How fhall we be able to make a favourable diftinction between men and their meafures, and be perfuaded of their abilities and integrity for the future, fhould they perfift in the defence of the former conduct? is not this the very cafe? will not the refolutions upon the ENQUIRY into the lofs of Minorca fhew it to be true, that their measures rendered them obnoxious and that the patriot, who refused to enter into their councils, acted for the intereft of his king and country: becaufe fuch coadjutors, by maintaining their footing near the throne, by their former means of flandering his majesty's beft fubjects and improving the opportunity of the royal ear to their private advantage, might be justly fufpected of forfeiting their engagements, and of reviving their former unnatural fchemes of administration, whenever virtue ftands in the way of their particular views.

ALL this I find may be granted. But fays he, 'I cannot conceive that any power on earth can compel an honest and 'brave man to act against his confcience; neither do I know of any captivity, which can fetter a statesman, and oblige him to continue united to men, fhould they refufe to perform the conditions of their union.' Had not the wifeft man been lead away by concupifcence? is it not felf evident that no man thoroughly knows his own heart? every one is enticed and led away by fome favourite luft. Ambition, avarice, love and hatred, and even the importunity of a friend, the command of a fuperior, and fometimes an unwillingness to appear fingular and refractory, have debased the reputation, and weakened the refolution of many a statesman, till then accounted both honeft and brave, and placed him amongst the well-meaning witneffes of his country's

misfortunes.

I AM confident, nobody can accuse the gentlemen of treachery, or of a general immoral character, who for many years oppofed corruption, and the ruinous fchemes under the administration of SIR RW-e: yet they, who can remember the coalition upon that minifter's removal, must bearme witness that honours and powers, obfequiousness and fear of being stigmatized with obftinacy contempt of their sovereign, influenced many of those very men, who had appeared most zealous in their country's cause before the coalition, to remain idle fpectators of worse measures than they had decried with so much truth, vigour and eloquence.

THUS our diffidence is justified by paft occurrences, and warranted by present appearances. We have seen the advocates for

liberty

liberty, the abhorrers of ministerial corruption, and the enemies of continental measures, become dupes to a coalition, whofe plan was deftructive to the intereft of thefe kingdoms. And the present compromise which takes fanctuary under the command of our fovereign and the public good, being ftruck up with men, whose repentance of past errors is only visible in their rancour at thofe, who cannot forget their misconduct, and in their afpiring to the fummit, which a few months ago they were not able to maintain, gives but little hopes of amendment; except we might rely on Mr. Conteft's affertion, That they no longer differ with Mr. P about the means of ferving their country.

BUT I fear this may have as little foundation, as the factious infinuation, which immediately follows; that party had any share in the determination of that great and worthy patriot, who fo long rejected all offers of a coalition with men obnoxious to his country. Because a certain speech met with fo many rubs in its paffage to the public, that it is highly probable all parties in the coalition did not agree unanimoufly in the contents; and was not this one of the first acts of their councils? And it may to his great reputation be affirmed, Mr. P was fo far from ruling by party during his short administration, that he hit upon the grand maxim of difinterested service to his king and country, which by uniting the intelligent and well-meaning of all denominations to promote the public good, destroyed all party connections; which was fo far from introducing a combination of men, or an infult upon the prerogative, or a violation of the conftitution, that it promised the people a free exercise of their rights and liberties; the king a support of his crown and dignity, and a permanent security to the conftitution in church and ftate.

WHAT remains is perfonal: I shall therefore give Mr. Contest a very short answer. I have not been disappointed, nor ever had any ambitious views. I am only concerned, as Hudibras writes, for fear

Both parties join to do their best

To damn the public interest:
And should herd only in consults
To put by one anothers bolts.
And lug at both ends of the faw;

To tear down government and law. -
For as two cheats, that play one game,
Are both defeated of their aim :

56

So they, who play a game at state,
And only cavil in debate,

Altho' there's nothing loft or wen,
The public business is undone,
Which still the longer 'tis in doing

Becomes the fureft way to ruin.

I have never been of any party: nor adopted rancour, nor am intent to serve private paffion and intereft in preference to my country. I am a Royalist

Whofe duty never was defeated

Nor from his oaths and faith retreated.

And shall fo remain whether enlightened by the beams of a court or employed in promoting loyalty to my fovereign, unanimity amongst my fellow fubjects, or diffidence against men, who have done nothing to deserve the confidence of the public.

This Day is published

(In Octavo, Price 2s. 6d.)
By the MONITOR.

An Account of the FACTS which appeared on the late ENQUIRY into the Loss of MINORCA, from authentic Papers.

N. B. This Pamphlet is printed on the fame Letter and Paper as the MONITOR in Octavo, the SECOND VOLUME of which is in the Press and will be very foon published.

LONDON: Printed for J. SCOTT at the Black Swan in Pater-nofter-Row; where Letters directed to the Monitor or British Freeholder

(POST paid) will be received for the Author.

To be continued every SATURDAY. Price Two Pence.

A well-ordered and well-difciplined MILITIA is effentially necessary to the fafety, peace, and profperity of this kingdom. Preamble to the MILITIA ACT.

SIR,

A

SATURDAY, July the 23d, 1757.

To the MONITOR.

Ta time the nation is employed in the execution of an act of parliament for the better ordering of the militia forces in the feveral counties of England, I congratulate those worthy patriots, who contrived and supported a law fo effentially neceffary to the Safety, peace, and profperity of this kingdom: and I congratulate the nation, which has received fuch an additional strength; though it is obtained with so great an opposition, and not without fuch alterations, which none, that would be efteemed friends to the conftitution, peace and profperity of Britain, could have endeavoured to make.

HOWEVER, I confefs, this bill with all its mutilations and reftraints, disguised with all the artifices of an inimical oppofition,

is

is more defirable than to be left entirely to the hazardous and most expensive protection of a standing army; and much more formidable to our enemies, whofe fchemes have been always to force us into new meafures, that left our country expofed to their infults, and exhaufted our treasure in the maintenance of mercenary troops.

In the bill, which in the year 1756 was thrown out by the house of lords, the estimate amounted to fixty-one thousand fix hundred and eighty private men, including drummers; and five thousand three hundred ninety-feven officers, including ferjeants. It was then objected to the number, as impracticable to affemble them at a place of rendezvous in order to train and exercise them. Let us fee how they who made this objection have provided an amendment. They have reduced the number of private men to near one half.

How does this warrant a fair oppofition, and exemplify their wisdom in the fate of that bill, thrown out under this frivolous pretence! is it not as difficult in proportion to affemble thirty thousand, as to assemble fixty thousand from the places of their difperfion? would there not have been more strength in fixty thousand, than in half that number of a well difciplined militia? is not therefore the fafety, peace and profperity of this kingdom, reduced by this mutilation to the neceffity of trusting to half the force propofed? when it was in the power of the legislature, and the inclination of the people, to establish a militia compofed of fuch a number, as might bid defiance to all invaders, and release the nation from an unconftitutional and expensive standing army.

BUT, perhaps, this might be the very reason and the most fecret ground, of the objection against a well ordered and well disciplined militia: and I am the more confirmed in this belief, as it appears that all the other objections and amendments are formed upon the fame plan; either to model the militia into a standing army; or to render it incapable of acting for the fafety, peace and profperity of the nation without an army of mercenary troops: except the head of the oppofition to this national strength, being thoroughly confcious of having contributed greatly, by the marriage act, to the diminution of the human fpecies, infifted that, in a few years, the fruitful island of Britain would not be able to furnish above half the number of

men