelefs Fabric of my own Fancy; a Theory contradided by Fads, in numberlefs Inftances. Argument againft Fad is certainly the groffeft Sophi- ftry; but there is alfo no Sophifm more apt to deceive, than this of concluding from particular Inftances againft general Rules. I am now, my Lord, entering upon a Topic, as difficult, as it is important ; but I rely on your Grace's Candour, which will overlook any undefigned Errour, and judge only from the Purity of the Inten- tion. I can affert, with the Confidence of Truth, that there is no Subjed: of Britain, who has a more exalted Notion of the So- vereign Power, as eftabliftied at the Head of this Government, than myfelf ; and this, becaufe my Notions of it are founded on Reafon. I refped it, I ;caufe I know it's Excellence ! ,-\ ■> . ■ ( • ) Excellence I And if I do not blindly adore it, as the Indians do their Idols, for Attri- butes exifting only in my own Imagination, I prefumc the folid Refpedt of Reafon is a more worthy, and acceptable Offering* than the groundlefs Worfliip of Ignorance. 1 All the Inftances of the Delegation of the Power of the Crown, into the Hands of one SubjeStf which have ever been regu- larly admitted by the other Eftates of the Government, have evidently received their Sandion from Neceffity, on fome known Incapacity in the Sovereign to execute that Power himfelf. The Reafon of thefe Inftances, (and I challenge Experience to produce any other!) inconteltibly excludes the Sovereign him- felf from choofing the Peribn proper to be entrufted with fuch a Delegation. Though if it did not, I imagine that the moil fan- guine Advocates for the Prime Minifter will fcarcely alTert any fuch Neceffity for one, at this Time, • For m 'I { ! ( 9 ) For fuch unhappy Cales, it would have Been moft imprudent to attempt making any exprefs Provifion in the Conftitution, as the particular Circumftances muft deter- mine the Remedy, and the other Eftates, which are exempt from any fuch Incapa- city, muft alfo be the proper Judges how to apply it. As for any other Inftances, where the Prince has thought proper to commit his Power into theHands of {xime favoured S\xh^ jed:, I think I can fafely venture to appeal to the whole Tenour of the Englijh Hiflory^ that fuch a Delegation has never once met the Approbation of the other Eftates, in fuch a Manner, as to eftablifti a Precedent for the Future ; though they may have borne with it for a Time, rather than em- broil themfelves with their Sovereign, till ibmething ftiould open his Eyes to the Im- propriety of a Meafure, always unhappy in it's Confequences. On the contrary, they have never failed to declare their Diflent to fuch an Innovation, in the ftrongeft Manner ; and often have carried it fb far, C as ( I^ ) a^ to obtain the Difmiffion of Minijlers^ who imagin'd themfelvesfo firmly eftaWifli'd in their Mafter's Favour, as to be above their Reach, Particular Inftances, there- fore, in either of thefe Cafes, (which oc-i cur invariably, and in the Latter too often) only prove the Truth of that general Max- im, to which they are Exceptions, tbiU the Office of a Prime Minister is incon^ Jiftent with the Principles of the Bviiiiu Con^ Jlitu^ion, m 11 1 The other Pofition, that the Manner i» ivhich that Office is executed^ at this tiME^^ is alfo inconfftent with the Principles of good Policy 9 and the ejjential Interefts of theft Kingdoms, is now to be confidered. The Nature of this Part of my Under- taking, makes it moft difagreable to me. I difclaim all perfonal Prejudice againft the noble Lord, whofe Condudl I muft now examine. I admire the Accomplifliments, I revere the Virtues of his Character ; and I admit the Favour, with which his Maf- ter honours him, in fb eminent a Degree, t9 ( II ) to be a Proof of his pofTeffing them ; but ftill I muft obey a ftronger ImpuUe, znd ihut my Eyes to every private Regard, that would interfere with my Duty to my Country. ^J But, at the fame Time, that I admit this Favour, as an implicit Proof of his Accomphfhments and Virtues, I cannot allow it the fame Weight to prove his be-^ ing qualified for the Exercife of that great Power, to which it has evidently, and fole^ \y raifed him. The Force of a firft Impreffiqn is fuffi- ciently known. He who has the Forming of a tender Mind, who will watqh it*s Motions, and accommodate himfelf to them, may not only give thcfe Motions almoft what Direction he ple^fes, but will alfo eftablifh an Afccndency over the Mind itfelf, hardly ever to be over-turned. Aji Afcendency though, that is gained in this Manner, cannot be faid to have the Sanc- tion of Judgment : It is litterdly Preju- Ace, and is always juftly looked upon with a fufpicious Eye. C 2 I thought ( 12 ) I thought it ncccflkry, my Lord, to ob- ferve this, in order to fhew, that objedling againft an Influence tbus obtained, by a Ser- vant, can not juftly be imputed to Want of due Refpedt to the Mafter. Oh the contrary, it is an indiipenfable Duty to ufe every poflible Means to remove fuch a Prejudice ; a Duty moft difficult indeed to be performed, as one of the firft Exertions of that Influence is to poifon his Mind, with bad Opinions of every one, who might un- dertake it J and when, by this Manage- ment, they are excluded from his Prefence, furround him with Perfons, who fhall flop every Accefs of Information, and keep him, in the mofl: unhappy Senfe, " A Pri-' ** foner to bis own Servants" !