te a material affection in the mind, which forces us
to love the cause for which we suffer. Is this a contention worthy of a
king? Are you not sensible how much the meanness of the cause gives an
air of ridicule to the serious difficulties into which you have been
betrayed? The destruction of one man has been now, for many years, the
sole object of your government; and, if there can be anything still
more disgraceful, we have seen, for such an object, the utmost
influence of the executive power, and every ministerial artifice,
exerted without success. Nor can you ever succeed, unless he should be
imprudent enough to forfeit the protection of those laws to which you
owe your crown, or unless your minister should persuade you to make it
a question of force alone, and try the whole strength of government in
opposition to the people. The lessons he has received from experience
will probably guard him from such excess of folly, and in your
Majesty's virtues we find an unquestionable assurance that no illegal
violence will be attempted.

Far from suspecting you of so horrible a design, we would attribute his
continued violation of the laws, and even the last enormous attack upon
the vital principles of the constitution, to an ill-advised, unworthy,
personal resentment. From one false step you have been betrayed into
another, and, as the cause was unworthy of you, your ministers were
determined that the prudence executed should correspond with the
wisdom and dignity of the design. They have reduced you to the
necessity of choosing out of a variety of difficulties; to a situation
so unhappy that you can neither do wrong without ruin, nor right
without affliction. These worthy servants have undoubtedly given you
many singular proofs of their abilities. Not contented with making Mr.
Wilkes a man of importance, they have judiciously transferred the
question from the rights and interests of one man to the most important
rights and interests of the people, and forced your subjects from
wishing well to the cause of an individual to unite with him in their
own. Let them proceed as they have begun, and your Majesty need not
doubt that the catastrophe will do no dishonour to the conduct of the
piece.

The circumstances to which you are reduced will not admit of a
compromise with the English nation. Undecisive, qualifying measures
will disgrace your government still more than open violence, and,
without satisfying the people, will exci