tution of our country. Nothing can deftroy the conftitution of Britain, but the people of Britain. While we preserve our own integrity and reject all undue influence, arifing from private intereft, dependants on a court, and the creatures of minifter, there can be no fear of our liberties not even from a parliament, should there ever come fuch a one, whofe majority fhall be grown so corrupt, as to affemble for little elfe than to establish grievances, inftead of redreffing them; to approve of the measures of a court, without due information or confideration of their confequences to the people; to engage their country in alliances, treaties, and wars, without examination; and to give money without account, and almost without ftint? because a time must come when the power of fuch traitors to their conftituents will have an end; and the oppreffed electors shall be enabled to throw the guardianship of their liberty and property into better hands.

WHAT can be expected by thofe, who yield to the enchantments of gold, and seek to raise a private advantage from that voice, they are only entrusted with by the public to give in the choice of parliament-men for the general good of the nation ? can it be supposed that he, who buys your vote, will refufe a valuable confideration for it? is not this traffic of votes a felling of your li berty? nor can I be reproved, should I add that it is a breach of truft in every elector, who in this cafe deprives the constitution of his help, and brings

21.

brings in a representative to sap its very founda

tion.

WHAT danger do we face when we chufe a place-man, or any one nearly connected with him in intereft? his fortune will be his chief point in view; whatever may become of the public weal. And as he holds his place at the pleasure of the executive power, and is to be paid by the money raised on the fubjects; he muft act under that influence, which is always encroaching upon our freedom; and join in all bills, be they ever fo burdenfome to the nation; provided they be calculated by an ignorant overbearing, or an avaricious minister of state. Such a spurious representative is the offspring of corruption: And what can be expected from him, but an obfequious readiness at all times to reconcile and justify the most contradictory measures of his patron, and to vote his crude and indigefted dreams into laws? and what would be the fatal confequence to the nation, should there ever be returned a majority of fuch members? the doors of that place, where our complaints ought to be heard and redreffed, would, in the end, be for ever shut against us.

THE fame reason that made Britons defirous to establish their liberty, muft make them folicitous to preferve it; and, as in the cafe of the revolution, fet them, who watch for our fecurity, above the imputation of disloyalty or faction. So that in all proposals and fchemes of government,' the real patriots fhould never engage themselves beyond

beyond retreat. The moft ruinous and flavish projects have been adorned with the brightest jewels of the diadem, and backed with no lefs than parliamentary fanction. And there are certain periods of time, which, when once slipped, render all cautions, even of the fupreme power, ineffectual; and ferve to convince us, that what is oppreffion and arbitrary power at one time, cannot be justice and freedom at another.

HAD the Roman people thus preserved their virtue, and preferred their liberty to a bribe; had they not put to fale the election of their magiftrates, the fentences of their judges, and the decrees of their fenate, it was not the power of a Cæfar, nor the tyranny of a Nero, nor the stupidity, madness, ambition, or luft of any of their princes; nor even the flattery, infolence, nor rapaciousness of minifters, parafites, and panders, that could have deprived them of their liberty, riches, power, and glory. But, where luxury grows up to favour corruption, and corruption is become neceffary to fupport the luxury of any people; then, they, whether Greeks, Barbarians, or Britons, will fall into a ftate as miferable, as that of venal Rome: and they will deferve to fall; if they fuffer, under any pretence or by any hands, that conftitution to be ruined; which cannot be destroyed, unless they fuffer it, and cooperate with the enemies of a free state.

In a word; the spirit of liberty, if it be kept alive by conftant action, will never fuffer the nation to be enslaved; but all schemes of ufur

pation will be baffled, while true patriots remain warm and active in their contention for the public good. Nor can fuch a conduct fail of raifing in every British heart that zeal and indignation, which must at laft triumph over all undue influences in a British parliament.

-To inftruct the mind, to arm the foul
་ With virtue, which no dangers can controul,
Exalt the thought, a fpeedy courage lend,
That borror cannot shake, or pleasure bend:
Thefe are the English arts, these we poffefs,
To be the fame in mifery and fuccefs;
To teach oppreffors law,-afift the good,
Relieve the wretched, and fubdue the proud,
Such are our fouls

T

The MAN of HONOUR.

HE intention of this paper has been publickly declared, to fupport good as well as to oppose bad government: and can I be filent and deny due praise to that fpirit and refolution, which has been lately fhewn by the prefent administration in our naval armament? On the con trary, every true Briton should endeavour to fupport fuch measures to the utmoft of his power. Should not they at the helm, who appear fenfi

bly.

bly touched at the cries of the people, and take up fuch refolutions, as are agreeable to the nation, and moft proper to redrefs their grievances, be commended, and effectually enabled to carry them into execution? and does not the voice of the people (which will never call out for meafures that must encrease their taxes without great neceffity) cry loudly, at prefent, for a war, to reftrain the ambitious views of the French, our perfidious neighbours? whofe deep concerted fchemes, for many years, to drive us out of the American colonies, had almost succeeded, by the connivance or neglect of those minifters, who fuffered them to fettle and erect forts, even within the limits of our plantations.

BUT there are two things to be confidered should a war enfue: one in regard to the people, which is, that they may be fatisfied in what way it will be carried on: another in regard to the crown, which is, how the money to fupport a just and neceffary war can be raised; for it is now become a maxim in politicks, founded upon experience, That he, who has the longest purfe, will wear the longest sword.

As to the firft; let thofe now concerned for the nation steer clear of the blunders, mistakes, and mal-practices, which deprived us of the advantages expected in the laft war; and make the true interest of Great Britain the sole object of their operations, and they need not doubt of giving fatisfaction to the people. A vigorous exertion of our naval force, the natural strength