thoughts on the present discontents-第10节

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which　is　backward　to　commit　the　safety　of　the　country　to　the　dubious
experiment　of　war。　　Such　a　fear；　being　the　tender　sensation　of
virtue；　excited；　as　it　is　regulated；　by　reason；　frequently　shows
itself　in　a　seasonable　boldness；　which　keeps　danger　at　a　distance；
by　seeming　to　despise　it。　　Their　fear　betrays　to　the　first　glance　of
the　eye　its　true　cause　and　its　real　object。　　Foreign　powers；
confident　in　the　knowledge　of　their　character；　have　not　scrupled　to
violate　the　most　solemn　treaties；　and；　in　defiance　of　them；　to　make
conquests　in　the　midst　of　a　general　peace；　and　in　the　heart　of
Europe。　　Such　was　the　conquest　of　Corsica；　by　the　professed　enemies
of　the　freedom　of　mankind；　in　defiance　of　those　who　were　formerly
its　professed　defenders。　　We　have　had　just　claims　upon　the　same
powersrights　which　ought　to　have　been　sacred　to　them　as　well　as　to
us；　as　they　had　their　origin　in　our　lenity　and　generosity　towards
France　and　Spain　in　the　day　of　their　great　humiliation。　　Such　I　call
the　ransom　of　Manilla；　and　the　demand　on　France　for　the　East　India
prisoners。　　But　these　powers　put　a　just　confidence　in　their　resource
of　the　double　Cabinet。　　These　demands　（one　of　them；　at　least）　are
hastening　fast　towards　an　acquittal　by　prescription。　　Oblivion
begins　to　spread　her　cobwebs　over　all　our　spirited　remonstrances。
Some　of　the　most　valuable　branches　of　our　trade　are　also　on　the
point　of　perishing　from　the　same　cause。　　I　do　not　mean　those
branches　which　bear　without　the　hand　of　the　vine…dresser；　I　mean
those　which　the　policy　of　treaties　had　formerly　secured　to　us；　I
mean　to　mark　and　distinguish　the　trade　of　Portugal；　the　loss　of
which；　and　the　power　of　the　Cabal；　have　one　and　the　same　era。

If；　by　any　chance；　the　Ministers　who　stand　before　the　curtain
possess　or　affect　any　spirit；　it　makes　little　or　no　impression。
Foreign　Courts　and　Ministers；　who　were　among　the　first　to　discover
and　to　profit　by　this　invention　of　the　DOUBLE　CABINET；　attended　very
little　to　their　remonstrances。　　They　know　that　those　shadows　of
Ministers　have　nothing　to　do　in　the　ultimate　disposal　of　things。
Jealousies　and　animosities　are　sedulously　nourished　in　the　outward
Administration；　and　have　been　even　considered　as　a　causa　sine　qua
non　in　its　constitution：　　thence　foreign　Courts　have　a　certainty；
that　nothing　can　be　done　by　common　counsel　in　this　nation。　　If　one
of　those　Ministers　officially　takes　up　a　business　with　spirit；　it
serves　only　the　better　to　signalise　the　meanness　of　the　rest；　and
the　discord　of　them　all。　　His　colleagues　in　office　are　in　haste　to
shake　him　off；　and　to　disclaim　the　whole　of　his　proceedings。　　Of
this　nature　was　that　astonishing　transaction；　in　which　Lord
Rochford；　our　Ambassador　at　Paris；　remonstrated　against　the　attempt
upon　Corsica；　in　consequence　of　a　direct　authority　from　Lord
Shelburne。　　This　remonstrance　the　French　Minister　treated　with　the
contempt　that　was　natural；　as　he　was　assured；　from　the　Ambassador　of
his　Court　to　ours；　that　these　orders　of　Lord　Shelburne　were　not
supported　by　the　rest　of　the　（I　had　like　to　have　said　British）
Administration。　　Lord　Rochford；　a　man　of　spirit；　could　not　endure
this　situation。　　The　consequences　were；　however；　curious。　　He
returns　from　Paris；　and　comes　home　full　of　anger。　　Lord　Shelburne；
who　gave　the　orders；　is　obliged　to　give　up　the　seals。　　Lord
Rochford；　who　obeyed　these　orders；　receives　them。　　He　goes；　however；
into　another　department　of　the　same　office；　that　he　might　not　be
obliged　officially　to　acquiesce　in　one　situation；　under　what　he　had
officially　remonstrated　against　in　another。　　At　Paris；　the　Duke　of
Choiseul　considered　this　office　arrangement　as　a　compliment　to　him：
here　it　was　spoke　of　as　an　attention　to　the　delicacy　of　Lord
Rochford。　　But　whether　the　compliment　was　to　one　or　both；　to　this
nation　it　was　the　same。　　By　this　transaction　the　condition　of　our
Court　lay　exposed　in　all　its　nakedness。　　Our　office　correspondence
has　lost　all　pretence　to　authenticity；　British　policy　is　brought
into　derision　in　those　nations；　that　a　while　ago　trembled　at　the
power　of　our　arms；　whilst　they　looked　up　with　confidence　to　the
equity；　firmness；　and　candour；　which　shone　in　all　our　negotiations。
I　represent　this　matter　exactly　in　the　light　in　which　it　has　been
universally　received。