^ia The Conduct of a Prime Mmijler (to follow the prefent Mode, and admit the Execution of an Office, acknowledgf^d to be illegal !) is to be confidered in two di- flindt Points of View ; that is, with Re^ JpeB to bis Management of Affairs witb other Powers, and at Home : Or, as I may iay, his foreign and dofnejiic Policy, I fhall be- gin ( 13 ) gin with the former -, but in order to make a proper Judgment of it. It will firft be neceffary to look back for a Moment to the Situation of Public Affairs, when the pre- fcnt Prime Minijier took the Management of them entirely into his own Hands. i At the Acceflion of his prefent Majefly to the Throne, Great Btitain was engaged in the moft extenfive War it had ever waged., That War was carried on, in all Its Extent, with a Succefs fcarce to be pa- ralleled in the Hiftory of any Nation. The Government and the People were united by a mutual Confidence, which (humanly fpeak- ing) enfured the Continuance of that Succefs. The former planned thegreateftEnterprizes, fecure of the Support of the latter; as thefc poured out their Wealth for that Support, in a Manner not conceived to have been poflible, till It was proved fo, equally fe- cure of it's being applied to the beft Pur- pofes. The Naval Power of the Enemy was deftroyed -, their Trade ruined ; their Colonies all conquered ; and the Spirit df the People broken^ by the Weight of an unfortunate War : All which SuccelTes were obtained m ( 14 ) obtained under the Condud of a Miniflry^ where the Power was confiitutionally di- vided; and every Servant of the Crown> really executed the Bufinefs of his own De- partment, without being fubjed to the Command of any other Perfon, belide his Sovereign. There remained only to prc- fervc in the Cabins . that Superiority which had been gained in the Field, and eila^ bliih the Advantages of fo glorious a War, by a firm arid judicious Peace ; the Terms of which, it is natural in fuch Circum- flances to conclude, muft have been in the Power of the Vidors to prefcribe. In this Situation Affairs ilood, when the Favour of the Sovereign offered the fblc Management of them to the Ambition of the prefent Prime Minift^r. T© prepare the Minds of the People for a Change, which, however high his Opi- nion might be of himfelf, he muft fore- fee would alarm them ; it was judged ne- ceifary to arraign the Meafures of the Mi-^ nijiery then employed, and brake, if pof- iible, the Confidence placed in them. For -"^' \\ ( IS ] ^^ e is c e For this Purpofe, a moft fpecious At- tack was made upon a particular Part of the War*; in which the moft difingenuous Art was ekcrted to blazon every Objedtion to it, in the higheft Colours, and place every Argument in it's Favour, in the moft dif- advantageous Light. It has ever been the Method of Fadtion to aim at fome particular Part of a Syftem, without attending to it's intimate, and, perhaps, infeperable Connedlion with the Whole ! I fay, my Lord, of FaStkn ; for any Scheme of Politics, which is carried on againft the real Intereft of the Nation, literally deferves that Name, whatever Au- thority may be proftituted to give Sanation to it. ►r A particular Difcuffion of the Motives for entering into the War in Germany^ would lead me beyond the Limits of this Letter. I fhall therefore only obferve, that it appeared at the Time to be under- taken on Principles of good Policy, by the * Con/uierations onibsGsKM AN Wak, unanimous ( i6 ) unanimous Approbation it received from all the Eflates of the Government; as the People, who are never mijlaken In their own Intereji, were fo well convinced of the Advantages refulting from it, that all At- tempts to prejudice them again ft it, and brake their Confidence, confirmed by Ex- perience, in the Abilities and Integrity of that Minijiry, proved in vain. !i . if 1 % I am not afraid. My Lord, to fay, the Advantages refulting from the War in Ger- many, unfafhionable as the Phrafe is en- deavoured to be made at prefent! They were repeatedly acknowledged by both Houfes of Parliament, and authenticated from the Throne, by the Voice of him, who never deceived his People : And it will require fomething more than fpecious Arguments, and poflitive Aflertions, to over-turn in the Opinion of the Candid, a Credit fo firmly eftabliflied. The Arguments, urged on this extra- ordinary Occafion, were a general Infult upon the whole Nation. They accufed the People of Folly, their Reprefentatives of \J^^ ( 17 ) of Froft!tiftk>n, «id the late Kxng (of Me- rhoi^ €vttr dear to Britain) of WeakAe&» Partiality to his German Domiiuii^9» mi 5f c^ach qf public Faith ; and this in Terms \rtiich riifcd the honefll Indication of every £r»f#;«^,/M^o knew the Virtues of hit H^fe'^n^ had a ^enfe of Gratitwk for &e BleifingS of his Reign. of K^t fcaccethes dominandij coidd be rc- jftrateed no longer. '••n ♦ ' PitjW St fihcere «rtd jjrud^at Defire t9 avoid the Bunilen of another War, the Par* |i^lity and Infults of Spain had been boirncf, ^ft .ft WOtitd have been Wcaknefe to hear t}i^ih arty ibnger. In thefe Gircumft^ncefe it was propefed, with a Spirit, truely Brkijb to d^lafe War againft the Spaniards