THE DEDICATION. To the NINETY-FOUR Honourable and Worthy Members of the Houfe of Commons, who voted in the last Seffions of Parlianient against addreffing his Majefty to bring over the Hanoverian Forces into this Kingdom. T HE intention of the MONITOR, OF BRITISH FREEHOLDER, as declared by that worthy Patriot *, who ori ginally plann'd it, is to commend good men and good measures, and to cenfure bad ones, without refpect of perfons; to awaken that fpirit of LIBERTY and LOYALTY, for which the British nation was anciently diftinguifhed, but which was in a manner lulled afleep * RICHARD BECKFORD, Efq; late Member for BRISTOL, and Alderman of the Ward of Farringdon without, in LONDON. afleep by that golden opiate, which weak and wicked Minifters for many years, had too fuccessfully tendered to perfons of all ranks, as a neceffary engine of government; though in truth nothing lefs than a libel upon their own measures, which could not be justified upon principles of wisdom and integrity. THE death of fo publick-fpirited a man, amidst such a ftate of things, was a publick lofs; but this lofs was in fome degree alleviated by his having animated many gentlemen of the fame ftation and principles with himself, to concur in the fame generous defign, which he thought too important to be refted upon the contingency of a fingle life; and by their zeal and affiftance, the infant plan was not abandoned, like a poor orphan, but decently nursed and fupported from time to time. By these means the film, fpread over the eyes of the people, has been gradually removed, and the conduct of minifters expofed, fo far as they pursued or connived at measures, injurious to the nation, difhonourable to the crown; and which at the long run, muft terminate in the irretrievable ruin of both. How expedient fuch a paper was amidst the rooted diftemper of the times; how neceffary to infpire the people with right notions of their duty to their king and country; and how favourably the notions herein inculcated have been received, is evident from the vast demand for the Monitor, and the neceffity we lie under of reprinting in a volume the collection of the first year, to fatisfy the extraordinary calls of the publick. In this paper, O gentle Reader! think not yourself disappointed, if you meet with no far caftical reflections upon Majefty; no feeds of difaffection fown; no imputations to perfons, without evident facts, or ftrong probabilities to support them; here are no attempts to weaken the hands of government; no wilful misreprefentations of men or measures, or the leaft defign to impofe upon the understanding of the people. On the contrary, you will find a dutiful regard fhewn to the Prince upon the throne, without fulfome and foolish flattery; a true zeal for a Protestant fucceffion, and for a religious obfervance of the Act of Settlement ; a manly reprehenfion of minifters, when they do amifs; a modeft panegyrick upon them, when they act wifely; which proves, the controversy is not about men, but measures, and that party was intirely out of the defign. And as we are always ready to offer the proper incenfe of praife to able and honeft men, who prefide at the head of affairs; fo weak or wicked ones must not hope to escape our notice; for the MONITOR will not fail to give the people the alarm in time; that, if poffible, they may prevent their final ruin. SUCH have been; fuch ftill are the views of this Paper; and should a minifierial critick, bufily pick out a few exceptions to this general rule; the candid reader, we doubt not, will place place them to the score of humanity, or the cafual over- fhootings of an imagination, perhaps a little over-heated by the nobleft of all paffions, a love of our country. To whom then could thefe fheet's be fo properly addreffed, as to thofe WORTHIES, who by their encouragement have favoured, and by their examples illuftrated thofe principles of LIBERTY and LOYALTY, which they inculcate? Το you, therefore, GENTLEMEN! the MoNITOR flies for patronage and protection; to You who have a perfect knowledge of the Britifh Conflitution; and whofe hearts have hitherto preferved themselves; unawed by the frowns; untainted by the temptations, and undeceived by the sophistries of minifterial men: To You, who will be delivered down to pofterity, as patrons of that old-fashioned principle; that flattery ought not to ufurp the place of duty; that it is the business of parliament, to advise the King in all things, refpecting the dignity and fecurity of the crown; the good and glory of the nation; and that to addrefs him to import a foreign army into this kingdom, under colour of defending it, is a dangerous, expenfive, and unconftitutional fetch of policy, and may in future times, under a lefs worthy prince, and lefs upright miniftry, become a precedent, that may prove fa tal to the LIBERTY of BRITONS. To you then, GENTLEMEN, the following Papers are with all gratitude DEDICATED, by your most obedient Servants, The EDITORS. |