WHENEVER there have been any open and violent, any avowed and barbarous encroachments and depredations made by our enemies. upon our dominions or trade, it was always juftifiable in every fubject, much more in bodies corporate, to carry their complaints to the throne; and to explain to theri fovereign the pofture of the national affairs, without incurring the name of factious or difaffected. Would it not have been justly branded with the ignominious character of paffive obedience and nonrefiftance, in 1688. had any member of a corporation endeavoured to explain away the grievances of the nation, and opposed a city's remonftrance against the enemies of their country? and can such an oppofition deserve to be stigmatized with any thing less than political quietifm, when the enemy has already penetrated into our territories; flain our men; routed our armies; taken our fhips, and interrupted our navigation? whoever strives by their power or perfuafions to deter the people from giving the King the utmost affurance of their zeal and affection, can be neither a good citizen, nor a good fubject.

How often has the city of London not only addreffed but petitioned the king for redress of grievances and vigorous meafutes? and even applied to parliament, when their just remonftrances were neglected? the reigns of King Charles the Firft and Second will furnish frequent examples. Nor has any danger threatened this nation from a foreign or domestic foe,

for

for more than fixty years, which the loyal city of London has not reprefented, by making a dutiful tender of their lives and fortunes to defend and support the crown. And I hope the time will never come, when, to bear and to forbear, fhall be the motto to the efcutcheon of the liberties of a free-born Briton.

THEREFORE, fhould there ftart up any one fo abandoned to shame, and the intereft of his country, as to espouse the cause of an enemy, by attempting to divide his fellow citizens, to cool their zeal in a fair reprefentation of their loffes, and in vigorous and loyal resolutions in order to obtain fatisfaction; let it not deter the honeft, the wife, and the brave, from pursuing such measures, as are confiftent with their loyalty and liberty. Perfeverance in a just cause will over-rule and bear down the intrigues of a pufillanimous and corrupt oppofition. It must be a loft cause to be reduced to the neceffity, either to prevent the affurances of the people's zeal and affection reaching the ears of majefty, or to quit that poft, which has for fuch a number of years been maintained by an iniquitous profufion of public money, to corrupt the councils and the hearts of those, whofe duty it should be, to guard the liberties of their fellow subjects.

WHAT the city of London, and all good and true Britons with for, and defire, is no more than to have a miniftry, who fhall not be afraid to defend our conftitution, and to inform the fovereign of the true intereft of his crown

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and fubjects who fhall have the courage to act vigorously against foreign enemies; and ho nefty to reform abuses at home. Such a miniftry will never want the affections, nor the fupport, of the people in all laudable and neceffary undertakings.

THIS was the good policy of Cecil, when England had more to fear, and lefs power by far, to defend herself; and the yet flourished at home, and was dreaded abroad. He neither weakened the government, nor impoverished the people by hiring foreign mercenary troops. Who paid lefs money to allies? and yet who was ever more refpected on the continent, and carried the glory of the British name to a higher pitch, than our Elizabeth? she never could be drawn into thofe airy romantic expeditions, to do the business of other nations, which by increafing the burthen of her fubjects taxes would have enervated her own ftate. The fituation and interest of her dominions, compared with other nations, pointed out the most natural ftrength to protect her fubjects from infults, and to extend her commerce. While fhe maintained her dominion at fea, no power could invade or hurt her by land, nor interrupt the trade and navigation of her fubjects. And therefore she placed her whole dependence on her navy. She understood the conftitution and intereft of her subjects so perfectly well, that by her refu fal of the fovereignty of Holland, the foretold the inconveniences and prodigious expence that

would

would follow to this kingdom, fhould England be ever engaged to support a war on the continent. How well that glorious and wife Queen judged and acted can never be forgot; while millions are raised by the power of the British parliament to pay fubfidies and foreign troops, and to purchase the fafety of others with our own

ruin.

I could with her fucceffors had always copied her wife administration: England at present has no more real concern in the troubles on the continent, than it had in her days. And to propose to humble France by the measures taken in the laft war in Flanders, is no better than meeting our own deftruction half-way.

BUT while we cry fo earneftly for a war, let our warmth be founded on our interest: let us not infist on a rupture with any nation merely to gratify our refentments; but to procure that redress by force of arms, which has been denied by treaty and negociation. And let not our heads be fo turned with the pompous lifts of our navy, the numbers and gallantry of our feamen, the vastness of our revenues, and the recollection of our former exploits, as to imagine we have nothing to do, but to go in quest of the enemy in order to conquer: for notwithftanding our strength and our riches are equal to our most fanguine wishes; and it must be allowed that our ancestors reaped many and great victories; we can never hope for fuccefs, if the management of the war fhall be com

mitted to thofe, who declared against it, and amused us with bubble-negociations.

How can we expect vigor from a cabal, who fo obftinately oppofe a war, not only in contempt of the judgment, but in defiance of the refentment of the whole nation. Peace! peace! upon any terms, has been the cry within doors, and the eccho of their creatures without. And can it be fuppofed that a minifter, who has induftriously laboured to ftave off the war, will adopt the child of the people; and thereby con tradict the whole tenor of his conduct, by fuffering it to thrive under his care?

THE fad remembrance of that ministry, which, to give them an opportunity to scourge our merchants for demanding juftice against our enemies, difclaimed all care of it; named it the merchants war: and fo managed it, as thereby to exhaust our purses, confound our men, weary our patience, and expofe our conduct; ought to guard us against the like dif afters: and therefore as the honour and dignity of the crown; the diftreffes of the subjects in America, and the interruption of trade in Europe have made a war neceffary; let us not regard by what name it fhall be called, fo that it be carried on vigorously and effectually to reduce our enemies to reafon, and to fecure a good and lasting peace. Z.