The POLICE. berately and accurately compares the prefent with past times, and tries the merit of our political parties by the principles and end of civil government, will not hefitate to pronounce, that there are great faults on both fides. In the court, an inclination to more unbounded power than is confiftent with the letter or spirit of our conftitu. tion, and a partial diftribution of favours to men of arbitrary and violent difpofitions, are but too evident. In the people, a blind refiftance to government, without judgment indif criminately condemning good and bad measures alternately, because they are concerted and carried into execution by minifters, whom their favourites have rendered unpopular. The mixed multitude unhappily feem to think, that there is an inherent virtue in oppofition to government, nay, a fort of divinity in it; for really they treat fuch as are moft violent in it, as fomething more than men, without drawing any line of diftinction between oppofition to unjuft measures, and mere animofity and refentment to men, who are obnoxious to the leaders of oppofition. It is ridiculous, as well as dangerous to estimate the virtue of men by their vigour or eagerness in oppofing a minitry. The belt miriters have been often oppofed by the worst men; even bad ministers have been opposed by men as bad as themselves; and the most abandoned of mankind have always cloathed their oppofition with the cloak of public good, with tendernels and compaffion to the people; and large promifes of fecuring and enlarging their rights and privileges. But a nicer infpection will difcover to us, that ambition and felfishness, which feldom choose to own their true name, moft commonly borrow that of patriotism. It requires but a fmall degree of fagacity to diftinguish between public zeal and private paffion, however the latter may affume the name of the former; and in an oppofition which continually rages, it will eafily be feen, that it is men and not measures that give offence, efpecially when the oppofers have themselves formerly approved and promoted the very fame measures 123 they afterwards oppofed. When men act this inconfiftent part, a common understanding cannot mistake the true caufe of fuch conduct. Sophiftical apologies, grounded on the alteration of time and circumftances, must not pafs current with us in this cafe, it must be remembered that this new and violent anxiety and concern for the rights and privileges of the people did not appear to animate the breafts of fome of our great patriots, when they were in poffeffion of the plenitude of power, during which period, corrup tion at elections, the influence of place men in parliament, feptennial parlia ments, and arbitrary proceedings in the houfe of commons, did no manner of harm, nor were ever once complained of-but as foon as they were difmiffed, they faw things in a new light, and began to rail at the undue influence, venality, and corruption, which they of all others had the fairest opportu nity to fupprefs when they were minif ters, if they had then judged it neces fary or expedient. Why did they not then propofe the generous plans of virtuous reformation, they are now fo ready to offer, when they know they have not the power to carry them into practice? It is a conftant remark in the mouths of all the friends of patrio tifm, that a popular minifter may do any thing in this country. Why then was the grand caufe of all our national evils left in exactly the fame fituation in which they found it, by fome of our firft-rate oppofers of the present minif try, when they had the reins of government in their own hands? The reafon is obvious, they were then the servants of the crown, and entertained different fentiments of the rights of the people. Therefore no bill was propofed in their time for difqualifying placemen or penfioners-for changing feptennial to triennial or annual parliaments-nor yet for restraining and limiting, or totally removing thofe privileges of parliament, which fuperfede the laws of the landeven general warrants in thofe days paffed unnoticed, by thefe, now watch ful guardians of public liberty, whofe patriotifm feems to flow chiefly from private refentment. As 124 The POLICE. As to all the young men who, within a fhort space of time, have entered the lifts of oppofition, and made a flaming figure, their motive has been fo very apparent, that it needs no tedious difcuffion. They have fuddenly exalted themselves to pofts of dignity in the commonwealth, the very name and inftitution of which denoted them to be the recompence of age and experience, of a faithful and diligent difcharge, through a course of years, of the painful but neceffary duties of inferior citizens but the prejudices of the people have made our Juniors, Seniors; and our Eldermen or Aldermen are chofen for their vigorous opposition to the court, and not for their profound experience, acquired by long application to the weighty concerns of magiftracy. When this conduct is purfued by government in the military, naval, or civil departments of the ftate, how loudly do we not exclaim against the partiality and corruption of the times! To raise a young boy to a command in the