di- re^y, and attack them in a Manner that Wpmd hive fopn brought them to Reafim, « ;£v6fy Law of Nature, and of Nations^ lilftififek this CounfH. Spain had been the Aggreffor in numberlefs, and moft Hagrant Inft^ncesv and this Return would liav« D been ( '8 ) been confidered as no more than what was confident with the Dignity of the People fo provoked. , . , • But the Per/on who gave this Counfel, and who from his great Abilities was re-? puted to take the Lead in tLat Minijiryt was to be oppofed at any rate ; and this was looked upon to be a favourable Occa- fion, as it afforded an Opportunity for making an oflentatious Difplay of Oecono- my. Prudence, and Juflice, The Scheme was fuccefsful ! The greater Part of the Miniftry acceded to fuch fpecious Reafons^ and the propofal was rejected, r ^^ ..r/i.. The Motives of this Oppofition could not efcape the Penetration of him againfl whom it was levelled. He refigned an Of- .fice, in which he found he had no longer any Authority, as did alfo the noble Per- fon wh6 alone had fupportcd his Opinion ; and that Power, which before was confti- tutionally divided between many^ was im* mediately united in the Hands of O N E, who now abfolutely governed thofe, who l^ad affeded to take the highefl Q£fence» at C '9 ) at thic other's prefuming to guide them. I fay, my Lord, of One, for though fome of the former Minijiry were permitted to Retain their Places a little longer, it is well known, that from the Moment of that Re- fignation, they loft all Power, and were in reality no more than Cyphers, in their fe- veral Offices, without any Importance of their own, but barely to add to that of their new Leader. The apparent Motives for the Oppofition which had produced this Change, were foon beheld in a proper Light. The Trea- fure, which Spain expeded from the Ame^ rican World, arrived in Safety, and the Neeeffity for diffembling her Defigns be- ing, by that Means, removed j fhe pulled off the Mafque, and avowed the Injuftice ihe had committed in Terms of Infult, pe- culiar to the Haughtinefs of that vain-glo- rious Nation, f On this It was impoffible for the new Prime Minifier to avoid declaring War againft the Spaniards^Siuy longer : But the proper Moment had been let llipi and D 2 thofe ■^^" ^m W .•"T.-r^,-*'^- m %. ^thcfe Treafutes, which, in PuriV^mcecltfee firft Ftoppfal, would have been ;int?j:cept,ed ' and turned againft themfekes, w.ejF^ novs^in . their Hands i apd not only enabled them -to matke better Preparation for the War 5 . birt what was more insmediately prejiudi- . Cial to Britain^ to afford that Afliftance to France, which had been her MotiVe for ^ drawing Sfitin ii^to the War ; and. without which, {he would have found it extremel^y difficult to have continued it any longer. '.■•■_ , ,../.....,. , ,1; . Though Neceffity compelled tie nenp Mintji^r to give this Teflimony to the fu- .periour Judgment of the Perfon, whorn he .had thus wormed out of his Way, he thought himfelf obliged to deviate from his Meafurcs, in fomething, to fave Ap- pearances. ;. J'A'''. Confidently therefore with his JProfef- fions of Oeconomy, and the Sentiments hp had fo publicly declared of the War in Germayty, the firfl Exertion of his Power was, to difcontinue the Treaty of Subfic^ with&eKii^ofPri#7* .:. j>.;;i:iii . ^ / -.•1 ft m V it is wrc^g t6 avM^m f^sf^rtme, Vi^ \gtocKhy AppfeheriifenB 5 I {halt not Aero ht€ enhfga upon die Ce^iftiquenees ^ thfe MeaTufe, though Rett^ c&ntioc look ibc<- -iviard tO' th«mi wi^tld^ut iht mofl anxto^ •Boding. '•■■>■■•:. ••• *■• '•' ■ ■'■ t ,.,...■' ^ - ■ .' i ' • The fame prudential Reafons, which were g}v«n for tlm Dctcbti(wi o£ thcKingof #rj^^> tyei^ ^jb fnUedged for entednj^ immediate- ly ii^ ft Tfea^ of Peace with France; which Wa« d^ow beconie as jaeceiTaryCotA^^ prim Minifttr *D fttppwt him in his ISbvv^ jcry it$ it w^s ta t^ie Enemyi mnder all thoir IiX3!^s> For h^ foqo. had the Moitiiication !i9 fiftd tfiat th^ Gon6deiioe «f the Pepphi» which hiwi f«pjp<>rt€d. the litte Mim/ky. lb liberally ; and was ftill ready to fupport them, waKs denied to hii^n v and theirSbre he prudently x^hftd tX) make a Fdad^i rjf- tbcr fhan hazard hid Credit it) Mt«ihp«$n^ to tfstCt the SuppJite&> neceifl^iy fdl- ca^ryhig «n -dlit W^rj at Ae feftic Tiftie rf*at he •atfiribift^ Ak Di!ineli«atk)n in tiie P^Dpl^, ^hfich irofe from pcrfbnal Diffikc to him*- ^felf, to tlidrlnaldlity ; and with equrf^an*- ftrove to conceal public Spii u« §r r m ( 22 ) his own Difgrace under the Appearance of his Country's Ruin s without any Regard to the ConfequenceSy whicl) muft neceffa- rily attend fuch a Reprefentation. It is un- neceffary to make any Remarks on this Condud:. Reafon and Indignation will fug- geft them too ftrongly. Between Parties fo difpofed, a Treaty was eafily fet on Foot, in which t^e Britifh Prime Minijier was fo far from frefcribing the Terms, as it may be prefumed he had it in his Power to do, that he met the French more than Half-way, fending a Minifter to their Court, to treat with them, as if they were Conquerours, and Britain tinde*- a Necejjity of begging Peace, There are certain Points of Ceremony, which, however infignificant in themfelves, Cuftom has made of real Confequence, by the Ideas annexed to them. One of the moft