the laft-gafp. They vilified our advantages, they falfified our fituation they proclaimed our distress in the moft exaggerated terms, when that very diftreis, compared with the real calamities of our enemies, was triumph. Upon that fatal, day, when this fyftem of m came to the helm, was first promulged the defolation and debility of this country. In ftead of fhewing to our enemies the hopeleffness of their fituation, they gave them encouragement to expect an univerfal confusion here; minister lying in wait to perplex minifter; brother to fupplant brother; and the whole fyftem of affairs thrown into a treacherous confternation. Advertisements went to the enemy, that if they would hold their breath but a few hours, we would raise the clamour for peace here; instead of telling them, that we had at that moment the funds for two years to come*, (which at the pinch of a war is the point gained), and therefore that they could have nothing to hope for, but ftill to be beaten for two complete. years, by an enemy in the full career of victory. Neither could this prove a vain boat, for the faculties of this country were fo far from being exhaufted, that, at that hour, we were provided with funds for more money than all our previous fucceffes had coft us; infomuch that, on the 18th of December 1760, the parliament having provided twelve mil lions for the next year, we ftill left another fund capable of producing twelve millions more, to be poftponed for the fervice of a farther year, being thus fuperabundantly provided. In this height of glory did the evil genius of this country aim the fatal blow, which has reduced it to be faithlefs and friendlefs throughout the world.

But fill our fate would not relent; left public credit fhould once more hold up its head, thefe m- s have held the fame deadly hand over their country, They will do nothing themfelves, they will not fir a finger to relieve us, they will flay till they have feized every beneficial patent and reverfion [xxv. 360. xxvi. 352.]; and we may be fure that they will not alarm the country by any tax, however neceffary it may be, or however eafily it might have been carried by other minifleis, whofe credit ftands high in their

viz. The beer-duty, granted in December 1760; and the fpirit-duties, which had been granted the preceding feffion, but were poftponed for the fervice of the year 1763.

country. If they can riot in the public fpoils for a few hours, they regard not the confequences, either of public bank. ruptcy from their neglect of the revenue in the proper fe fon, or the difcontents. which they have befpoke against the next. administration; who must either patiently fubmit to the bankruptcy of their coun try, or lay freth taxes in cold blood.. In fhort, this m act upon the principle of a set of fhs, who have laid a bett that their country will expire of the wounds (he has received in the late war, and therefore will not allow it the fair play to fend for a furgeon.

Have not the miniftry boasted that they would raife the ftocks, by difap, pointing the fchemes of those who expected to bring their money to a good mar ket, and to profit by the public distress? yet the flocks have not rifen fince the minifter has declared his intentions again borrowing; for who can avoid feeing that the evil is only put off till to-morrow! As long as there is fo large a quantity of debt unprovided for, and which the mi nifter declares he will not provide for, public credit will languish, while neither the vaunting of minifters nor their threats will afford any fupport. Has not the mi nifter told the proprietors of navy-bills, that their not fubfcribing to the 4 per cent. annuities was faction? Has not the fharp vengeance of parliament been held out against them as delinquents! Have they not been threatened to be paffed o ver in the courfe of payment, contrary to the exprefs terms of their contract? Have we not heard this proposition infor ced upon a diftinction between the faith of parliament, and the honour of parlia ment? Does not this diftinction afford an encouraging profpect to public credit? I hope the faith of parliament and the honour of parliamere will be for ever one; although we have experience that the faith of parliament and the honour of mi pifters, are to each other as light and darknefs. What meeting was that which was called of the pretended proprietors of navy-bills in January left? How many of them figned a petition to the Treasury, relating to unfubfcribed navy. bills, who were not actually in pofletion of any at that time? What is the great caufe of refentment and threats for the non-fubfcribers of navy-bills made out before December 1762? Plainly this, that the contractors, who, fince that time, have taken their navy-bills of the

efent adminiftration, might be brought rward in the course of payment, as a ward for all their obedience; while ofe who had made contracts with the rmer administration were to feel the and of tyranny and oppreffion. Yet, as not every one at liberty to chuse hether he would fubfcribe? Or, if efe proprietors of navy-bills are to be smpelled to fubfcribe whether they will no, why is not this principle extended all the proprietors of the funds? Let the inifter publish his edict, that, if they ill not be contented to give up half their incipal, they shall never be paid at all ther principal or intereft. In G-d's ame, if public faith is to be violated, t it not be done for a trifle: be bold; unge out half te debt, and annex the terest to the finking fund. Our minifters boat, that they have ifed the fupplies this year without any Aditional tax. Now, other people fee this in a very different light: for the niftry have only poftponed the neceffa provifions; they have left near ten illions of outstanding debt, which, till is funded, will infallibly deprefs all the