army, over the heads (as it is ftiled) of meritorious veterans: to give a flag to the fon of a favourite nobleman, while his feniors, who have loft a leg or an arm in defence of their country, remain lieutenants; or to fend a beardlefs boy (as is now the cafe) British minister to the court of Turin, merely because he is nephew to Lord Halifax, when we have fo many able fenators duly qualified for fuch an important charge, is fufficient to excite the indignation and refentment of the public. But is the odium of fuch conduct to be confined to the court, while the fame unjuft partiality has been practifed in the city for thefe three years paft, to the fcandal and reproach of the metropolis-for ich elections tend to infinuate, that in fo arge a body of efpectable merchants, and other citizens of great property and characterthere are not to be found ten honeft, wife, independènt men, advanced in life, who have ferved all inferior offices with diligence and integrity-whofe labours, gratitude fhould crown with honour, on whom the city dignities thould be conferred; and therefore thefe young high-fpirited gentlemen are vefted with the civic crowns. If, however, it shall appear, that there are at least fifty honeft, fenfible, moderate men, independent of the court, refiding in the different wards of the city, of a rank and age entitling them to the honours of magiftracy, will any man of candour pretend to deny that "there are faults on both fides,” and that every measure is taken to widen the breach and involve this unhappy country in all the horrors of civil diffention. Can any thing be more inconfiftent, than to complain of a system of favouritifm at court; and yet to exhibit fuch glaring proofs of a fimilar plan of conduct in the city. Was it a measure likely to heal the wounds of a divided state, to elect Mr. Wilkes to be an alderman of the city of London? Had he any other claim to this dignity, but his fuffering a temporary imprifonment, partly for his zeal in the public fervice, and partly for the im morality of his private character? Were there not a thousand other ways of fhewing the higheft veneration for his public character, without patronizing his pri vate vices by such an improper choice? On the other hand, could there be a more tyrannic defiance and contempt thrown in the teeth of a petitioning people, than to restore the Earl of Halifax to the office of fecretary of statethe very man, whofe conduct had been fo obnoxious to them; and whofe fentence, in a public court of judicature, for having violated the rights of his countrymen, ought to have been deemed a total difqualification for the public fervice of the ftate. Here again we may plainly difcern faults on both fides. In the fame light, we imagine, every cool difpaffionate perfon muft view the ftate of the Middlefex election. The perfifting in the choice of a perfon difqualified by the regular proceedings of the houfe of commons, grounded on the law of parliament-though numbers of patriotic candidates might have been found, of fuperior abilities and equal zeal in the public fervice, was an inflammatory ftep; and the fetting up an officer of the army to be candidate for a county, fo deeply interested in commercial concerns, and which, therefore, would have been moft properly reprefented by a merchant, was one of the moft The POLICE. moft tyrannic measures that ever difgraced the annals of a free country. Yet no outrage was offered to the duke of Grafton; we must therefore conclude, from what happened lately to Lord North, that faults have continued increafing on both fides; and that if fome conciliating remedy is not applied, we fhall very foon proceed to extremities. But the last act of civil hoftility committed by both parties, puts the matter beyond all doubt, that the most serious confequences are to be apprehended, if a cordial reconciliation is not brought about between the parliament and the people Never was a conflict attended with fo many aggravating circumftances on both fides.- -Never was a quarrel begun upon fuch trifling grounds, or carried on with fuch malevolent art; the manifest tendency of every motion on the one part and the other, being, to bring matters to an open rupture, and to engage every individual in the kingdom, from neceffity, not choice, to take a decifive part either for or against government. That the houfe of commons should take upon itself the disagreeable task of profecuting the printers, and thereby of reftraining the liberty of the prefs, after the miniftry had failed of accomplishing their ends by the ufual mode of informations in the court of King's Bench, must be matter of astonishment; fince they are chofen to be the guardians of the rights of the people; and the liberty of the prefs is one of the chief: but if we will fuppofe, that the whole plan was preconcerted by the minifter, and that the complaining member was only the mouth of adminiftration, we must then arraign the minister of a fresh act of hoftility against the oppofition without doors, highly arbitrary, impolitic, and unneceffary, unbecoming the dignity of a refolute minifter, who, affured of a majority in favour of all fundamental measures, would have