at home, and in our dependencies abroad, than it will be to be obliged to have recourse to one after the mischief has been done, and the kingdom has groaned under all the miferies that avarice, ambition, hypocrify, and madnefs, could inflict upon it. An act of grace, indemnity, and oblivion, was paffed upon the restoration of king Charles II. but I will venture to fay, that had such an act been feasonably paffed in the reign of his unhappy father, the civil war had been prevented, and no restoration had been neceffary. Is it too late to recall the meffengers and edicts of wrath? Cannot the money, that is now wafted in endless and mutual profecutions, and in stopping the mouth of one man, and in opening that of another, be better employed in erecting a temple to Concord? Let Mr. Wilkes lay the first stone, and fuch a ftone as I hope the builders will not refufe. May this parliament, to ufe lord Clarendon's expreffion, be called The Healing Parliament! May our foul wounds be cleanfed, and then closed! The English have been as famous for good nature as for valour; let it not be faid that fuch qualities are degenerated into favage ferocity. If any of my friends in either house of legislature fhall condefcend to liften to, and improve these hints, I fhall think that I have not lived in vain. Clifton, Feb. 6, 1769. WILLIAM DRAPER, I Received Junius's favour * laft night; he is de termined to keep his advantage by the help of his mask; it is an excellent protection, it has faved many a man from an untimely end. But whenever he will be honest enough to lay it aside, avow himfelf, and produce the face which has fo long lurked behind it, the world will be able to judge of his motives for writing such infamous invectives. His real name will discover his freedom and independency, or his fervility to a faction. Disappointed ambition, refentment for defeated hopes, and defire of revenge, affume but too often the appearance of public fpirit; but be his designs wicked or charitable, Junius fhould learn, that it is poffible to condemn measures, without a barbarous and criminal outrage against men. Junius delights to mangle carcafes with a hatchet; his language and instrument have a great connexion with Claremarket, and, to do him juftice, he handles his weapon most admirably. One would imagine he had been taught to throw it by the favages of America. It is therefore high time for me to step * Vide page 20. in in once more to fhield my friend from this mercilefs weapon, although I may be wounded in the attempt. But I must first ask Junius, by what forced analogy and conftruction the moments of convivial mirth are made to fignify indecency, a violation of engagements, a drunken landlord, and a defire that every one in company fhould be drunk likewife? He must have culled all the flowers of St. Giles's and Billingsgate to have produced fuch a piece of oratory. Here the hatchet defcends with ten-fold vengeance; but, alas! it hurts no one but its mafter! For Junius muft not think to put words into my mouth, that feem too foul even for his own. My friend's political engagements I know not, fo cannot pretend to explain them, or affert their confiftency. I know not whether Junius be confiderable enough to belong to any party; if he fhould be so, can he affirm that he has always adhered to one set of men and measures? Is he fure that he has never fided with those whom he was first hired to abuse? Has he never abused those he was hired to praise? To fay the truth, most mens politics fit much too loosely about them. But as my friend's military character was the chief object that engaged me in this controverfy, to that I fhall re turn. Junius Junius afks what inftances my friend has given of his military skill and capacity as a General? When and where he gained his honour? When he deferved his emolument? The united voice of the army which ferved under him, the glorious testimony of Prince Ferdinand, and of vanquished enemies, all Germany will tell him. Junius repeats the complaints of the army against parliamentary influence. I love the army too well, not to wish that fuch influence were lefs. Let Junius point out the time when it has not prevailed. It was of the leaft force in the time of that great man, the late Duke of Cumberland, who, as a prince of the blood, was able as well as willing to ftem a torrent which would have overborne any privave fubject. In time of war this influence is finall. In peace, when difcontent and faction have the furest means to operate, efpecially in this country, and when, from a fcarcity of public fpirit, the wheels of government are rarely moved, but by the power and force of obligations, its weight is always too great. Yet, if this influence at prefent has done no greater harm than the placing Earl Percy at the head of a regiment, I do not think that either the rights or beft interefts of the army are facrificed and betrayed, or the nation undone. Let me ask Junius, if he knows any one nobleman in the army, who has had a regiment by feniority? I feel myself happy in feeing young noblemen of illuftrious name and great property come among us. They are an additional fecurity to the kingdom from foreign or domeftic flavery. Junius needs not be told, that should the time ever come when this nation is to be defended only by thofe who have nothing more to lose than their arms and their pay, its danger will be great indeed. A happy mixture of men of quality with foldiers of fortune is always to be wifhed for. But the main point is still to be contended for, I mean the difcipline and condition of the army, and I muft ftill maintain, though contradicted by Junius, that it was never upon a more respectable footing, as to all the effentials that can form good foldiers, than it is at prefent. Junius is forced to allow, that our army at home may be in fome tolerable order; yet how kindly does he invite our late enemies to the invafion of Ireland, by affuring them that the army in that kingdom is totally ruined! The colonels of that army are much obliged to him. I have too great an opinion of the military talents of the lord lieutenant, and of all their diligence and capacity, to believe it. If from fome strange, unaccountable fatality, the people of that kingdom cannot be induced to confult their own fecurity, by fuch an effectual augmentation, as may enable the troops there to act with power and energy, is the com mander |