important of thefe is the Method to be obferved in treating of Peace, as it afFeds, in the ftrongcft Manner, the Re- putation of the Parties concerned j and i?i ^ ' ( '1 ) all Matters, which relate to War, Reputa-^ Hon is an artificial Strength, - > For this Reafon it is an eftablifhed Rule, between Powers, who treat upon equal Terms, that the Advances made by all fhall be equal ; therefore the Expedient of Meeting at an indifferent Place, out of the Territories of both was appointed, where an evident Superiority did not give one of the Parties a Right to infift upon treating at Home. * • There can few Inftah<;?s be alledged, where this Right was more indifputable, than in the prefent Cafe, for having the Treaty carried on in England,^ The Ho- nour of the Nation required it ; and the great Advantages of treating on the Spot, where immediate Advice could be had on any Difficulty that might arife, and could corre6lf before it was too late^ any Miftakes which might he committed^ made it an indif- penfible Duty to infifl upon that Honour. I mention not Caution againft undue In- fluence, though Prudence will guard againft the moft improbable Dangers. But 1 if ' f lif 'I )& i H ) . , r . . t ■ • , > .' ■ ■ ■ T •> But inftead of i^jMl^ng upon t}?i$JE^gUt;f inftead of appointing even an indifferent P4aec, Mawm the Difadvaatages of Eliftaiice ifomi their rclpeftipc Courts, ihotdd b«» c[qjiai to the ^^ifterfi of both, a Nfimikr "Wf^* felHt from Britmn to Frmcei Ae oft?^ ^iiiv«lejit Formality of letting the jFhaw^ Mbiilor ftt Ir^ oome over ^q En^^nd, m jfopQ a^ the fir/V^ weat to Frm^e^ h(m% 3lfi> fieglf^ed, and Ihe latter going tbitheiS firft. Nor was this occalio^ied t>y, afiy l*ft? forefeen Accident. It was agreed to be fb; a& a Proof of which, the very VelTelj which Carried over the Brkifhy was appdinied t^ tjif^g back the Frmc^i Miniftsr. < . With the iame Eagernefs were the Pre- liminaries of Peace figned ; though, per- haps, not quite fo foon, as could hare b^A wiflicd by thofe who iigned theiii;| and as they would Jlp^ve been, could the Pride of ^pain be prevaiJed upon to ^icken it's pace, ..;.., ■ To prove this, it u liifficient to obferve, l!iat the Brkijh Minifter fet out for France^ at a Time when an Account of the Goii- qucft ( 25 ) ^\iieft of the Havannah was expeded every Hour; and when the Situation of Affairs in Germany and Portugal^ made fpetdy Accounts of other important Succeffes mo- rally certain; and though the Conqueft of the Havannab was (through the dilatorinefs of the Spani/h Miniftry) known before the Preliminaries were figned, yet the Britifh Minifkr was too generous to take any Ad- vantage, or rife in his Demands on that Score 5 for the Evacuation of Portugal was agreed upon hefore ; and the Ceffien of Florida^ which it was not in the Power of Spain to hinder the Britifh Forces from taking Poffeflion of, whenever they pleafedi ;and whofe Value, in Comparifon with that of the Havannab is below the Reach of Computation, deferves not to be men- tioned i as he was alfo too eager to £niih the biejjed Work of Peace-making to wait for an Account of the other great Events* which happened critically at that very Time; and had they been known, might have merited Attention ; at leaft they would have made fome Part of the Preliminaries . unneceffary to be inferted j and obliged the Frencb to look out for other Siquivalents £ to ■•4fi •■■ I 11 ( 26 ) to give in Return for the Places reftoreA to them, if any fuch ihould be reqiured. r. Thefe Events were the Redudlion of CaJ'e/, by Prince Ferdinand, before whom the French were retreating out of Germany ; and the Difappointment of the Attempt of Spain, and France, upon Fortu-^ gal, where their Progrefs was ftopp'd, and their Army obliged to turn back^ naked* ftarving, and greatly diminifhed by Deadi and Defertion, the Confequences of thefe calamitious Circumftances : (I have not mentioned the taking of Schweidnitvi by the King of FruJJia, and the Defeat of the Saxon and Imperial Armies, by Prince Henry, his Brother, as the Affairs of that Monarch may be thought to have no very great Weight with the Frime Minijier ;) but by this judicious Hafte, all Difficulties which mi^t have arifen on thefe Events> were avoided. If it be faid that the indifcriminate Ref- titution of whatever Conquefts fhould be made by the Britip Forces, then fent againft the Spanijh Settlements, was the Bafis ( 27 ) Bails of the Treaty entered into with Spairit and the Evacuation of Portugal agreed to on that Account; and therefore that the Taking of the Havannab could not juftly ihake any Alteration in the PreHminaries, I apprehend it will be difficuh to reconcile fuch an Anticipation of Succefles purchafed at fo great an Expence of Blood and Treafure, to the Steadineis and Refolution, indifpenfibly neceffary in the Condudl of public Affairs, or the whole Expedition to the Principles of Humanity and Oeco- nomy, of which fuch pompous Profeffions were made. If no more was really meant by the Expedition, than a Parade, /';/ t err or em ^ furdy it fliould have been dire as Ihall direct his Judgment. — « * —Has the prefent Fr'tme Minijler always ^aid proper Refpedt to the feveral Branches of the Royal Family, and never prefumed on the Support of prefent Favour to give them Offence ? — Has he ever infulted the ancient and fuperiour Orders of the Nobility, by an affedled Familiarity with their Sovereign ?