acted more confiftently, if he had paid no regard to the fruitlefs invectives of party writers. The greateft minifters this country ever faw, have given themselves the leaft trouble about the liberty of the prefs. No lefs violent were the proceedings in the city, owing to evil counsellors, 125 (who are to be found in other places, befides the cabinets of princes) on the occafion of fending for the printers by order of the houfe of commons. An unfair fuppofition was taken into the queftion, and a conclufion drawn, that the parliament intended to proceed to punishment. A right of prejudging in this manner, was as arbitrary a claim, asanyStar-chamber proceeding whatever and the bare fending for perfons and papers, is a privilege fo very effential to the being of a parliament, that the warmeft oppofers of government cannot deny, that it would be highly pernicious and fubverfive of public freedom to deprive the house of this authority. Would it not then have been more prudent and moderate to have advised the printers to obey the fummons; as a disobedience, drawn into a precedent, might in other cafes prove as prejudicial, as it feemed now favourable to public liberty? Had the house proceeded to punifhment, could not the magistrates of the city have interpofed, and have reclaimed their citizens, as foon as they came within their jurifdiction? Certainly they had no right to interpofe, till things came to this crifis. For neither the peace of the city, nor its franchises, could be violated by the fimple fummons for the printers to attend the house of commons. The next meafure taken by the house of commons, muft appear to every citizen, in every corporate town in England, to ftrike at the root of their liberties and franchifes, confirmed to them by law, by the acts of the three eftates of the realm; and which, therefore, cannot be abrogated, but by the fame power that granted them. The magiftrates of the city should undoubtedly be applied to, for apprehending their own citizens, on all occafions whatever; for a citizen of any corporate town, whofe privileges are confirmed by act of parliament, has a right to confider the precinct of the city in the fame light as his own house, from which he cannot be taken but by a warrant, for a legal caufe, under the hand and feal of a magiftrate of fuch city. Upon this ground we venture to affirm the fault refted with the house of commons: if the city magiftrates had refufed to back 126 The POLICE. their warrant the contest would then have been clearly between the house and the magiftrates of London, which might have been difcuffed, without involving private individuals in the quarrelno unjustifiable attack having been made on the perfonal liberty of any individual. But as the cafe happened, a door was opened to a scene of low artifice, and unmanly oppofition to one of the three eftates of the realm, fit only to be adopted by fome pitiful attorney, but which should have met with no countenance, but on the contrary, every mark of displeasure from the fupreme magiftrate of the city, and his brother alderman, both as magiftrates, and as members of the houfe of commons, whofe privileges they are fworn to maintain. The rights and franchises of the city might have been preferved, without violating the natural refpect due to the parlament, by behaviour which could not be juftified between man and man. It is not even pretended, that any perfonal violence was offered to Mr. Miller, for the metlenger of the house of commons quietly fubmitted to the authority of the conftable, who carried him before the city magiftrates; and when this was done, it violent party views had not fupplied the place of cool reflection, an amicable negociation might have been fet on foot for adjusting this untoward affair, without embroiling the nation, and increasing our civil difcords. The Lord-Mayor, or Mr. Oliver, as members, might have com plained in their places, of the irregularity of the proceedings of the house, and might have made a motion for an enquiry into the legality of warrants fent into the city by their speaker, but to add fresh fuel to the dying embers of party malice, by fupporting an idle, groundless charge of affault against the meffenger, was leffening the character of the fupreme magiftrate of this great city; and degrading the dignity of the houfe of commons in the eyes of the people, without answering any one valuable purpose. The confequence has been, hafty, violent proceedings in the house, which have increased the discontents of the multitude; and may end in the fhedding of innocent blood. To prevent which, it is devoutly to be Wied, that his Majesty in his great goodness would diffolve the parliament; and on the meeting of another, recom mend it from the throne-That their firft care fhould be to ascertain, circumfcribe, and clearly explain, by falutary laws to be enacted for that purpofe---the office, liberty, jurifdiction, privileges, dignity and authority, of each of the three eftates of the realm, and of all inferior magiftrates. this is done, fo as to make obedience to government depend folely on clear, explicit laws, the honeft, well difpofed fubject will in vain look for peace in