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By abufing the power and prerogative of the crown, and by creating a private and corrupt dependance upon minifters, by bribery, and other undue influences, the balance of power between the king and fubject may foon be destroyed; and this fecret and undermining method will be more likely to introduce flavery, and to rivet its chains upon us, than the bold ufurpations of former times, by an open and bare-faced extenfion of the prerogative. The crown is already poffeffed of powers unknown to our former kings, and nothing, at this hour, fecures us from being Daves, but the moderation and goodness of the prince upon the throne. But fhall the liberties of Britain depend upon the temper and inclination of it's kings? God forbid! The condition of a flave is not defined by the ftripes he receives, but by the power of inflicting them, at the will and pleasure of a tyrant, without any other measure than his unruly luft.

BUT let us not defpair of our country; a few active, difintereftéd patriots may, by their zeal and temper, foon alter the face of affairs; and inftead of corruption, profufion of public money, and a total disregard of all private and public morality: virtue, economy, and the love of our country, will, under fuch examples, take place, by which alone we can hope to recover, and secure our happiness at home, or carry terror to our enemies abroad.

I hope the freedom, which may be taken in the courfe of these papers, will not give offence to any well

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well-meaning man. They are defigned to emancipate the king from the fhackles of an arbitrary adminiftration, to expose to his, and the public view the arts by which his ministers have abused and oppreffed his people, to open thofe paths that lead to true glory, by establishing a mutual confidence between the king and his people. They are defigned to guard my fellow citizens against the incroachments of power, which are advancing with fuch large, but filent ftrides; and to diffect the views of those zealots of party, who impudently call themselves the friends of the government, whilst they act in oppofition to the principles of it; as well as of thofe pfeudo-patriots, who under the mask of liberty and public virtue, conceal their felfinterested and ambitious defigns.

OUGHT any Briton to be afhamed, or afraid to avow fuch fentiments? I think not: and therefore, I will hope, however unequal I may be to the office of a Monitor, that my labours will be favourably received by every man, who wifhes well to the honour and profperity of Britain,

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No. 2

Vir bonus eft quis?

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Qui confulta patrum, qui leges, juraque fervat. IMA HOR. Lib. I. Epift. 16.

Mr. FREEHOLDER!

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VERY man who prefumes to take a part in public affairs, ought to be well acquainted with the ftate of parties; with the characters and private views of every person, that either fupports or opposes the administration. Without this knowledge, nay, without the most accurate attention to it, he may become the dupe of both; and instead of promoting the public welfare (which alone ought to be the object of every good citizen) will be an inftrument of haftening the ruin of his country.

OUR unhappy divifions are never enough to be lamented: a wife and good prince will endeavour to heal them, and to unite the heads and hearts of his fubjects. His eafe and fecurity at. home, his weight and influence abroad depend upon it. But alas! how often have crafty minifters prevented fuch a natural union, and by inflaming the rancour and animofity of parties, in order to magnify their own confequence with their fovereign, thrown the prince on a party, and taught him to believe, that they, who op

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and to maintain that liberty, to which he is intitled by the laws of the land. But instead of being difcouraged by these wicked arts, they ought to animate and inflame the zeal of men, acting in fo honeft a cause. Steadiness, conftancy, and perfeverance will have their effect, and truth and virtue must at laft become triumphant.

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But as zeal, without knowledge, temper, and addrefs, will do little toward fuch reformation, it will be requifite, in order to act confiftently, and to be prepared, in cafe any favourable event fhould happen, for the executing a reasonable and practicable scheme, to inform your readers what plan you propose to raise such a laudable fuperftructure, and to invite thofe to act upon, who shall be willing to co-operate in fo glorious a cause. You know the grand delufion, in regard to the king and people, has been to stigmatize all patriots with the odious name of Jacobites, or enemies to the prefent establishment and family on the throne; and every oppofition or cenfure of the miniftry, with the obfolete name of Jacobitifm. By this prejudice the diffenters, and many other well-meaning whigs, from a just hatred to a popish pretender, and from a dread of relapfing into the miseries of defpotic government, have fallen into another extreme; and by blindly fupporting the administration, and throwing all their weight into that scale, these lovers of liberty have nurtured fuch a power for every

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future miniftry, as may fooner or later swallow up the liberties of the kingdom.

THE blafphemous notion of divine, indefeafible right, and other prejudices, in favour of the Stuart family, are abfolutely worn out of the minds of men: and no man believes (for all that fay it, do not believe it) that any of thofe, who at present act in oppofition to the court, are Ja-, cobites. This, however falfe in fact, has not only perfuaded majefty itself to fufpect, and even to reject the council of his best subjects, whether confidered for their wisdom or loyalty; but created and fomented a ftrong jealoufy among the subjects themselves; infomuch as frequently to prevent a confidence amongst the lovers of their king and country, when the abuse of power and unconstitutional measures have required their mutual affistance in the cause of liberty. Therefore, Mr. Freeholder! to obviate any fuch ministerial scandal, and to give both the fovereign and the subject all the affurance that the nature of the thing requires; that neither you nor your correfpondents can be in any-wife fufpected of Jacobitifm, publish the following maxims; and while you keep close to thofe PRINCIPLES, it will not be in the power either of mifrepresentation, corruption, or force, to injure you in the minds of the people, or in the affections of the king. For, it will tend more effectually to establish the prefent family upon the throne, than that corrupt, that deteftable system of power, which of late years has prevailed, in oppofition to those rights vin

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