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not under what title he appears. He shall find me ready to maintain the truth of my narrative, and the juftice of my obfervations upon "it, at the hazard of my utmost credit with the public.'

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Two days after your letter made its appearance in the Public Advertiser, an answer to it appeared in the Gazetteer, in which your challenge was accepted in the following words: You challenge any tool of administration to defend the ⚫ conduct of miniftry; I accept of your challenge, though it is not addreffed to me. I am no tool of administration, but your equal, Junius, perhaps your fuperior, in every thing that may be6 come a man. I defire for judges of the conteft, justice, candor and impartiality. I dare you to the uttermoft; and if I do not make you appear,

in the eyes of all reasonable men, as contempti'ble, as you deserve to be, let the fcorn be tranfferred to myfelf.'

What is the reafon, Junius, that you have hitherto taken no notice of that letter? The author of it, too candid to affirm what he could not immediately prove, fuppofed, in his argument, your narrative to be true; and even on that fuppofition, he demonftrated your obfervations not only unjust, but inconfiftent, even to abfurdity.

But

But if he could not with certain knowledge deny the fact, he doubted it; he told you fo; and, in the belief that no man would give a formal challenge without pursuing it, he has enquired into the truth of that fact. He tells you now, and will maintain it at the utmost hazard of his credit with the public, that your narrative is no lefs false than your obfervations are fallacious. It is falfe (for inftance) that the general officer applied to a ferjeant, not on duty, to favour his efcape. It is falfe, that the officer of the guard ftood at a distance, and fuffered the bufinefs to be done. He was spoke to by the other officer in the coffee-house, and he not only declined interfering in perfon, but flatly refufed his affiftance directly or indirectly. He did more; he diffuaded his brother officer from his intention, and believed he had prevailed. His only fault was, being the dupe of the others apparent repentance, who left the coffee-house as if he intended to proceed no farther in the attempt; and took the opportunity to apply to fome foldiers of the guard, while the officer who commanded it remained in the coffee-house. It is falfe that the guard was turned out, or under arms. And it is a most malicious conftruction of the fairest conduct, to blame administration, because these gentlemen have not been punished by military law.

The

The truth is, that it was propofed to try the offenders by military law, immediately after the offence was committed; but, in a confultation with the civil magistrate, it was judged improper, left a military trial fhould prejudge the action now depending, and in which the offenders are at prefent under bail. A fair trial is the right of every Englishman, whatever offence he may be guilty of. Our civil rights are our most precious bleffings; and our form of trial is the bulwark of thefe rights; and, Sir, you contradict the principles you profefs, when you endeavour to fet up martial, in oppofition to common law, and give. that the lead which ought to follow. Had thefe gentlemen been fir tried by military law, the evidences brought before a court-martial must have been afterwards examined in the courts of law; but witneffes already examined upon oath, according to the arbitrary proceedings of a courtmartial, cannot be unexceptionable in a fubfequent civil action. Their evidence, however extorted, would awe them to conceal, or disguise the truth, which our form of civil trial is so well calculated to difcover. And you, Junius, a patriot, an affertor of the rights of Englishmen, would have declaimed and exclaimed, with fome appearance of juftice, against the proceedings of a VOL. I. Gg

court

court-martial, which fhould have deprived these officers of that fair and legal trial, which they have a right, as Englishmen, to demand.

Our military laws prefcribe the punishment of cashiering, for offences of this nature. But how is this crime to be proved? Only by the verdict of a jury in a civil action; and the judgment upon it is evidence of record in the subsequent courtmartial: but thefe are matters of which you are ignorant. You go on in your own method, to clap the cart before the horse; and you would have punished by military law, an offence which military law cannot take cognizance of, until it has been legally found one by the verdict of a jury. Thus, blinded by your paffion, or unacquainted with the conftitution, you would overturn it, to wreck your refentment against a ministry, which, in this inftance at leaft, has acted in its trueft fpirit.

It is time, Junius, you should think of the challenge you gave. I know you to be flow, and I have not hurried you. But fomething is due to your character; which has already fuffered in the article of challenges. I fhould wish to meet you an this ground; or, indeed, on any other. Stand forward, man, the cause is not fo bad, but fomething may ftill be faid for it: you can, at least,

call

call names. I warn you, however, that I fhall take no notice of any of your myrmidons; not even Philo-Junius, fhould you write another letter under that fignature. But I warn you also, that if you fuffer yourself to be thus infulted, after the provocation you have given, you are ruined with the public, and you will pass, even in the opinion of Wilkes and Liberty, for what you are, the baffled emiffary of a defperate faction.

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