— — Has he ever, to indulge a private Re- fentment of his own, removed any of the Servants of the Crown of proved Abilities and Integrity \ — — ^Has he ever (hewn any Partiality in the Diftribution of Oiiices, or filled all Places ■ { 33 ) Places of Honour and Profit, with his own Dependants, making an impdicit At'^ tachment to himfelf, the only Means of obtaining his Mailer's Favour ?— ' ..,,*.•■♦ —Has he ever made an oflentatious Dif- play of Oeconomy, in Trifles, difgraccful to Royal Dignity, and at the fame Titncy lavifhly applied the Revenues of the Crown^ to eilablifh his own Intereft ?- —Has he ever trampled on the long and: faithful Services of any Rival, or made his Mafler appear UngrateJ^, to gratify his own Ambition ? - r r ■ ■ •> ■ . ■ ■ I ■ ■ ■, —Has he ever hired proflifute Writers to defame the moil facred Chsradters ?r- ,j ... ■ ■ . ..•■\,'- ■•■■•_- f„ > .. •*— Has he ever attempted to eflrange his Sovereign from his Subjects, by repreient^ ing their Difapprobation of the Miniiler, as leveled at the Mafter ? v. I I ' And laltiy, if he fhould find hiin&lf hated by the Univerfal People, has he that Fideliliy to hi( Sovereign^ that real Re^rd F to ( 34 ) to his Intercft, to refign his obnoxious Of- fice, and not run the Hazard of injuring him in the AfFedtions of his People, by fupporting a Minifter againft their Judg- ment ?■ t A Minifter, who cannot lay his Hand upon his Heart, and Anfwcr thefe Quef- tions to the Satisfadlion of the People, muft be condemned by his own Confcience, ani given up by his moft fanguine Advocate;. Having thus. My Lord, proved the Juf- ticc of the Objedions to the Office of a Prime Minister -, and to the Manner of if 5 Execution, in the present In- stance, I fhall now lay before your Grace, one of the ftrongeft Nature, which is made to this Minifter perfonally. by the univerfal Voice of the People, and this is his being A Scotchman. There is fio Man more feniible of the general Injuftice of national Prejudices, than I am; however, as there is no Rule fo ge- neral, as to be wiihout fome Exceptions, I fhall ihew the Grounds on which fuch an < 35 ) an Exception is made in this Cafe, and fubmit it to the Decifion of Reaibn, whe- ther it is not ftridly juft. It will be neceflary. My Lord, on this Occafiony to look back to the Commence- ment of our Hiftory ; but this fliaU be done with the greatefl poflible Concife- nefs. It is knowr., that from the earlieft Ac^^ counts of the Ifland of Great Britain^ there fubliiled an hereditary Animofity between the Inhabitants of the Southern and North" em Parts of it. This arofe from the in- fatiable Rapacity, and Ravages of the bar- barian Invaderti, who had eftablifhed them- felves in the latter, and from whom it has tak^n it's Name, After the Seceffion of the Romans, the Invafion of thefe Scots, gave Occafion to the Conquefl cf the Southern Part of the Ifland, by the Saxons, who were called by die Inhabitants, to their Afliftancc, F 2 When { 3« ) j.^' ■M- when the Norman Monarchy W^8 efta* blifhed on the Ruin of the Safcon^ the Scofs^ animated by the famePrinci^)les, but fenliblc of th« Difpariiy of their Jtrcngth, and ap- |»F^«nfive of the Vengeance due to their f^ Condu<5t> immediately entered into the olofeft Alliance with the French 5 an Al- liance dictated by Reafon for their mutual Advantage. The Affifbncs oifrmet was indifpcnfi-* .Uy neceffary to preferve Scotkni from fal'* Va\g under the Subjedlion of her too paw€r- frl Neighbour Englandy as the Afljftance of JS^Q^lan4'w^s alfo of the moil eflential Service to ^rancey in the Wars, which the latter was aloiofi conitantiy engaged ivt, with England: And accordingly as foon as ever England attacked France, the Sects never failed tc invade the former, with all their JTorce, and commit the sipfl horrid Ravages, till they were repelled, in order to make a piveriion in Favour of France^ by which Means many an important Enterprize of the Englijh was difappointcd. Senfible ( 37 ) t,« Senfible of the lovportance of this Service, the French, to confirm the Attachment of fo ufeful Allies ftill more flrongly, granted Honours to xht Scots, above any other Peo- |)le in Europe. The immediate Guard of the King's Perfon was entruiled to them, in Preference to the Natives of the Kingdom. On the Acceflion of the King of Scotm land to the Throne of England, the public Effedts of this Alliance ceafed of Courfej but that the Inclinations of the Scots re- mained unaltered was too ftrongly proved, by the Readinefs with which they entered into the Shemes of France, to embroil the unhappy Son of that King, with his Peo- ple of England, though he was their na-r tural Sovereign, and born among themr fclves ; as their ConduA through the three fucceeding Reigns ihewed them fteady in the fame Principles. A Defire to be delivered from the Trou- ble of Watching fuch a dangerous Inmate, made the Miniftry of Queen Anne labour to bring about an Union, between the two Kingdoms, in Hopes that the evident ajid great ^'' !