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"the Herd; and when they had been hunted down, "the fame plaufible Pretence of Frauds might, with "equal Juftice, have been extended to other cuftoma"ble Commodities. That you may not doubt of This, "I will here venture to borrow an Argument from an honourable Gentleman, which he brought against "receiving the Druggifts Petition. This, faid He, is a leading Card to a Petition against all Excises; for "it is vain and foolish to think They will stop here. "When the Reasons urged against thefe hold equally Strong against other excifed Commodities, can any one be fo weak to imagine, if we give Ear to This, they will not be likewife urged by the Dealers in "thofe others, where they may be brought with equal Fuftice- -The fame Weakness and Folly had been "justly imputed to us, had we not feen the Ten"dency of excifing Tobacco and Wine, on Account of Frauds, and that the Argument would have been as ftrong for excifing other Commodities liable to Frauds; and doubtless the Reasoning is equally "good in both Cafes.

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He afterwards proceeds to the Cafe of Juries, the Increase of Officers, and fome other Points, which have been already explain'd in this Paper; and then concludes in the following Manner.

"If from what I have faid I have fhew'd you the "Precipice, which we have escaped, and am fo happy

as to convince you that this Scheme would have de"ftroy'd the very Being of Parliaments, I hope you "will be of Opinion that the Day it met with its "Doom should be enter'd as a Red-Letter-Day in fa"ture Calendars, and celebrated as long as a former "Deliverance, which though more bloody in its Exe"cution, yet, in its Confequences, would not have "been fo fatal to the Constitution. And I hope, that as long as the 5th of November is commemorated, "the 11th of April will not be forgotten.

D.

SATURDAY,

N° 366. SATURDAY, July 7, 1733.

A

Bout five Years ago, I gave my Readers the political Creed of a MODERN WHIG, in Oppofition to the original Principles of THAT PARTY; but the minifterial Writers have fince added feveral new Articles to their Syftem, which ought to be recorded amongst the Credenda of their Party; efpecially the following ones; viz.

That the People in Office and Favour at COURT ought to engros ALL THE LANDS IN THE KING

DOM.

That to affert the King's PARLIAMENTARY TITLE, in Oppofition to the ridiculous Claim of HEREDITARY RIGHT, is bordering upon high Treason.

That the MAJESTY OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE is invested by our Laws in the Perfon of the KING. That the CROWN ought to have a pecuniary Influence over the HOUSE OF COMMONS.

That the PEOPLE have no Right, in their collective, or corporate Capacities, to inftrut their own DEPUTIES; even in Cafes, which affect their TRADE and LIBERTIES in the tendereft Manner.

That EXCISES, which deprive the Subject of bis Right to a TRYAL BY JURIES, and expofe his House and Bufinefs to the Inquifition of a Parcel of LITTLE OFFICERS, under the abfolute Power and Direction of the CROWN, are the most effectual Means of promoting TRADE.

That STANDING ARMIES, under the fame Direction, are the best Preservative of PUBLICK LIBERTY;

especially

especially when duely GARBLED and MODELL'D to minifterial Purposes.

Thefe are the Doctrines lately advanced and defended · by the Court-Writers; who have the Modefty, at the fame Time, to call themselves WHIGS, and to reproach Thofe, who oppose Them, as JACOBITES and Enemies to the PRESENT ESTABLISHMENT. But let History determine whether thefe Tenets are not diametrically oppofite to the very firft Principles of that Party; or, in other Words, whether Whiggijm was not originally founded on popular Liberty, in Oppofition to the Encroachments of Prerogative, and the Power of the Crown. We appeal to the fame Authority, whether the pretended Whigs of our Age have not borrow'd their Arguments from the Tory Writers of former Reigns, in Behalf of a perpetual Revenue, Excifes, penfionary Parliaments and fanding Armies. For my Part, I often fancy, when I take up any of their Papers, that I am reading fome of L'Eftrange's, or Parker's Works ; which would answer their Purposes as well, and fave Them a great deal of Trouble.

