A man, not very honourably distinguished in the world, commences a
formal attack upon your favourite, considering nothing but how he might
best expose his person and principles to detestation, and the national
character of his countrymen to contempt. The natives of that country,
Sir, are as much distinguished by a peculiar character as by your
Majesty's favour. Like another chosen people, they have been conducted
into the land of plenty, where they find themselves effectually marked
and divided from mankind. There is hardly a period at which the most
irregular character may not be redeemed. The mistakes of one sex find a
retreat in patriotism, those of the other in devotion. Mr. Wilkes
brought with him into politics the same liberal sentiments by which his
private conduct had been directed, and seemed to think that, as there
are few excesses in which an English gentleman may not be permitted to
indulge, the same latitude was allowed him in the choice of his
political principles, and in the spirit of maintaining them. I mean to
state, not entirely to defend, his conduct. In the earnestness of his
zeal he suffered some unwarrantable insinuations to escape him. He said
more than moderate men would justify, but not enough to entitle him to
the honour of your Majesty's personal resentment. The rays of royal
indignation, collected upon him, served only to illuminate, and could
not consume. Animated by the favour of the people on the one side, and
heated by persecution on the other, his views and sentiments changed
with his situation. Hardly serious at first, he is now an enthusiast.
The coldest bodies warm with opposition, the hardest sparkle in
collision.--There is a holy, mistaken zeal in politics as well as
religion. By persuading others, we convince ourselves. The passions are
engaged, and create a material affection in the mind, which forces us
to love the cause for which we suffer. Is this a contention worthy of a
king? Are you not sensible how much the meanness of the cause gives an
air of ridicule to the serious difficulties into which you have been
betrayed? The destruction of one man has been now, for many years, the
sole object of your government; and, if there can be anything still
more disgraceful, we have seen, for such an object, the utmost
influence of the executive power, and every ministerial artifice,
exerted without success. Nor can you ever succeed, unless he should be
imprudent enough to forfeit the protection of those laws to which you
owe your crown, or unless your minister should persuade you to make it
a question of force alone, and try the whole strength of government in
opposition to the people. The lessons he has received from experience
will probably guard him from such excess of folly, and in your
Majesty's virtues we find an unquestionable assurance that no illegal
violence will be attempted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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