Such　has　been　the　aspect　of　our　foreign　politics　under　the　influence
of　a　DOUBLE　CABINET。　　With　such　an　arrangement　at　Court；　it　is
impossible　it　should　have　been　otherwise。　　Nor　is　it　possible　that
this　scheme　should　have　a　better　effect　upon　the　government　of　our
dependencies；　the　first；　the　dearest；　and　most　delicate　objects　of
the　interior　policy　of　this　empire。　　The　Colonies　know　that
Administration　is　separated　from　the　Court；　divided　within　itself；
and　detested　by　the　nation。　　The　double　Cabinet　has；　in　both　the
parts　of　it；　shown　the　most　malignant　dispositions　towards　them；
without　being　able　to　do　them　the　smallest　mischief。

They　are　convinced；　by　sufficient　experience；　that　no　plan；　either
of　lenity　or　rigour；　can　be　pursued　with　uniformity　and
perseverance。　　Therefore　they　turn　their　eyes　entirely　from　Great
Britain；　where　they　have　neither　dependence　on　friendship　nor
apprehension　from　enmity。　　They　look　to　themselves；　and　their　own
arrangements。　　They　grow　every　day　into　alienation　from　this
country；　and　whilst　they　are　becoming　disconnected　with　our
Government；　we　have　not　the　consolation　to　find　that　they　are　even
friendly　in　their　new　independence。　　Nothing　can　equal　the　futility；
the　weakness；　the　rashness；　the　timidity；　the　perpetual
contradiction；　in　the　management　of　our　affairs　in　that　part　of　the
world。　　A　volume　might　be　written　on　this　melancholy　subject；　but　it
were　better　to　leave　it　entirely　to　the　reflections　of　the　reader
himself；　than　not　to　treat　it　in　the　extent　it　deserves。

In　what　manner　our　domestic　economy　is　affected　by　this　system；　it
is　needless　to　explain。　　It　is　the　perpetual　subject　of　their　own
complaints。

The　Court　party　resolve　the　whole　into　faction。　　Having　said
something　before　upon　this　subject；　I　shall　only　observe　here；　that；
when　they　give　this　account　of　the　prevalence　of　faction；　they
present　no　very　favourable　aspect　of　the　confidence　of　the　people　in
their　own　Government。　　They　may　be　assured；　that　however　they　amuse
themselves　with　a　variety　of　projects　for　substituting　something
else　in　the　place　of　that　great　and　only　foundation　of　Government；
the　confidence　of　the　people；　every　attempt　will　but　make　their
condition　worse。　　When　men　imagine　that　their　food　is　only　a　cover
for　poison；　and　when　they　neither　love　nor　trust　the　hand　that
serves　it；　it　is　not　the　name　of　the　roast　beef　of　Old　England　that
will　persuade　them　to　sit　down　to　the　table　that　is　spread　for　them。
When　the　people　conceive　that　laws；　and　tribunals；　and　even　popular
assemblies；　are　perverted　from　the　ends　of　their　institution；　they
find　in　those　names　of　degenerated　establishments　only　new　motives
to　discontent。　　Those　bodies；　which；　when　full　of　life　and　beauty；
lay　in　their　arms　and　were　their　joy　and　comfort；　when　dead　and
putrid；　become　but　the　more　loathsome　from　remembrance　of　former
endearments。　　A　sullen　gloom；　and　furious　disorder；　prevail　by　fits：
the　nation　loses　its　relish　for　peace　and　prosperity；　as　it　did　in
that　season　of　fulness　which　opened　our　troubles　in　the　time　of
Charles　the　First。　　A　species　of　men　to　whom　a　state　of　order　would
become　a　sentence　of　obscurity；　are　nourished　into　a　dangerous
magnitude　by　the　heat　of　intestine　disturbances；　and　it　is　no　wonder
that；　by　a　sort　of　sinister　piety；　they　cherish；　in　their　turn；　the
disorders　which　are　the　parents　of　all　their　consequence。
Superficial　observers　consider　such　persons　as　the　cause　of　the
public　uneasiness；　when；　in　truth；　they　are　nothing　more　than　the
effect　of　it。　　Good　men　look　upon　this　distracted　scene　with　sorrow
and　indignation。　　Their　hands　are　tied　behind　them。　　They　are
despoiled　of　all　the　power　which　might　enable　them　to　reconcile　the
strength　of　Government　with　the　rights　of　the　people。　　They　stand　in
a　most　distressing　alternative。　　But　in　the　election　among　evils
they　hope　better　things　from　temporary　confusion；　than　from
established　servitude。　　In　the　mean　time；　the　voice　of　law　is　not　to
be　heard。　　Fierce　licentiousness　begets　violent　restraints。　　The
military　arm　is　the　sole　reliance；　and　then；　call　your　constitution
what　you　please；　it　is　the　sword　that　governs。　　The　civil　power；
like　every　other　that　calls　in　the　aid　of　an　ally　stronger　than
itself；　perishes　by　the　assistance　it　receives。　　But　the　contrivers
of　this　scheme　of　Government　will　not　trust　solely　to　the　military
power；　because　they　are　cunning　men。　　Their　restless　and　crooked
spirit　drives　them　to　rake　in　the　dirt　of　every　kind　of　expedient。
Unable　to　rule　the　multitude；　they　endeavour　to　raise　divisions
amongst　them。　　One　mob　is　hired　to　destroy　another；　a　procedure
which　at　once　encourages　the　boldness　of　the　populace；　and　justly
increases　their　discontent。　　Men　become　pensioners　of　state　on
account　of　their　abilities　in　the　array　of　riot；　and　the　discipline
of　confusion。　　Government　is　put　under　the