LETTER I

ADDRESSED TO THE PRINTER OF THE PUBLIC ADVERTISER.

SIR,

The fubmiffion of a free people to the executive

authority of government is no more than a compliance with laws, which they themselves have enacted. While the national honour is firmly maintained abraod, and while juftice is impartially adminstered at home, the obedience of the fubject will be voluntary, chearful, and I might almost say unlimited. A generous nation is grateful even for the prefervation of its rights, and wil lingly extends the respect due to the office of a good prince into an affection for his perfon.. Loyalty, in the heart and understanding of an Englishman, is a national attachment to the guardian of the laws. Prejudices and paffion have fometimes carried it to a criminal length; and, whatever foreigners may imagine, we know that Englishmen have erred as much in a mistaken zeal for particular perfons and families, as they ever did in defence of what they thought most dear and interesting to themselves.

VOL. I.

B

It

It naturally fills us with refentment, to fee fuch a temper infulted and abused. In reading the hiftory of a free people, whofe rights have been invaded, we are interested in their cause. Our own feelings tell us how long they ought to have fubmitted, and at what moment it would have been treachery to themselves not to have refifted. How much warmer will be our refentment, if experience fhould bring the fatal example home to ourselves!

The fituation of this country is alarming enough to rouze the attention of every man, who pretends to a concern for the public welfare. Appearnces juftify fufpicion, and, when the fafety of a nation is at flake, fufpicion is a juft ground of enquiry. Let us enter into it with candour and decency. Refpect is due to the ftation of minifters; and, if a refolution must at last be taken, there is none fo likely to be fupported with firmnefs as that which has been adopted with moderation.

The ruin or prosperity of a state depends fo much upon the adminiftration of its government, that, to be acquainted with the merit of a ministry, we need only observe the condition of the people. If we fee them obedient to the laws, profperous in their industry, united at home, and refpected abroad, we may reasonably prefume that their

affairs