( ( 38 ) great Advantages, which tl^w Scots muft reap from it, would conquer their Preju- dices, and bind th'im firmly to England, How well thefe Hopes were anfwered, the Events of the Yt2ixsjifteen ^xAforty^ jive are a fufficicnt Proof. If it be objedt^ €d, that the Scots have behaved in a dif- ferent Manner, during this War, it mud "be remembered, that almoft all, who were able to bea Arms, and confequently to give Difturbaii' were taken into the Ser- vice of England, and feparated in her dif- ferent Fleets and Armies 5 where the much greater Numbers, among whom they were mixed, may pojjibly be thought to give an Appearance of Neceffity to the Fidelity of a People, whofe charadteriftic Virtue is Prudence. I I do not mean to infinuate, that every Individual of the Scotch Nation is ftUl ac* tuated by the fame Attachment to France^ Many of them have nobly proved the con- ♦»-ary by their Adtions ; many, very many mure have profeffed it ; and all have been well rewarded. But ( 39 ) But ftfll. My Lord, the People of £«|r- land think that prudential Reafons require a longer Time of Probation ; that Half a Century is not fufficient to eradicate Prin- ciples confirmed by many Centuries j and- in a Nation (to it*s Honour) remarkably tenacious of its Principles; and that at lead tl.*; Generation, which faw them a diftin6t People, fhould pafs away, before they ought to be cntrufted with the Go- vernment of thofe, whom they themfelves may poffibly have been taught to efteem their Enemies 5 as their Anceftors for very many Generation moft certainly did ; and efpecially at a Time, when the Intereft of England and France are in a Balance, tc> which the leaft Breath bf that national Bias may give a Turn moft effentially pre*' judicial to the Former ; a Bias ftill endea- voured to be kept up by the French, Mrho continue the fame Hon(Jurs to the Scotch Nation, which were conferred upon it, when in a Capacity of (hewing its Griti-\ tude in a more open and diredl, though not more dangerous. Way, than it now can. t> -' iti . i wo u> c • For ( 49 ) 1 ' ":l For this Reaibtty it is the Senfc of the tihiverfal People oi England, that even if there muft be a Prime Minifter, the Fre^ fent is a moil ioiproper Perfon for that^ great Chai^, , % ., ,\1 muft notx My Lord, from this Re-. inarch, he charged with attempting to re<^ vlve a deadly Feud, and renew Animofities,, happily effaced ! The Impatience fhewib by the univerfal People of England, at ben* ing, ruled by a Scot/man, too plainly pro ^ th^ this has been done already by the im^ prudent Amhition, which gave Rife tothefe Diiquiiitlons ; and> it is to be feared^ that to cool the Heats raifed on this Occa(ion,L smd reftore that Cordiality which began tcr iiibiift between the two Nations, beforel this Event* muft. be the Work of much Cv6> and ^con^erjabk Length of Time. / I Ref^at, Mjf Lord, the univerfal Peo^ pJe^l for though the Senfe oi the Majority is Uglify the Senie of the Wholes in thisr CaiS^i that Majprity, is fo greats as entiretyt to drown every Murmur of Diifent, it be-» ( 41 ) ing a moft inconteftible Truth, that if the Sentiments of every Englifhman alive, who is not evidently influenced by Motives of private Intcreft, were to be taken this Day, Ninety and Nine in every Hundred^ would he found to dejtre the Difntijfion of the prefent Minifter ; and it is to be hoped that i!ic Voices of any other People, howevet incorporated among them, and Ambitious of (haring in their Rights, (hall never have more Weight in England^ than is giveii them by that Union, which gives them any Weight in it at all. < .* I will grant that he has all the Abilities^ fo lavilhly aicribed to him by bis intereft** cd Retainers i yet ftill the People of Eng^ land are not content that he fhoutd Rule over them. Let him remain the Servant of the King ! Let him enjoy his Confi- dence, and Favour, and adminifter to him *y the Comforts* of his. Converfation -, but let him no longer continue the Servant of the State I He is we%hed in the Balance, and found light ; and the Sentence of Re^ pfobation if gone forth againil him. If ( 42 ) ll V ■ If it fhould be objeded to this, that the K* zl. 's it Right to chufe his own Ser- v ts cne Anfwer is ready » In the Conftitution of the Britijh Go« vcrnment, the executive Power is vefted jf^/f^ in the King. ^^ .1 As this Power is too extenfive to be ex- crted perfonally by him, he has arranged the Objeds of it in feveral Departments, which he delegates to the Care of Servants, but under his own Infpedion, the Power ilill remaining virtually in his Hands ; and every Tranfaftion of theirs being in the Intendment of the Law, performed by him. ' ■ . ..