by heart, against that day when public juftice will "demand them to their trials."

Such is the plea of the perfecuted Byng, on which, though we do not fuppofe that the public will pay much regard to our determination, we shall give our opinion with the freedom of men uninfluenced by dependence or expectation.

It appears to us that Byng has fuffered without fuffi

cient caufe.

That he was fent to the relief of Minorca, when relief was known to be no longer poffible.

That he was fent without land forces, the only forces that could raise the fiege.

That his fleet was inferior, and long before the battle was known at home to be inferior to that of the French. That he fought them, and retreated only when he could fight no longer.

That a second engagement would only have increased the lofs fuffered in the firft.

That a victory at fea would not have faved Minorca. That there was no provifion for the chances of a battle.

That the nation has been industriously deceived by falfe and treacherous representations.

That Minorca, if not betrayed, has been neglected. That Byng's letter has been mutilated injuriously, fraudulently mutilated.

That every act of defamation has been practifed against him.

That unless other evidence can be produced, Byng

will be found innocent.

Gg 4

The

The Conduct of the MINISTRY impartially examined, in a LETTER to the Merchants of

LONDON.

OF this pamphlet the eight first

the general declarations of every writer of every party, with a little flattery, not grofs or indecent, of the merchants, an exhortation to impartiality, and an encomium on the purity of his own intention. When a man appeals to himself for what only himself can know, he may be very confident of a favourable fentence. This author may perhaps think as he writes, for there are men who think as they are bidden. He then takes into confideration a pamphlet which he does not name, because, I fuppofe, he would not help to advertise it. This is artful, but it is not difhoneft. The pamphlet is, I think, one of the Letters to the People of England, from which he gives the following quotation, with his answer.

"In the year one thousand seven hundred and fortynine, or fifty, fome American traders, fubjects of the king of Great-Britain, travelled to the borders of the "Obio to traffick with the natives of thofe parts; this

being known to the Canadian French, messengers were "difpatched to acquaint them, that, unless they with❝ drew from their master's territories, their effects would be confifcated, and themfelves carried to prifon at Quebec

2

Quebec. This message the traders thought fit to obey, "and withdrew in confequence of it.

33

"The fucceeding season, another company of British fubjects came to trade on the Ohio and not withdrawing on a like meffage with the former, their "goods were confifcated, and themfelves carried pri"foners to Quebec, from whence they were brought to "Rochelle in France, and ftill detained in prison. Not "confcious of having violated the laws of nations, or "traded on any ground to which the king of Great"Britain had not an undoubted right, they remon"ftrated to the British miniftry, infifted upon being "claimed as British fubjects, and honourably discharged " from prison, as perfons unoffending the laws of na"tions; nay, they entertained the honourable hopes of

Englishmen, that the miniftry of England would not "cease to demand an indemnification for the lofs of "that merchandize, which had been unjustly taken from "them; and reparation for the infult and long imprisonment of their perfons: expectations becoming men, who value their liberties, properties, and nation's "honour. In this they were deceived, the true spirit "of an English minister no longer dwelt amongst us. "The ambassador at Paris, instead of demanding these

subjects of his master, as men unjustly held in prison, "and reparation for the wrongs they had received, was "ordered by the miniftry to folicit, as a favour from "the court of France, the discharge of them only, ac"knowledging their offence."

Thus he relates and circumftantiates the fact: and here I beg leave to remark, that when the circumstances,

on

on which alone a charge is founded, are abfolutely falfe, all reflections upon them must be utterly abfurd and impertinent. But when those reflections, aimed too at perfons of the highest rank, of the greatest eminence in this nation, are delivered in a stile of the most indecent and furious railing; what name, gentlemen, fhall we bestow on their author? or what shall be faid in reply to them? No more, I think, than what Beralde, in the Malade Imaginaire of Moliere, anfwers to the apothecary. Allez, Monfieur; on voit bien que nous n'avez pas accoutumé de parler a des vifages. Here, however, they follow in his own words ftill:

"

"Were not your fovereign's rights and your own

privileges fhamefully given up? Were not the lands "on the Ohio confeffed to belong to France? Were not "the French juftified in imprisoning your fellow-fub

jects, and confifcating their effects, by this tame be"haviour of the British minister ?" He refumes the same subject, page 8, and afferts, "That the minifter's timidly

befeeching as a favour what he had a right to demand "as juftice from the French, has given that nation a "better foundation to the claim of the Obio." In about fifteen lines lower, he afferts again, "That the timidity "of the miniffer gave the French no foundation at all." But he has not yet done with this favourite topic. He goes on to fay, "If it be asked whence it comes to país "that this behaviour of the British minifter has never "been mentioned in the French memorials, relative to "the disputes in America? it may be answered, with "truth, that they referve it only between the British "minifter and themselves; left a public declaration of

"this affair might remove him from the administration, " and the French monarch lofe an ally of greater confequence to his fuccefs, than any potentate in Europe." Here then we join iffue: and let his credit with the public for veracity and candour, in whatever elfe he afferts through his libel, be determined by the truth or falfhood of the fact before us. This demand, gentlemen, is fair and equitable: you fee he affirms it in the most undoubting terms, and remarks upon it in a language that not even certainty itself could warrant. But to the

point:

On a motion made to the peers, the twentieth of February, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-fix, certain papers and letters concerning the encroachments of the French on his Majesty's fubjects in North America, were laid before the Houfe. As their authenticity is incontrovertible, I have only the eafy task of copying them faithfully for your full fatisfaction.

Extract of a letter from the earl of Albemarle to the earl of Holderneffe.

Paris, 19th February, 1 March, 1752.

"I must acquaint your lordship, that, in the month " of November, I received a letter from three perfons,

figning themselves, John Patton, Luke Erwin, and "Thomas Bourke; reprefenting to me, that they were "Englishmen, who had been brought to Rochelle, and put "into prifon there, from whence they wrote: having "been taken by the French fubjects, who feized their "effects as they were trading with the English and other

"Indians