Wesley Corpus

Wilkes;-Good God ! what may be the consequence 1 The people are violent enough already; and to have the superior branch of legisla tion join them, would be giving such a public encouragement to their proceedings, that I almost tremble while I even suppose such a scene of anarchy and confusion.” What then can we think of the violent outcry, that the nation is oppressed, deprived of that liberty which their ancestors bought with so much treasure and blood, and delivered down through so many generations? Do those who raise this cry believe what they say? If so, are they not under the highest infatuation? seeing that England, from the time of William the Conqueror, yea, of Julius Caesar, never enjoyed such liberty, civil and religious, as it does at this day. Nor do we know of any other kingdom or state in Europe or in the world, which enjoys the like. I do not defend the measures which have been taken with regard to America: I doubt whether any man can defend them, either on the foot of law, equity, or prudence. But whose measures were these? If I do not mistake, Mr. George Grenville's. Therefore the whole merit of these measures belongs to him, and not to the present ministry. “But is not the general dissatisfaction owing, if not to any of the preceding causes, to the extraordinary bad conduct of the Parliament, particularly the House of Commons?” This is set in so clear a light by a late writer, that I need only transcribe his words: “The last recess of Parliament was a period filled with unprecedented troubles; and the session opened in the midst of tumults. Ambitious men, with a perseverance uncommon in indolent and luxurious times, rung all the changes of popular noise for the purpose of intimidation. The ignorant, who could not distinguish between real and artificial clamours, were alarmed; the lovers of their own ease wished to sacrifice the just dignity of the House of Commons to a temporary relief, from the grating sound of seditious scurrility. “Hence the friends of the constitution saw the opening of the session with anxiety and apprehension. They were afraid of the timidity of others, and dreaded nothing more than that panic to which popular assemblies, as well as armies, are sometimes subject.