[2] The late Dr. BUTLER, Bishop of _Bristol_, and afterwards of _Durham_ had a singular Notion respecting large Communities and public Bodies;--a Notion which perhaps is not altogether unapplicable to the present Case. His Custom was, when at _Bristol_, to walk for Hours in his Garden in the darkest Night, which the Time of the Year could afford; and I had frequently the Honour to attend him. After walking some Time, he would stop suddenly, and ask the Question, "What Security is there against the _Insanity_ of Individuals? The Physicians know of none: And as to Divines, we have no Data either from Scripture, or Reason to go upon relative to this Affair."--_True, my Lord, no Man has a Lease of his Understanding, any more than of his Life. They are both in the Hands of the Sovereign Disposer of all Things._ He would then take another Turn, and again stop short. "Why might not whole Communities and public Bodies be seized with _Fits of Insanity_, as well as Individuals?" _My Lord, I have never considered the Case, and can give no Opinion concerning it._ "Nothing but this Principle, that they are liable to Insanity, equally at least with private Persons, can account for the major Part of those Transactions, which we read in History." I thought little of this odd Conceit of the Bishop's at that Juncture: But I own I could not avoid thinking of it a great deal since, and applying it to many Cases. [3] See, for a Proof of this Fact, First, A Message from the General Assembly of _Massachusetts Bay_ to GOVERNOR SHIRLEY, 4th of _January_, 1754. Secondly, A Message from the Council and House of Representatives of ditto to ditto. Thirdly, An Address from the Council of Representatives of ditto to ditto. Forthly, An Address of the Assembly of _Virginia_ to the King. Fifthly, A Representation of the Commissioners met at _Albany_. And Sixthly, Extracts from the Proceedings of the CONGRESS at _Albany_, all in the Year 1754. And all of them antecedent to the Arrival of the two Regiments under GENERAL BRADDOCK. I would here recommend the Perusal of _The Controversy between_ Great Britain _and her Colonies_, printed for ALMON, to those who wish for a fuller Information on these interesting Points; particularly from Page 107 to 136. [4] Were it not for the _British_ Fleets, and for the Fortresses of _Gibraltar_ and _Port-Mahon_,--and in short for the general Terror of the British Name, all the piratical States of _Barbary_ would immediately seize on _American_ Ships, when carrying Fish, or Rice, or any other _American_ Produce South of Cape _Finistere_, as their lawful Prey. And yet _America_ doth not pay a single Shilling towards the Support of our Fleets, or the Maintenance of our Forts and Garrisons in any Part of the World.