•..,.' ?i;: --,1;. I. ...A ■rr ■ *• .. The Neceffity of this Delegation being jcvident, it is acknowledged in the Confti- tution, and Provifuon made for the Pay- ment of fuch Servants, who thus become the Servants (though not immediately) of the State ; and are implicitly fubjecSl to it's Authority, if not for sidual Appointment, or Q ' ( 43 ) or Amoval, yet moft certainly for Appro^ bation and Continuance* V C )f » 8 pr This is fo clear, that it fcarceiy requires Proof. The Bufinefs, which the King employs thofe Servants to execute, is, im- mediately the Bufinefs of the State j (that h, of the People) and the Revenues with which that Bufinefs is tranfadted by them* under him, are alfo the voluntary and conditional Gifts of the People, granted to the King, cxprefly, for that particular Bu- linefs, and the Application of them to be accounted for, to the Granters, by him. Would it not then be an Affront to Rea- fon, to aflTert that the People have not a Right to objedt to Servants entrufted thus with their moft important Concerns, and to whom they literally pay the Wages of their Service? To appoint his Servants is the un- doubted Right of the Kingj nor do the People pretend to interfere with it ; but it is alfo as undoubtedly the Right of the People to objeft to any of thofe Servants, whom they find improper for lucli a Truft -, G 2 a Right ( u ) M J^hi which they have often exerted with Succefs, and can never lofe but with the Lofs rf their Liberty ; and, I may boldly add, «f Right, the indijpenjible Obligation en the ISng to ob/erve which is proved by this j that it has never been infringed in a Jingle Inflanctt mnd A Minifler fupported by the Sovereign, in Oppofition to the Senfe of bis People* without making the Reign of that Sovereign wuhafpy at Home, and inglortous Abroad, In Oppofition to thcfe plain, and con- dufive Proofs, the Advocates for the Prime Minijier alledge only a palliative Appeal to the raflions, to give Weight to which they tonfound, by the moft difingenuous Art, Charadters abiblutely diflind from each bther. ♦ " If a King of Great Britain (fay " they) is not to be permitted to chufe his " own Servants, or to difcard them ; to ^* be grateful for their Fidelity, and Afti- *'* vity in the public Buiinefs ; and to judge ** of their Inclinations and Abilities for *^ ierving himfelf, and his People; and to *' honoujc ( 45 ) ** honour with his Countenance and P|'o« ** tcdion thofe, who merit his Favowr, his <* Condition mud he the moil miferable ** upon Earth, to b« deprived, meerly be- ** caufc he is King, of every Comfort a ** private Man holds dear to his Happine& *' and Interefts," , Thefe, My Lord, are their own Words; but plauiible and affedting as this Apped may appear, it will lofe all its Force, as foon as the Fallacy on which it is foundedy is cxpofed to View. . There are in th« King of Great-Britain two diftindt Characters, His Political, and his FerJonaL In the Latter, he moft un-* doubtedly has a Right, " to chufe his own •* Servants, or to difcard them; to be " grateful for their Fidelity and to judge ** of their Inclination and Abilities for •/ fprving himfelf.**^ — But to argue from thi$ to his Political Chara<5ter, and con- found the Servants of his Per/on, with thofe whom he employs to do the Bufinefs of the State-, or in other Words, the Servants of the K^ngt with thofe of the Crown ; is a manifefl ( 46 ) liianifeil Sophifm, and intended only to deceive, , tet With the former his private Happinefe in his per/bnal Capacity may very poffibly be connedted ; and to interfere in the Autho- rity, here claimed over them, would be to break in upon the natural Rights of Huma- nity ; but in Regard to the Latter, the Cafe is quite different. They are not within the Verge of that do^^.cftic Familiarity, which in the neceflary Intercourfe of Perfonal Service in feme Refpedts feems to roftorc the Sovereign and Subjedt, to the Equality of their common Nature, and conftitutes the Cemforts, whofe Lofs is fo pathetically (and modeftly) lamented in this Appeal. The ftrongeft and moft recent Inftances may be brought to fupport what is here advanced, of the eflcntial Diftindion be- tween Perfonal and Political Service, if felf-evident Reafon can require any Sup- oort, ''-■'.■ \y. -i'y ■>' '— ■ There have been Servants of the King, who have held the moft lucrative, and honourable Employments aifout his Petfbn, ^d ( 47 ) and enjoyed hh Favour in the higheft Degree, without giving any Offence to the People, though they were known to be unqualified for the more complicated Bufi^ nefs of the State, becaufe they interfered not 'with that Bujinefs', as on the other Hand, there have been Servants of tki Crown who have tranfadted the moft diffi- cult Affairs to their Mailer's Honour, aild the Satisfadion of the People, at the femie Time that it was too evident, they wer6 ferfonally difliked by him 'y and can Impro-^ priety or Hardfhip be alledged in either < c. That the King fliould have a grateful Sv*;nfe of the Fidelity of his Servants is but nitural, and argues a Virtuoufnefs of Dif- pofition, which it would be the higheft Misfortune to all his Subjedts^ that he fliould want; but this ^>-*..«i . 'A),-l 5 ^--^^i^-* >•-.