Ifrael, or the happiness of private life; the fate, in which he refides, being convulfed in every nerve. Till If we are afraid the king will abuse his juft power, and exceed the proper bounds of his regal office, we fhall live under the apprehenfions of being enflaved by one man, and never be happy till the royal prerogatives are explained, limited and confirmed by the abfolute power of the three eftates of the realm. While fo numerons a body of people conceive, that the majority of the fenate are falfe to their trust, they will be continually breaking out into tumult and diforder, till they are granted an opportunity of recovering their erroneous votes by a new, general electlon--neither loyalty, union, nor good fellowship can fubfift under a dread of having many masters fet over us. And lastly, if by proceeding from violence to violence, the multitude or populace fhould, by open force and infurrection, get the better of the regal power and fenatorial authority, we shall then be vifited with a mob and rabble of tyrants, the greatest plague that can befal a nation. To the king alone we ought then to look up for redrefs; and it is now a proper feafon to urge home fresh petitions to the throne; for the danger is preffing, and the diffolution of the parfiament the only effectual remedy to prevent further outrages on the part of an incenfed, licentious people or acts of feverity on the part of a provoked government to prevent them, which will wear the aspect of tyranny the very fhadow whereof fhould be carefully avoided by a clement prince of the houfe of Hanover, elevated to the throne of thefe realms to be the nursing father of a free people. SENEX For the OXFORD MAGAZIN I. SOLYMAN and FATIMA.Or the TRIUMPH OF FASHION. Fa "Tell me," faid he, "oh! Solyman, "BUT do you really love me the fecrets of thy heart. I ice thy tried Solyman, to his enraptured miftrefs, whilft he preffed her in his arms. "Love you! Alas! Solyman, can you then doubt the fincerity of a pallion, which time cannot diminish, which time cannot encrease-which I fo long. endeavoured to conceal, but could not would now exprefs, but cannot find words?" "Then I am the happiest of men.--But, Oh! Fatima---forgive my delicacy ---tell me, is it for myself you love me, or is it for any extrinfic advantage I may poffefs It is no vanity in me to repeat, what all India acknowledges, that I am bleffed with opulence, birth, and a handfome figure-then tell me, Oh! Fatima, have you duly examined your heart?are you convinced that it is not captivated by these, that without them I should be equally dear to you?"— Ungrateful Solyman! these cold fufpicions fpeak not a heart in love. I have for fome time marked your grow. ing indifference---marked it with diftraction. But why fufpect I love you not for yourself?What are to me all Solyman's gifts of Nature and of Fortune, without himfelf?-Heaven knows, the world, without Solyman, would be a defert to Fatima." At length our young couple parted, feemingly fatisfied with each other, feemingly as happy as the transports of mutual love could make them.But it was not to with Solyman. His bufy fancy had ftill the afcendency over him, and the little philofophy he had acquired, yet more augmented his dif tre's. Though young and in love, Solyman ftill affociated with the wife, and there was not a Brahman in the east who did not love him as his own child. Of these Nirza was his chief favourite. Nirza had long obferved his pupil thoughtful and disturbed, and he determined to know the cause. diftrefs, and I wish to relieve thee," "Alas! Nirga, I love, and am un happy unhappy, because I fear my Fatima loves me not for myself.She tells me indeed that the does, but ftill" "She tells you! Ah! Solyman, haft thou then lived to thefe years fo ignorant of the human heart ?There is no fuch thing, child, as pure, difinte refted love.- -Such love as you def cribe is a mere chimera, á gilded dream, which may delude the giddy and young, but ought to have no influence on you on you, to whom I have with so much care pointed out the infirmities of our nature.- -Instead of loving you for your own fake, Fatima loves you for the fake of other people. Nay fart not-it is an undeni able truth, and for the honour of humanity I could with it were otherwise." Solyman was distracted.-- -His reason yielded, still his heart rebelled. "Oh! Nirza, did you but fee my Fatima !- Did you but hear her voice!" "Yes, yes, I know that one look, one word, of Fatima carries more perfuafion in it, than all that I can fay.--But will you follow my advice-will you put her love to the test?" "Follow thy advice !---Oh! Nirza, difpofe of me as thou wilt, and, be the confequence ever so fatal, eradicate the error from my breaft-----eradicate it, and render me the wretchedeft of men." "I fhall render you the wifeft," returned the fage. And in an instant the charm was worked. Nirza, it feems, had a fecret intelligence with certain inhabitants of the air, by whofe affiftance Solyman now became, in the eyes of his fond Fatima, ftill more hand fome, more accomplished than ever----in the eyes of all the world befide, a very monfter in his perfon, a very ideot in his understanding. Solyman |