The Sun.
London, England, 1812-11-21 00:00:00

JUNIUS.

The works of this writer ;vill always be inter-
esting to the people of this country, for whatever
his motives :nay have been, his principles were
trely 'constitutional, And he maintained t►leni with
spirit, With eloquence, and-with persevering zeal.
The new Edition contains the Private Corres-
pondence. bet Ween JuNrus -and Mr. Witxns,
from which we shah avail_ ourselves of the follow-
ing Extract, hecaus,e it shews that the former was
really actuated by public spirit, and anxious to
restore harmony Among those whom-he consider-
ed as the friends of the people.

TO JOHN NVILKES, ESQ.

London, 21st August, 1771.*

I presume, Sir, you are satisfied that I mean
you well, and that it is not necessary to assure
you that while you adhere to the resolution of de-
pending-only upon the public favour, (which, if
you half thefunderstanding I attribute to you, you
never can depart from) you, may rely upon my ut-
most assistance. Whatever imaginary views may
be ascribed to the author, it must always make
part of Junius's plan to support Mr. Wilkes while
he makes common cause with the peQple, I would
engage your favourable attention to what I am
going to say to you; and I entreat you not to be
too hasty in .concluding, from the apparent ten-
dency of this letter, to any interests or connexions
_of my own. It is a very common mistake in judg—
ment,
and a very 'dangerous one in conduct, first
to look for nothing in the argument proposed to
us, but the motive of the man who uses it, and
then to measure the truth of his argument by the ,
motive assigned to him: With regard to me, Sir,
any refinement in this way would assuredly mis-
lead you ; and although I do not disclaim the :dsea
of some personal views to future honour and 'ad-
vantage, (you Would not believe me if I did) yet
.1 can truly affirm, that neither are they little 'in
themselves, nor can there by any: possible conjec-
ture be collected from my writings.
Mr. Horne, after doing much mischief, is now,
I think, completely defeated and disarmed. -The
author of the late unhappy divisions in the city is
removed.—Why should we stiffer his works to' live
after,him ? In this view, I, confess, lam vindic-
tive, and .would visit his sins upon his chiLren.
I would punish him ih his offspriag, by repairing
the breaches he has made.—Convinced that I am
speaking to a man who has spirit enough to act if
Isis judgment- be satisfied, I will not scruple to
declare at once; that Mr. Sawbridge .ought to be
'Lord Mayor, and that he ought to owe,it 'to your
first motion, and to the exertion of all your credit
in the city.—l affirm, without a doubt, that poli-
tical prudence, the benefit of the cause, your pub- •
lie reputation and personal interest, do all equally
demand this conduct of'you.—l do not deny that
a stroke like this is above the level of vulgar po,
licy, or that if you were a much less considerable
man than you arc, it would ,not suit you. But
you will recollect, Sir, that the public opinion of
you rises every day, and that you must enlarge
your plan as you proceed, since you have . every
day a new acquisition of credit to maintain.-1
offer you the sincere opinion of a man, who, per-
haps, has more .leisure to make reflections than
you have, and who., though he stands clear of all
business and intrigue, mixes sufficiently for the

* On this letter is written, in Mr. Wilkes's own hand, the
following memorandum

" Aug. 21, 1771.
•
" Received on Wednesday noon by a chairman, who said
he brought it from a gentleman whom he saw in Laucasttr-
,ourt, in the strand. • J.