Indeed, We have lately had the Happiness to see the Names of Whig and Tory almoft wholly laid afide, and Men of all Parties concurring in the common Cause, like Friends and Brethren, without any Animofity, or Regard to particular Diftinctions. The minifterial Advocates feem very apprehenfive of the Confequences, which may attend this Coalition, and therefore fpare no Pains to divide us again. This is the Burthen of Mother Osborne's Refveries, for feveral Weeks paft; who hath done us the Honour to acknowledge that our Writings have lately had fome Effect, and exerts all the little Pathos in her Power to fet the People of Englànd together by the Ears about Shadows, that her good Patron may have an Opportunity of running away with the Subftance, and efcaping with Impunity. But I have the Pleasure to hear from all Parts of the Kingdom, that the People are not at prefent in any Difpofition to

take

take her Advice, and that every Attempt of this Kind ferves only to unite Them more clofely in that honeft Confederacy, on which the Prefervation of their Liberties abfolutely depends.

One great Topick of Complaint is, that Oppofition gives Strength to the Tory Party, and may endanger the prefent Establishment; whereas nothing is more evident than that it hath been carry'd on intirely on Whig-Principles; the Principles of the Revolution; on which this Government was founded, and on which only it can be fupported. The ministerial Writers themselves are fo fenfible of This, amidst all their Outcries, that They have been obliged to dress up a strange Sort of Monster, call'd Republican-Jacobitifm, or fomething between a Commonwealth and an abfoluté Monarchy; which They were in Hopes would frighten the People out of their Wits, and make Them fly into their Arms for Protection, but They are moft lamentably disappointed in this Expectation, and have the Mortification to see their Bugbear treated with that Contempt, which fo wretched an Expedient deserved.

There is one Thing, which I have often admired in the Writings and Conduct of thefe Gentlemen; for though They are always angry at any Coalition of Parties, where the Country Intereft is concern'd, it is obfervable that They are very fond of Profelites on the other Side of the Question, and fpare no Pains, or Expence, to gain over fuch Converts, however They may have been formerly tainted with Tory, Jacobite, or even Popish Principles. A little dutiful Compliance with the Measures of the Times washes away all Spots in their Characters, and gives Them a Place amongst the beft Friends of the Government. I have now in my Eye feveral illuftrious Examples of this Sort, who have lately render'd Themselves Recti in Curiâ, and bask Themselves at prefent in the full Sun-fhine of Favour; whilft Others, who confult the Intereft of the Constitution more than of any particular Minifter, are obliged VOL XI. Η

to fubmit to the Imputation of Difaffection and Facobitifm, though They appear to be actuated in their Conduct by the most extenfive Principles of Liberty, that ever warm'd the Patriots of any Age.

We are told, indeed, by thefe Writers, that our prefent Misfortunes and Disturbances are owing to the Gentlemen in the Oppofition; and if They would please to explain Themselves, I don't know whether They are altogether in the Wrong; for if They reckon the Lofs of the EXCISE-BILL amongst the Misfortunes of the Times, I am ready to grant that it was intirely owing to the pertinacious Oppofition of thefe Gentlemen. I muft likewife acknowledge that They have lately been very officious in their Endeavours to reduce our Army, Debts and Taxes; to discover Frauds in great Companies, and to punish the Authors of them; to prevent Corruption, Stockjobbing, and all Mifapplications of the. publick Money; befides other Attempts, which have made a good deal of Noife in the Kingdom, and perhaps given fome small Disturbance to a certain Gentleman. But the People in general happen to be of a different Opinion, and have manifefted their Sense of these Tranfactions in a Manner, that will for ever do Honour to the British Nation abroad, and I hope prove a Warning to fome Perfons at home.

It is very true that all Oppofition naturally creates Ferments and Contention; but fhould Minifters, for that Reason, be left at Liberty to do what They please, without any Controul; or can any Body fuppofe that the Nation would thrive ever the better, under fuch a paffive and implicit Submiffion to Power?

If my Houfe is attack'd, I have certainly a Right to alarm the Neighbourhood; and if any bad Confequen ces fhould enfue upon it, am I to be blamed for them, or the Perfon, who occafion'd them?

But let us come to the prefent Point. Liberty and Property are neither Whig, nor Tory, but common to all Men in this Kingdoms and therefore all Men will na

turally