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refted upon its former bottom. In order to facilitate the execution of their defign, it was neceffary to make many alterations in political arrangement, and a fignal change in the opinions, habits, and connexions of the greateft part of those who at that time acted in publick.

In the first place, they proceeded gradually, but not flowly, to deftroy every thing of strength which did not derive its principal nourishment from the immediate pleasure of the Court. The greatest weight of popular opinion and party connexion were then with the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Pitt. Neither of thefe held their importance by the new tenure of the Court; they were not therefore thought to be fo proper as others for the fervices which were required by that tenure. It happened very favourably for the new fyftem, that under a forced coalition there rankled an incurable alienation and disgust between the parties which composed the Adminiftration. Mr. Pitt was firft attacked. Not fatisfied with removing him from power, they endeavoured by various artifices to ruin his character. The other party feemed rather pleased to get rid of fo oppreffive a fupport; not perceiving, that their own fall was prepared by his, and involved in it. Many other reasons prevented them from daring to look their true fituation in the face. To the great Whig families it was extremely difagreeable, and feemed almoft unnatural, to oppofe the Adminiftration of a Prince of the Houfe of Brunfwick. Day after day they hefitated, and doubted, and lingered, expecting

expecting that other counfels would take place; and were flow to be perfuaded, that all which had been done by the Cabal, was the effect not of humour, but of fyftem. It was more strongly and evidently the intereft of the new Court Faction, to get rid of the great Whig connexions, than to destroy Mr. Pitt. The power of that gentleman was vaft indeed and merited; but it was in a great degree perfonal, and therefore tranfient. Theirs was rooted in the country. For, with a good deal lefs of popularity, they poffeffed a far more natural and fixed influence, Long poffeffion of Government; vaft property; obligations of favours given and received; connexion of office; ties of blood, of alliance, of friendship (things at that time fuppofed of fome force); the name of Whig, dear to the majority of the people; the zeal early begun and steadily continued to the Royal Family: all these together formed a body of power in the nation, which was criminal and devoted. The great ruling principle of the Cabal, and that which animated and harmonized all their proceedings, how various foever they may have been, was to fignify to the world, that the Court would proceed upon its own proper forces only; and that the pretence of bringing any other into its service was an affront to it, and not a fupport. Therefore, when the chiefs were removed, in order to go to the root, the whole party was put under a profcription, fo general and fevere as to take their hard-earned bread from the lowest officers, in a manner which had never been

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known before, even in general revolutions. But it was thought neceffary effectually to destroy all dependencies but one; and to fhew an example of the firmness and rigour with which the new fyftem was to be supported.

Thus for the time were pulled down, in the perfons of the Whig leaders and of Mr. Pitt. (in fpite of the fervices of the one at the acceffion of the Royal Family, and the recent fervices of the other in the war) the two only fecurities for the importance of the people; power arifing from popularity; and power arifing from connexion. Here and there indeed a few individuals were left standing, who gave fecurity for their total eftrangement from the odious principles of party connexion and perfonal attachment; and it must be confeffed that most of them have religiously kept their faith. Such a change could not however be made without a mighty fhock to Government.

To reconcile the minds of the people to all thefe movements, principles correfpondent to them had been preached up with great zeal, Every one must remember that the Cabal fet out with the most astonishing prudery, both moral and political. Those who in a few months after foufed over head and ears into the deepest and dirtieft pits of corruption, cried out violently against the indirect practices in the electing and managing of Parliaments, which had formerly prevailed. This marvellous abhorrence which the Court had fuddenly taken to all influence, was not only circulated in converfation through

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the kingdom, but pompously announced to the publick, with many other extraordinary things,, in a pamphlet * which had all the appearance of a manifefto preparatory to fome confiderable enterprize. Throughout, it was a fatire, though in terms managed and decent enough, on the politicks of the former Reign. It was indeed written with no fmall art and addrefs.

In this piece appeared the firft dawning of the new fyftem; there first appeared the idea (then only in fpeculation) of feparating the Court from the Adminiftration; of carrying every thing from national connexion to perfonal regards; and of forming a regular party for that purpose, under the name of King's men.

To recommend this fyftem to the people, a perfpective view of the Court gorgeously painted, and finely illuminated from within, was exhibited to the gaping multitude. Party was to be totally done away, with all its evil works. Corruption was to be caft down from Court, as Ate was from Heaven. Power was thenceforward to be the chofen refidence of public fpirit; and no one was to be fuppofed under any finifter influence, except thofe who had the miffortune to be in disgrace at Court, which was to ftand in lieu of all vices and all corruptions. A scheme of perfection to be realized in a Monarchy far beyond the vifionary Republick of Plato. The whole scenery was exactly difpofed to captivate thofe good fouls, whofe credulous morality is fo invaluable a treasure to crafty * Sentiments of an honeft Man.

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politicians. Indeed there was wherewithall to charm every body, except thofe few who are not much pleafed with profeffions of fupernatural virtue, who know of what stuff such profeffions are made, for what purposes they are defigned, and in what they are fure conftantly to end. Many innocent gentlemen, who had been talking profe all their lives without knowing any thing of the matter, began at laft to open their eyes upon their own merits, and to attribute their not having been Lords of the Treasury and Lords of Trade many years before, merely to the prevalence of party, and to the Ministerial power, which had fruftrated the good intentions of the Court in favour of their abilities. Now was the time to unlock the fealed fountain of Royal bounty, which had been infamously monopolized and huckstered, and to let it flow at large upon the whole people. The time was come, to restore Royalty to its original fplendour. Mettre le Roy hors de page, became a fort of watch-word. And it was conftantly in the mouths of all the runners of the Court, that nothing could preserve the balance of the constitution from being overturned by the rabble, or by a faction of the nobility, but to free the Sovereign effectually from that Ministerial tyranny under which the Royal dignity had been oppreffed in the person of his Majesty's grandfather.

These were some of the many artifices used to reconcile the people to the great change which was made in the perfons who compofed

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