purposes of intelligence in the conversation of the
world.
natever lanamage you in prudence assume to
the pUblic, you - cannot but be sensible that the
separation .of those_ gentlemen who withdrew
from the Bill of Riglits was bf considerable .dis-
•service to yo.u: -It required; in my
,opinion, your
utmost dexterity and resolution, and not a little of
your good fortune, to get the better of it. But
are yob really now upon the best ground on whichMr.w
might stand in that city? Will you
say, that to separate Mr. Saw-bridge from a con
nexion every. way hostile to you, and to secure
him against the insidious arts of Mr.- Horne, and
the fury of Mr. Townsherid, (if it could be done
without embarrassing your leading measuresiknd
- much more if it promoted them) would not live
you a considerable - gratification) Will you say
that a pul)lic declaration of Mr. Sawbridge in your
favour, and the appearance of your acting toge-
ther, '(I do not speak at Nesent of a hearty coa-
lition and confidence) would not contribute to
give vou a more secure, a more permanent, and
without offence to any man, a more honourable
hold upon the citythan you have at present ? what
sensations do you conceive a union between you
and Mr. SaWbridge-would excite in the breast of
Dir. Home ? Would it not amount to a decisive re-
futatiOn of all the invidiOns arguments he Intschlw;)
from , your being deserted by so many of-the great
• figures of the party ? The answer to these ques-
tions is too obvious to be mistaken. But, you will.
say to yourself what you, would not confess to Ju-
nius.. Mr. Sawbridge is a man oft unquestiona-
ble probity, and the concurrence of his, reputation
would undoubtedly be of sei vice to me ; but he baS
not pliancy enough to yield tolpersuasion, and I, ,
Wilkes am determined not to suffer another to reap'
the harvest of my labours : that is, to take the
lead of me in the city. I do not mean or ex--
. pect that you should make such .a sacrifice to 'any
man., But besides difference in point of conduct
between leading and going foremost, I answer
your thoughts when I say, that although Mr.
.Sawbridge is not to be directed (and even this,
perhaps, is not so literally and completely true as
he himself imagines) on the other hand he does
not mean to direct. His disposition, as you well'
know, is not fitted for that active management and
intrigue which acquire an operating popularity,
an 4 'direct the people by their passions. 1 attri-
bute to) you both the most honourable intentions
for the/public, Nut you travel different roads, and
never can be rivals. It is not that Mr. Sawbridgc
dots not wish to be popular ; but, if I- am not
greatly mistaken, his virtues have not ostentation
enough for the ordinary uses of party, . and that
they lead tattler to the esteem of individuals than

to popular opinion. .This conceive is exactly the
man you Want—you cannot always support a fer-
-2.' mcnt in the minds of men.* There will necessari-
ly he. moments of languor and- fatigue ; and upon
these OCCRSiOIIT: Mr. Sawhridge's reputed firmness
and integrty may be a ,capital resource to you,--
you have too much sagacity not to :perceive how
far this reasoning might be carried:
(To he continued.)

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THE SUN.

SOLEM QUIS I)ICERE VALSUM AM/EA!'

LONDON,

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1812.

There were not any arrivals yesterday from the
North, or from the Peninsula ; nevertheless in-
numa.! able reports were in circulation. AccOrd-
ing to some of them, a battle had been fought be-
twecn the Marquis WELLINGTON and SOULT; in
which the latter was said to have been successful,
while others stated, that his Lordship had been
completely. victorious. From the North, the ru-
mours wet e equally various ;. but as they had, not
the slightest foundation in fact,
.it is unnecessary
to repeat them.
We are happy to find that the late accounts from
Russia concur in stating, that the army under Ge-
tieral NUTusow. had received very large reinforce-
ments. , After the dreadful and sanguinary battle
of B'rodiuo, the effective force of the Russian
army is said not to have exceeded 50,000 men ;
but since that period it has' been joined by the
force collected by Count RAsToronsT, when he
evachatedMoscoW, amounting to 63,000 men—
by the Militia of Toula and Kalouga, amounting
to 15,000 men —and by 18,50 Zaporaiski •
Cossacks, making (besides the 'armed peasants,
who constitute a very effective foree) an army of
above 146,000 men. .With respect to the force
tinder BUONA?ARTE, itis•certainly difficult to form
an estimate of its strength: The 'army with•
which he entered Russia, consisted of ten corps, or
about three hundred thousand men. Of this, army
a considerable part was left under the com-
mands of 01.1DINOT, St. CYR, and MACDONALD,
in the rear, while BUONAPAETE penetrated with
the main body. towards,Moseow. His loss in.the
various engagements that took place before he
reached that capital, particularly in the bat-
tle of Borodino, must have been enormous ;
but, ' probably, not much greater than that
which, his army 'sustained from sickness, fit-
tigue, the severity of the climate,, and want
of provisions. We think it, therefore, almost
impossible that, when he evacuated Moscow,