*"' ■-■''' 4 111 Order Xo make a juft Eilimate of the Fc (if xybdit J§ ^nti^itivsly evident to^Reafoi^ ^an rcquirq Proof?) by thi^, that in the Charters granted to feveiral Burroughs, wher^ tjip Lords, at the Time of granting them^ b^d no fuch Power, as it was deiigned to |[Uard againil, the Right of Eledion was jgiven to all the Inhabitants in generali without any ihch Linaitation to Free^-hold;' 4^rs, and Sree-men* — Why the fame Li- berty is not extended to the Inhabitantsf of all, (due Regard being ha^ to all DiP- qualifications particularly appointed) now that the JSleafon againfl it is univerfally amoved, I do jiot prefume to inquire. P. I muft not from this be underftood to prefume at finding Fault with the prefenl Form of the Conftitution. As I have faid in another Inftance, I revere, becaufe I know it's Excellence J nor has any Sub- je6fc^ of Great-Britairit an higher Senfe of the Dignity, and Authority, of the Re- prefentative Body of the People, than \ have. All I contend for is, to (hew by this candid Difcuffion of the Principles of that Conftitution, that a confiderable Part ^f the People, which is now excluded i: from ( 5f^ ) from all Share in the Government, was not in the true Spirit and Reafon of them intended to fuffer any fiich Exclulion, and that, though it is legally bound by the Refolutions of the prefent Reprefentatives, yet in Confequence of that Exduiion it can not jrftly be faid to be reprefenud^ or to have it's Senfe cxprefled by them. . That thefe Non EleSiors are really a con-i- fiderable Part of the People will not be denied by any one, who is acquainted with the prefent State of thefe Kingdoms, :m4 knows the Difproportion between them, and the Eledforsy in any one Burrough ot County in Great Britain^ in which the Non EleSiors make fo great a Majority, thai they may almoft be faid to be the whoU People. •••'■. *-•'■•- ■• • ■'■:■■■ ^ : • • ' And fhall fuch a Body not \t permitted to fpeak their Sentiments, as they are 0:^ eluded from electing Rcprefentatives to fpeak for thqm ? — Shall they be fct at nought by Servants, whofe Wages are paid out ©f their Property ?-,.ii.~*And does ?;ilc;£ri I 2 t h ^ 'jQ m ( 60 ) this legal Incapacity of EleSiing (ink them entirely beneath the Attention of ^ Government, of which they are the Strength P.-— . i . . ;.i. • • I have thus, My Lord, proved, as I humbly conceive, both the Politions ad- vanced in the Beginning of tins Letter, *' that the Office of a Prime Minijier is ** inconfifient with the Principles of this ** Conjiitution," — And, ** that the Manner " in which that Office is at this Time *J executed is alfo inconfifient with the Prin- " ciples of found Policy ^ and the effential ^* Interefts of thefe Kingdoms ^ — And in the Courfe of the Arguments alledged for this Purpofe, have like wife evinced, on the Principles of the Conftitution, the Right rf the People y in their general Body to. declare their Sentiments in Matters of public Concern; as well as fliewn the indifpen/ible Obligation en their Governours, to pay regard to that Right ! W ill your Grace now give ine leave to trefspafs on you tor a. Mome!\t longer, while I prefume in the over-flowing of my. Heart, to point out « the > proper u k Means ( 6i ) Means of rcdrefling the Evils here com- plained of. (i t.L. '. >; ' As uniting the Efficacy of all the great Offices under the Crown, unconjlitutionalfy and improperly in the Hands of ONE, is the Caufe of the People's Difcontent, the natural Way to remove that Difcontent is to divide that Power between many. I -V . * J ^ ■ ... i Nor are there a fufficient Number of Perfons wanting, to whom thefe Offices may be intruded, with Safety, and Satif- fadtion ; whofe Abilities have been found equal to that Charge; and their Fidelity tried, in Days of Difficulty, and Doubt ; who have not changed with the Seafons, nor diffembled their Sentiments, to ferve their Intereft; and who are ready to fup- port with their Lives the Principles of that 'Revolution^ in accompliffiing which, their Fathers had the Glory to ihare; and from whence are derived the greateft Bleffings, now enjoyed by BnV^Pi" ( 65 ) POSTSCRIPT. SINC E I wrote the above, I find, My Lord, that the Advocates for t&e Mi- Tiijier endeavour to evade the Objedion of Kjeneral Dijlike, in one of it's moil ftrik- ing Inftances, by ailedging that, if feveral Perfons of high Rank have refigned the moil honourable and lucrative Employ- ments, rather than ferve under fo unconfii- tutional an Office, executed by fo exception- able a Perfon, others of equal Rank have accepted of them, fo that the Weight in the general Balance is equal. The Force of this Reafoning will foon appear. Private Interejl is confefTed to be too generally the Motive of human Adion. Where a Perfon, therefore, ads confidently with this Motive, it cannot be unjuft to afcribe his Adions to it ; whereas on the Contrary, where a Perfon ads deliberately in dired Oppofition to his private Interefl, Juftice demands that fuch Adions fhould be afcribed to an higher Motive -, and confe- quently thofe Refignations, which could K proceed .■-«fc- ^MNnM mmm wmm I ( 66 ) proceed only from Principle, prove a fixed Diflike, while the Sincerity of the Appro- bation argued for from the Acceptance of the others, is juflly to be doubted, and it's Continuance not to be depended on; as Intereft may change* but Principle can not. If it be faid, that the great Fortunes of fome, who have thus lifted themfelves under the Minifiery raife them above the Influence of fo mean a Motive, it muft be remembered, that where Avarice has taken PofTeffion of the Soul, it's Force increafes with the Increafe kA it's Acquifitions, and grafps ftill at more ; or let Ambition, which too often over-balances Reafon, in youth- ful Minds, be fubftituted in the Place of Intereji, in the Argument, and the Conclu- fion, will be the fame. FINIS. ■PUMP mmmmmm^mimm ■^fPpipPMPWil •■ ■ •!■ lii I ^ ri;";r'" '.wv:'''- £ R iv A A A> P. 7. 1. 15. /or difficulty rW delicate* P. 30. 1. 18. /or 13th, read^d. \k^.'^ .;,,.^i,;;:; ,,..