ther ftocks. We fee that it does fo, as ey are at this moment 15 per cent. be w par: and this I call a tax upon all ock-holders. Afk the moneyed interest, hether the prefent ministry has laid any ax? and they will tell you, that their roperty is worfe by 20,000,000 i. than : would be if minifters would do their uty; and if this is not a tax, let the miifter give his definition of taxing. Then go to the landed intereft, and inuire what merit the miniftry are to claim ith them. Their merit is this: That hey will not exert themselves to provide or the neceflities of the ftate by a plan f diftributing the burthen, and thereore have thrown the whole upon the houlders of the landed men: rather than tir themselves to effectuate any plan, by which the landed gentlemen might have pay no more than their respective proportions, according to their way of liing, they have transferred the whole apon the land, which from henceforward can have no chance of paying less than four fhillings in the pound. That the landed men may fee how decided and hopeless their fate is, I fhall ftate the current expence, d the annual provifion there is to fupport it. The avowed peace-establishment

amounts to

L. 3,500,000

to answer all contingent expences; fuch The furplus, being about 220,000 1. is as, an occafional fubfidy, a fleet of obfervation, and a variety of incidental matmuft occur: in the next place it is to be ters, which in the most peaceable times applied to the payment of near ten millions of outstanding debt, which indeed half a century of undisturbed peace may this period, the land-tax may ftand fome poffibly accomplish; and, at the end of low four fhillings in the pound. If the chance of being reduced a few pence belanded gentlemen are well pleased to take the whole burthen upon their own estates, (being a mortgage of a million per ann.), instead of paying their fhare of any tax according to their domestic confumption, I hope they have at length met with a minister to their perfect con

tent.

From the WALLET, a supplementary expofition of the BUDGET. 1 5. 6 d. Williams & Vernor. Published before the middle of July. THE multiplicity of undeferved attacks

that have been made upon the miniftry, is, perhaps, as aftonishing as the cool indifference with which they have regarded this enormous clamour. Their enemies have been encouraged to thefe factious endeavours, in hopes of being thereby reinftated in that power which they ufed to fuch inglorious purposes. But it is, surely, impoflible that the public can fo fuddenly forget the defpondency into which the nation was then thrown by the weak meafures of the Duke of Newcaftle's adminiftration! And though ip the fucceeding administration, the genius of Britain prevailed over that of France, yet our treasures were exhausted, and our national affairs carried on by borrowing millions upon millions.

By thefe ruinous measures, a foundation was laid for burying us under an im menfe load of national debt, anticipating

all

all our funds, and neceffitating future administrations to burthen the kingdom with taxes upon taxes, had not his Majefty's wifdom, and that of abler counsellors, happily intervened.

By their prudence, peace is restored to Europe, upon terms of the highest commercial advantage to this kingdom. In America our territories are extended, and our boundaries well fettled. In the West Indies, our fugar-trade is effectually provided for by the retention of the Grenades, and all the neutral islands, except St Lucia. More territory, perhaps, might have been attained; but more never could have been gotten that could have been of any use.

The Spaniard has renounced, for ever, his pretenfions to the cod-fillery. The fortress of St Auguftin, together with Florida, and all thofe parts of Louisiana that lie on this fide the Millisippi, is ours: we cannot be tormented with French and Spanish intrigues in those places. Nor can our Eaft-India company (if we turn our eyes to that quarter) now be perplexed with French pretentions within the limits of their charter. The gums, ivory, negroes, and gold of Africa, invite our great merchants to continue, improve, and extend feveral fpecies of commerce, equally beneficial to this nation, and to our boundlefs colonies. What more could a commercial nation require? The miniftry, indeed, who effected these ftipulations, were un der an indifpenfable neceflity to impofe fome new burden on the public; and they fuppofed that no new impofition would be lefs felt, than that which would immediately affect five or fix counties only; and therefore the drinkers of cyder were placed on a footing with the drinkers of beer.

It were needless to more than barely mention the fucceeding incidents, previous to the prefent administration taking the rule. The Earl of Bute, foon after the peace, and the cyder-tax, withdrew to enjoy a private station.

The affair of Mr Wilkes was foon after determined as his caufe deferved; and the members of the minority, in the cafe of feizing perfons by general warrants, have already [303.] been fufficiently refuted.

But to proceed: The prefent miniftry, upon a review of all circumftances, faw, that without fome extraordinary care of our finances, our national credit muft ab folutely perifh, and with it our import

ance in the eye of all foreign powers.c It was therefore abfolutely necellary to lay it down as a rule, that no enterprise in was to be liftened to, which required more taxings.

But, nevertheless, no neceffary precau tion has been omitted: The army has been kept on a refpectable footing; dif positions have been formed for reducing our new acquifitions into the form of American British provinces; proposals for improving them encouraged; a proper at tention has been paid to our fleet; the building of fhips of war has proceeded; and nothing has been neglected, that could contribute to the fecurity and ag. grandization of Britain.

