nous hints; and I think, in certain circumstances, a wife man would do well to prepare himself for

the event.

But I have a charge of a heavier nature against Sir William Draper. He tells us that the Dofis amenable to juftice ;-that parliament is a high and folemn tribunal; and that, if guilty, he may be punished by due courfe of law; and all this, he fays, with as much gravity as if he believed one word of the matter. I hope indeed, the day of impeachments will arrive, before this nobleman escapes out of life ;-but to refer us to that mode of proceeding now, with fuch a miniftry, and fuch a of Cs as the prefent, what is it, but an indecent mockery of the common fenfe of the nation? I think he might have contented himself with defending the greatest enemy, without infulting the diftreffes of his country.

His concluding declaration of his opinion, with respect to the prefent condition of affairs, is too loofe and undetermined to be of any service to the public. How ftrange is it that this gentleman fhould dedicate fo much time and argument to the defence of worthlefs or indifferent characters, while he gives but feven folitary lines to the only fubject, which can deferve his attention, or do credit to his abilities.

L

JUNIUS.

LET.

LETTER

XXIV.

TO THE PRINTER OF THE PUBLIC ADVERTISER.

SIR,

It is not wonderful that the great caufe, in which this country is engaged, should have roused and engroffed the whole attention of the people. I rather admire the generous fpirit with which they feel and affert their interest in this important queftion, than blame them for their indifference about any other. When the constitution is openly invaded, when the first original right of the people, from which all laws derive their authority, is directly attacked, inferior grievances naturally lofe their force, and are suffered to pass by without punishment or obfervation. The prefent miniftry are as fingularly marked by their fortune, as by their crimes. Inftead of atoning for their former conduct by any wife or popular measure, they have found, in the enormity of one fact, a cover and defence for a series of measures, which must have been fatal to any other administration. I fear we are too remifs in observing the whole of their proceedings. Struck with the principal figure, we do not fufficiently mark in what manner the canvass is filled up. Yet furely it is not a

lefs

lefs crime, nor lefs fatal in its confequences, to encourage a flagrant breach of the law by a military force, than to make use of the forms of parliament to destroy the conftitution. The miniftry feem determined to give us a choice of difficulties, and, if poffible, to perplex us with the multitude of their offences. The expedient is well worthy of the Duke of G. But though he has preferved a gradation and variety in his meafures, we should remember that the principle is uniform. Dictated by the fame fpirit, they deferve the fame attention. The following fact, though of the moft alarming nature, has not yet been clearly ftated to the public, nor have the confequences of it been fufficiently understood. Had I taken it up at an earlier period, I fhould have been accused of an uncandid, malignant precipitation, as if I watched for an unfair advantage against the miniftry, and would not allow them a reasonable time to do their duty. They now ftand without excufe. Instead of employing the leisure they have had, in a strict examination of the offence, and punishing the offenders, they feem to have confidered that indulgence as a fecurity to them, that with a little time and management the whole affair might be buried in filence, and utterly forgotten.

A major general of the army is arrefted by the fheriffs officers for a confiderable debt. He perfuades them to conduct him to the Tilt-Yard in St. James's Park, under some pretence of business, which it imported him to fettle before he was confined. He applies to a ferjeant, not immediately on duty, to affift with fome of his companions in favouring his escape. He attempts it. A buftle enfues. The bailiffs claim their prifoner. An officer of the guards, not then on duty, takes part in the affair, applies to the lieutenant commanding the Tilt-Yard guard, and urges them to turn out his guard to relieve a general officer. The lieutenant declines interfering in perfon, but ftands at a distance, and fuffers the bufinefs to be done. The officer takes upon himself to order out the guard. In a moment they are in arms, quit their guard, march, refcue the general, and drive away the fheriffs officers, who in vain reprefent their right to the prisoner, and the nature of the arreft. The foldiers firft conduct the general into the guard-room, then efcort him to a place of fafety, with bayonets fixed, and in all the forms of military triumph. I will not enlarge upon the various circumftances which attended this atrocious proceeding. The personal injury received by the officers of the law in the execution of their duty, may perhaps be atoned for by fome

private

private compenfation, I confider nothing but the wound, which has been given to the law itself, to which no remedy has been applied, no fatiffaction made. Neither is it my defign to dwell upon the mifconduct of the parties concerned, any farther than is necessary to fhew the behaviour of the ministry in its true light. I would make every compaffionate allowance for the infatuation of the prisoner, the falfe and criminal difcretion of one officer, and the madnefs of another. I would leave the ignorant foldiers entirely out of the question. They are certainly the leaft guilty, though they are the only perfons who have yet fuffered, even in the appearance of punishment. The fact itself, however atrocious, is not the principal point to be confidered. It might have happened under a more regular government, and with guards better difciplined than ours. The main question is, in what manner has the miniftry acted on this extraordinary occafion. A general officer calls upon the king's own guard, then actually on duty, to refcue him from the laws of his country; yet at this moment he is in a fituation no worse, than if he had not committed an offence, equally enormous in a civil and military view. A lieutenant upon duty defignedly quits. his guard, and fuffers it to be drawn out by another officer, for a purpofe which he well knew