66 ever, by printing or writing, impeach'd his Majesty's "Title, was guilty of high Treafon; that for any "Number of Men, above Ten, to petition the King, or "either Houfe of Parliament, in a riotous or tumultuous "Manner, to redress Grievances, was HIGH TREASON. He then exprefs'd himself in a very particular Manner on the late Riots and Tumults, as He was pleased to call them. When he had done, the Lord Mayor (with becoming Zeal, and to his immortal Honour) deliver'd himself to the following Effect. 66 "That no Perfon whatfoever could have a greater "Abhorrence of Riots and Tumults than himself; but "that He thought the publick Rejoicings, on a late Occafion, were laudable and highly becoming good Citi66 zens and good Subjects, as they were Testimonies of "univerfal Joy, on their being deliver'd from a Scheme, "deftructive of their Liberties and Properties; and that, "if ever fuch another Attempt fhould be made, and "meet with no better Success, He hoped where One "appear'd this Time to rejoice, there would then be a Thousand." This Speech induced the Grand Jury unanimoufly to give his Lordfbip their Thanks; which their Foreman did in the following Words. 66 "We the Grand Jury of the City of London return your Lordship Thanks for your feasonable Advice and "Inftructions, as well as for your juft Diftinction be"tween publick Rejoycing and riotous Mobbing. R. Your conftant Reader, A. B. SATURDAY, N° 361. SATURDAY, June 2, 1733. To CALEB D'ANVERS, Efq; Mr. D'ANVERS, Τ HE vigorous Oppofition and, I hope, total Defeat of a late execrable Scheme, have given us a juft Idea of a brave People struggling for their Liberties; and notwithstanding the Noife, which the Projector and his Advocates have lately made about fome little Infults, which the Populace committed in the firft Flush of their Joy, upon fuch an Occafion, I think They ought rather to admire their Forbearance and Moderation. But They feem to expect that We fhould be abfolutely tame and paffive, under any Ufage; and, perhaps, it was with this View that the Principles of Patriotism have been fo induftriously ridiculed for feveral Years paft. As This is a Subject, which may admit of a few ufeful Obfervations, and is in my Apprehenfion of as much Importance as any Thing of a publick Nature, I beg Leave, Mr. D'Anvers, to lay a few Thoughts upon it before my Countrymen, for whofe Intereft and Happinefs I am moft fincerely engaged, and more deeply concern'd than about any Thing else in this World. That our Paffions have the principal Share in all our Pursuits, and are the Mediums, by which (under the Guidance of Reason) the Author of Nature intended human Affairs fhould be conducted, are Truths not to be question'd; and the highest Virtue we feem capable of, is That of directing our Paffions to those Objects, which have the greateft Tendency to commu nicate nicate Happiness to our Fellow-Creatures, in Conjunction with Ourselves. He, who acts upon this View in private, and promotes it in publick Life, is in that Degree a virtuous Man, and a Friend to his Country, by diffufing a Principle, which is not only amiable in itself, but of publick Utility to the whole World; and as a greater, or lefs Good arises to Mankind by the different Purfuit of this Principle, the Obligation to promote it in publick Life increases, in Proportion to the Influence and Credit, that each Man has in the Society. From the Prevalence, or Depreffion of this Principle in any Country, a Standard may be erected, by which the Condition of it may be measured; the real Intentions of Thofe, under whofe Conduct the People are govern'd, and confequently the Expediency of farther Submiffion, or juft Refentment, may be difcover'd. There is so much Certainty in this Standard, that in the Application of it to the Romans, it holds equally from the Beginning to the Deftruction of that once brave People; for the flourishing Condition of that Commonwealth was always in exact Proportion, as thefe noble Sentiments were countenanced and patronized by Thofe, who had the Reins of Government in their Hands. Here I doubt my Conclufion is anticipated, and drawn by Feeling, inftead of Argument; but my Undertaking requires an Application of these Principles; which must be admitted to be very general, and perhaps be thought not to admit of any particular Ufe. As this Standard is in my Apprehenfion both infallible, and applicable to any People upon the Globe, who are circumfcribed by Laws, I fhall take the Freedom to enquire, fo far as it relates to the publick Good, what Footing this Principle of Virtue, or, in the Language of the Romans, Amor Patria, hath got at present in this Ifland; what Patronage it receives from Thofe, in whofe Power it is to raise, or depress it; and by what Means it hath been for feveral Years drooping and in the Decline. Perhaps, there is not any Method, that can be more rely'd upon, in difcovering how far the People in general are really concern'd for the Happiness of their Country, or intereft Themselves in those Debates, upon the Refult of which their Freedom, or Slavery, in a great Measure depends, than by falling into various Company; and attending to the Manner, in which most popular Points are treated. The Tools of Men in Power, who are very numerous, are indeed generally fhun'd by Men of Integrity; and are compell'd to converfe with one another, or that Part of Mankind, who are pretty indifferent about Virtue and Vice; being fo equally difpofed towards either, that they become an eafy Prey, and, by going through fome proper Exercises, are capable of acting their Part with as little Regard to common Decency as Those, who have been in the Service many Years. And yet, abandon'd and infamous as these StateMifcreants and Fibers of Men are, it frequently happens that a modest Man, unacquainted with the World, who has fome of the Prejudices of a virtuous Education about him, falls into their Company. If a Person of this Caft, from the Fulness of an untainted Heart, and a ftrong Affection for his Country, prefumes to differ in Sentiments from any of these wor thy Gentlemen, with whom He is encompass'd, and with any Kind of Emotion expreffes his Dislike of the Measures publickly pursued and avow'd; the Manner, in which He is treated upon that Occasion, is a very agreeable Scene. The firft Thing, with which They falute Him, in Imitation of their Mafter, is a broad Grin, fucceeded by a rude, indecent Laugh. This fcandalous Treatment naturally occafions Warmth and Refentment; upon which, the Gentleman's Pulse is felt by these Doctors of Slavery; an Inquifition is male concerning his his State of Health; how long He hath been recover'd; and Remedies are immediately prefcribed, to cure Infanity and common Honefty; which are always look'd upon by these Gentlemen as infeparable Companions. If the Converfation is purfued; if the Attempts and vifible Steps of Men in Power to enflave the People are delineated; and gentle Means proposed to reclaim and stop the Progrefs of thefe Enormities; He is then entertain'd with a great Quantity of Vociferation; treated as an Incendiary, an Encourager of Riots and Tumults, and unfit for civil Society; nay, to finish their Undertaking, the Arguments, that would be as proper at the Bar of the Old Baily, in Defence of Robbers, are then trump'd up, in Support of their Mafter and his Conduct. Among a different Sort of People, whofe good Breeding and Politeness, in Conformity to the Tafte of the Age, are their chief Aim, Matters of Importance are treated in a quite different Manner. To Thefe, all Subjects are of equal Confequence, with this Exception only, that their Attention and Concern generally increase, in Proportion as the Point in Queftion is trifling and of no Moment. If Politicks are introduced among Them, it is by way of Diverfion, and only to fupply a little Chafm in Conversation, when the common Stock of Impertinence is almost exhaufted. Nothing is more entertaining than to fee in how good-natured, complaifant a way They treat the Subject. How deeply foever the Liberties of the People are concern'd in the Queftion, the fame good Manners run through the whole of the Converfation; and a Point, that is carry'd for or against the People, is only mention'd as a Piece of Dexterity, by which the oppofite Party was outwitted; while the People's Liberties, which are at Stake, engage no Part of their Attention. With Men of this eafy, genteel Difpofition, a Piece of deep-concerted Wickedness, that ftrikes at the Root of our Liberties, and for which the Author |