There are, however, a fet of difcon tented fpirits, who make it their bufi. nefs to disturb an administration which wa acts in this prudent and regular manner. That factious tribe dare even to arraign proceedings of the crown that are grounded on unquestioned prerogatives. The power of the fword, and, with it, the government of the army, has been, a gain and again, recognised by the parliament to refide in the crown. Yet the difplacing of Gen. Conway was made a ja great fubject of complaint [01.]; al though, indubitably, the King was as well intitled to difmifs Mr Conway from the army, as Mr Conway was to vote as he pleafed in the house.

Thefe trifling incidents, however, did not prevent the miniftry from proceeding in the great works of peace; curtailing all fuperfluous expences in the treasury, poft-office, and departments of the excife and customs, &c.; ditcharging our foreign armies and German fubfidies; relinquishing fecret-fervice money, and votes of credit; and, in few words, putting in practice every method that the most intenfe application could devife, to leffen our annual expence, and put the nation in fome tolerable way to perform the pnblic bufinefs, without either annually contracting more debt, or further burdening, with taxes, an exhausted people.

This management fucceeded fo well, that the national affairs proceeded without a new lottery, or a new tax; by a fteady attention to every natural resource, the miniftry fhunned this rock, upon which their enemies falfely fuppofed they would have split; and the public pa pers appeared the feveral articles of which the fupplies confifted, together with a fair account of the ways and means by

which they were raised. This candid conduct, however, could not pafs without cenfure; and out comes the Budget, charging the administration with fraudulent intentions to impofe on the public, by falfe pretences of having paid off 2,771,8671. 138. 6 d. when, in fact, no fuch thing was really done; but, on the contrary, a deceptious fcheme formed to intangle fome future adminiftration, by throwing upon them the burden of providing for the payment of debts, which this had untruly pretended to have discharged. Than which no accufations can be more falfe. They fairly fet forth the fact: The author of the Budget did not, by any fecret intelligence, find out, that the exchequer-bills already taken by the bank, to be circulated upon their credit, to the amount of 1,000,000l. was one day to be brought to the nation's account; or that the new exchequer-bills, iffued inftead of the old, amounting to 800,000 1. were to be provided for next year. This was apparent upon the face of the advertitement. It was not to be fuppofed that the miniftry could, by their breath, anibilate this 1,800,000; but they difpofed of it in fuch a manner that it became no more a stumbling-block in the way of the public measures; and fo difpofed of it too as not to be under the neceflity of creating, to answer this purpose, any borrowing job, tax, or lottery, to encourage in the nation the mischievous humour of gaming. This year's accounts were fully discharged of that fum; and therefore, with respect to them, it was entirely paid.

There was as little room to fuppofe too, that the ministry aimed at arrogating to themselves any undue praife, with respect to the cafual increase of any of the revenues from whence the finking fund arifes. But I hope it might, not withstanding, be lawful for them to give the nation the pleasure of knowing this increase; and, at the fame time, fet forth the means which they had used to contribute towards it, by the fitting up, and putting into employment the muggling cutters. Every man fees that the customs on tea must be raised by this falutary fcheme, as well as the duties on wine and fpirits, and many other foreign commodities.

But, infifts the Budget, it doth not still appear, that the feizure of 1,400,000 lb. weight of tea, or bringing that quantity to pay duty, can increase the finking fund VOL. XXVI.

to the extent of 391,000 l. It is true, 1,400,000 lb. of tea, paying the mere price of duty, could not amount to that fum; but fo much tea feized, and fold at only 8 s. a-pound, muft produce to the government (for the feizor pays out of his moiety all the charges of fale, &c.) the full fum of 280,000l. being the clear half of the produce, and the concomitant forfeitures will give the refidue. What a tyro then in these matters is Mr Budget, to reckon the produce of 1,400,000 lb. of feized tea, at no more worth to the government than the mere duty of fo much tea duly entered! O te, Bolane, cerebri felicem!

Let us now proceed to inquire if there is, as the Budget aflerts, any impropriety in fuppofing that the growing produce of the finking fund will this year amount to 2,000,000 1. ; because, if this fuppofition is juftifiable, the miniftry cannot find themselves mistaken (as he declares they will be) in their accounts at the end of the year; and, of confequence, all will then be performed in favour of the public, which the advertisement gives us ground to expect. To come at a certainty in this point, we need only confider, that the revenues of excife and customs, and every other revenue from whence the finking fund iffues, will receffarily increase by reafon of the prodigious extent of commerce, confequent of peace. That this has been the case last year, and therefore that it will be fo this year, is abfolutely certain; fince nothing can be more clear than this conclufion, That the fame cause remaining, and rifing in activity, must neceflarily produce a fimilar effect this year, to what it fo agreeably occafioned in the last.

