been oppreffed; and the public money mifapplied by the lord high treasurer, the lord high chancellor, and others, through whose hands the fupplies had paffed and therefore the parliament, both the lords and commons, addressed his majesty to call them to a strict account: to remove the treasurer and chancellor from his councils and refolved to proceed to no business, till his wicked minifters fhould be punished according to their deferts. Which had its defired effect, wrefted the government out of the power of evil counsellors, and produced a union and confidence between the king and his fubjects; and thereby defeated the machinations of their enemies. And to mention a precedent of this kind within the memory of fome now living: the dangerous fituation Europe in general, as well as this nation, in particular, was reduced to in the Year 1694, when our religion, liberties, and independency in a great measure depended upon the parliament's granting the neceffary fupplies to carry on a war with France, the houfe of commons were fo ftung at King William's refufal in 1693, to give his affent to the triennial bill, which had paffed in both houses, that they infifted to have it affented to by his majesty, before they would grant any supplies.

WHATEVER therefore may be the exigences of a state; though the delaying of power to raise money, which is the ftrength of the nation, may expose it to the greatest danger; the bad conduct of minifters, and their profufion of public money are grievances, that require the previ

Qus

ous confideration of parliament: without the least reflection on their loyalty. Nor will any fovereign, that studies the good and fafety of his fubjects, rifque their liberty, and his own crown, by obftinately protecting thofe counsellors, who are become the juft objects of his people's refent

ment.

THEREFORE, let it be the glory of the prefent parliament to prevent the ruin of their conftituents, at least so far as to enter into no engagements, which can ferve only to increase the national debt. Let it be the honour of the administration to pursue no measures which shall create taxes for the defence of any dominions, not fubject to the British crown. And let them both fo far confult their own and the public intereft, as in all money affairs to feek and follow the council and fchemes of fuch patriots, as that ancient fenator, the father of our metropolis, who has been concerned in the greateft affairs, and never fought his own, but his country's good, in all his proposals to raise the neceffary fupplies for the state and to reject and despise the fchemes of thofe rapacious harpies, which instead of being calculated how to raise money on the easiest terms to the nation, are contrived to aggrandize and enormously to enrich themfelves: efpecially fhould any fuch be offered by one, who though he had publickly declared with the utmoft affeverations, that he had no concern in a late money tranfaction, could not breathe British air, when that fame matter came to be inquired into, I hope I need not remind

our

our present miniftry: Hic niger eft, bunc tu, Romane, caveto.

Q

No.8. SATURDAY, September 27th, 1755.

Sylla comitiis centuriatis civitatem eripere non potuit.

Cic. pro Domo.

OTHING can be fo pleafing to a political writer as to discover an affemblage of thoughts and affections in him and his readers. It either flatters him that his writings in the cause of liberty have animated their refolutions; or it convinces him that his spirit is actuated by the fame impartiality and principles of love for his country, as they are, who by their public acts confirm the expediency of his admonitions.

How far the MONITOR partakes of this pleafure, may be easily feen by a comparison of those sentiments, which breathe the true old British fpirit, in my last paper, and which that most respectable body, the corporation of the city of London has openly avowed, in their late dutiful and affectionate addrefs to His Majesty.

AN addrefs, which does not echo the flattery of a minifterial faction: not calculated to de-. ceive and poison the ear of their fovereign; to fmother the complaints and prayers of the people; to palliate their distresses, and to screen our enemies from due revenge: but, which is the overflowing

flowing of hearts, replete with truth and liberty; and is intended to roufe the British lion from a ftate of dangerous fecurity, by making a tender of their lives and fortunes, to enable His Majesty to begin and carry on a juft and neceffary war against an enemy, who is not to be bound by treaties; nor to be fatisfied with any thing less than our ruin: but who may at any time be humbled by a proper exertion of that naval force, with which providence has diftinguished this nation, and enabled it above all others, to defend itself.

CAN the lion or the eagle defend themselves, or fecure their prey without thofe weapons, which nature has given them for a guard to themselves, and annoyance of their enemies? No: and fhall we iflanders, whom nature has armed with an adamantine bulwark round our nation, which no power can force, except we pare the lion's nails, by neglecting to exert our naval force; hope for fuccefs against the invaders of our dominions, the fpoilers of our fhips, and the enemies of our liberty; fhould we, by placing our fecurity and revenge in a war by land, continue that fyftem of modern politics, which has fo often endangered the constitution.

THIS Cannot admit of the leaft debate: this I apprehend is the true sense of the city's address. And may the metropolis be followed by the fame fpirit, zeal, and refolution in this, as in all other laudable examples, by the whole nation, in their early and loyal addreffes to the throne, which

was

was never more seasonable, than at this juncture: for though the war wants the formality of a proclamation, it is certain that hoftilities are commenced by France: our poffeffions are invaded, our fhips taken, and our merchants already feel the weight of an infurance on their adventures, almost as heavy as during an open

war.

YET it is not to be wondered that the cry of a nation for a war to revenge the indignities offered to the crown, and the encroachments on their trade and poffeffions, fhould meet with oppofition from the emiffaries of a junto, to whose pufillanimity, ignorance, or corruption, may be placed the courage of our enemies; the ill fuccefs of our negociations, and the mifcarriage of all attempts to difable our enemies from executing their ambitious fchemes to the prejudice of the British empire. And if I may be permitted to compare facred history with political story, without offence to the righteous ears of our prefent most chriftian bishops : let it be remembred, that the college of twelve apostles was not without its Judas: and fhall it be accounted extraordinary to find a large corporation infefted by two or three Ifcariots, who with the kifs of peace, oppofe all addreffes, which remonftrate against the hoftilities of France; which petition for fpeedy juftice against the enemies of their country, and which in the ftrongest terms affure the fovereign of their fupport in a juft and neceffary war.

WHEN