The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772, 1772-02-27
THURS DAY, February ~, 1872.

leafs, a"a they are filled with IONS of am
bition, venalIty and corruption, the con-
dition of nation is truly deporable.
have no need of the elegance, or the fpi-
rit of Bolingbroke, to make me feel for the
Englifh in the administration of Sir Robert
Walpole. blufh even when Smolet
gives 1t me in the plain drels of hiftory.
And Smollet too felt. In i7Io WaIpole
was Wing of the irR magnitude. And
when the caprice of Queen Anne turned
out Marlborough, Godolphin, Somers,
and the other chiefs of that party, Wal
pole fell with them. In I7EI,he was expel-
led the Houle of Commons, fays Mr..
Smollet, sc for his tAlsstt Affinity and
sU0rm attachment to the wing intereR. When
George the frff came to the throne, he
brought with him firm affection for the
wings. Walpole then came into play,
and by boldly impeaching, and many O.
ther caufes acquired an exteniive lEtiu-
ence. Under George the fecond ne was
made minifer. Here his principles for
took him, and although that influence re-
manned, his character became contemPti-
bile. In poAeflion of the treafury, he took
care by this channel efeetually to carry
into execution all his meafures. This ne
accomplished By mans Of that palladium q
BritiB liberty an Houfe of CommoEse
The nation was now in danger of b%ng
laves for ever, becaufe they 0tprSbsA<<k9
no danger. And many of the means or
oppreAion now complained Of were then
uttered in. A grea: majority ktpf IN pay
were his neceiIary tools, and every fenti-
ment of patriOtifm and honour was chilled
by that curfei love of gain. His motion
re(peaing the civil lift was truly alarm
ing. Some there were in the houfe who
fcorncd to take a bride, and who
pohefcd the fpirit of Romans. They OBJ
jeaed, they remonfrated. " To theft
argumsn ts, fays SmoIlet, which were un-
anlwerable, no reply was made. Even
this mark Of decency was laid Aide as idle
and fuperAuous il was only putting the
motion, and il was carried" Ii is amazing
to fee in this part Of Englifh hifory, how
under his direction, a ftanding army in
created, although the patriots were warm
in the oppo6tioh. So many grievances
crouding on the nation gave rife to that fpi-
rited oblervation, +" that the mott effeetu-
al method Of forging the chains of nation
al havery, would be that of minjGfriOI in
fluence, operating on VsuaI parliament :
And this will be 70, becaule il requires
gnesmmsn attention to guard againft iuch
a mode of danger. A people repofe con-
fidence in their Representatives and natu-
rally fuppofe that as it is peculiarly tbfir
province, and as they are bound by The
nsf fsrabIs ties in nature, they will watch
over their freedom with tsndsrnyG, and
guard it with intrspidity. Whatever there
fore affects this body, az body, it is
THAR duty to attend to. But there are
fuch grievances, and they are proportions
bly, more dangerous, a. difeale in the VI
tails, the Rdmina of 4 contribution is more
fatal, than what reflects the more diftant
members. Should the latter be tainted
there may be cure. Should the former
be corrupted, the whole perilhes together.
The inffance hzye juR related ihows how
dangerous parliament is If corrupted By
nisifvi0I i.tFEsSft But fhOuld the people
be 70 happy as to be fsnfble of this, they
have IL in thar ts50sy to fave themfelves
| They may perhaps find men in the nation
in whom hono,hr, virtue and patriotifu
are diftinsuifhiRg qualities, and who loOl
ON hrihepor ri threat with EQUAL con.