Could we, indeed, fuppofe, that to please the club in Albemarle street, our merchants, fhip-builders, carpenters, and various artifans, would fufpend their refpective employments for the year to come, we might then indeed believe, that the duties and impofts of excife and cu ftoms, and other ordinary branches of the revenue, would be less this year than the year before. But till fuch a foolish fancy can enter our brains, the author of the Budget must forgive us for fuppofing, in compliment to our fenfes, that the pu blic income will be much greater this year than the laft; and, of confequence, that the miniftry will, at the end of this year, find cash in hand, over and above the fupplies, which might alleviate our burdens 3 K

the

the next;- provided, indeed, annual fawings were not obliged to be employed upon difcharging the enormous debt la vishly contracted by Mr Pitt in the late

war.

This author arraigns the miniftry for fome other caufes; the chief of which are, 1. That they pretend to levy the fupplies without a tax ; when, in fact, their weak conduct has laid a heavy tax upon the moneyed intereft of 15 per cent.; the ftocks having fallen fo much by their means. 2. That they falfely pretend, that the peace-establishment of the army is now lefs than it was after the former peace; and, by keeping up an over-proportion of officers, manfeft their fufpicions of the ftability of it. 3. That they untruly affert, that 2.771,860 1. of the debt contracted in the late was, is paid or provided for; when, in fact, no fuch fum, over and above the ordinary expences of the year, is either paid or provided for. And, 4. That the navy-debt, formerly provided out of a particular fund, is, by the late miniftry (Lord Bute's) thrown upon the finking fund, and by this administration kept there. Of each of these charges I fhall treat in course.

As to the first, If the falling of the flocks is to be confidered as a tax, it is a tax laid on by the Albemarle club and their agents, who, like this writer, exert their utmost to imprefs the people with wrong ideas of thole national meatures that ought to meet with the most univer fal approbation.

As to the fecond allegation, I reply, That the army at the laft peace was larger than at prefent; that fecurity has ruined many a nation, but a fuperfluous cautioufnel's none. Prudence commands us to keep ourselves for ever on our guard. Whatever promifing appearances are at tendant on our prefent fituation, we ought not to uncover our breafts to thofe that have been our foes; and, if proper means were not taken to provide again an unlooked-for rupture, the Albemarle-street club would be among the firit to complain.

As to the third, It is manifeft, that the whole fum was incurred during the war, fo cannot be confidered as a part of our ordinary expences of this or any other year: fince we are fubjected to them by past operations of an extraordinarily ex penfive war, entailed upon the nation by the patrons of the Budget.

As to the fourth charge, They ought

to answer for it, who anticipated all cur funds, and threw us into ten millions of unfunded debt, by the inoft enormous prodigality that Europe ever witnetled! Without Hew taxes we cannot have a par ticular fund reserved for the navy-dent; and the nation has been fo bled by for. mer adminiftrations, that they can no longer bear fuch increasing burdens.

I come now to confider the primary view of this anthor; which manifeftly was, to! incenfe the landed intereft against the miniftry, on account of, their continuing the land-tax at 4s. in the pound, when it had been the rule in former adminiftra. tions, in the most early dawn of peace, to reduce it to two. Specious, however, as this argument may be, the judicious part of the landholders, will not conceive the worfe opi nion of the miniftry for this neceffary and equitable measure of government, They will confider, that the landholders have, for many years part, paid much les than they ought to have done, provided the amount of their rent-rolls had been truly stated in the freeholders book. Some few, indeed, may pay rather more, from the vanity and over-abundant loyalty of their predeceffors, who gave in, at the time of the revolution, the annual return of their eftates larger than it truly was. But others, (and thefe perhaps the major part of this nation), lefs fired by vanity, and lefs animated by loyalty, gave in, o the contrary, an exceeding low account of their inheritance; infomuch that it is now a well-known fact, that many eftates, I had almost faid many counties, do not pay, when the land-tax. ftands at 4 s. in the pound, above 9 d. or 1 s.

For this reafon, equity dictated that this inequality fhould, in foine meafure, be rectified, before any new tax was laid on to burthen their fellow-fubje&s. Bet the miniflry, out of tenderness to the landholders, did not care rigidly to infif upon this point, till it appeared that the kingdom, in general, could not be otherwife relieved, But now that the adminifiration are obliged, in their own juftification, to lay the flate of the landed intereft, in this refpect, before the whole community, the Budget, not the minifter, is anfwerable, for any difagreeable conequences that may cnfue from the people's being fully apprifed of this important truth! If the nation fhall now infift on a thorough reform in this almost univerfally interefting cafe, and require a new and