n, they in effect gave up that
constitutional check and reciprocal control of one branch of the
legislature over the other, which is, perhaps, the greatest and most
important object provided for by the division of the whole legislative
power into three estates; and now let the judicial decisions of the
House of Commons be ever so extravagant, let their declarations of law
be ever so flagrantly false, arbitrary, and oppressive to the subject,
the House of Lords have imposed a slavish silence upon themselves; they
can not interpose; they can not protect the subject; they can not defend
the laws of their country. A concession so extraordinary in itself, so
contradictory to the principles of their own institution, can not but
alarm the most unsuspecting mind."--Let. 39. Junius, in a note to this
Letter, calls for a leader upon this state of facts: "The man who
resists and overcomes this iniquitous power assumed by the lords, must
be supported by the whole people. We have the laws on our side, and want
nothing but an intrepid leader. When such a man stands forth, let the
nation look to it. It is not his cause, but our own."

But the leader did not come, and Junius is no more known to England.
After such declarations it would outrage all degrees of probability to
suppose that Junius revealed himself to the king and ministry, and that
they conferred on him a fat office for what he had written. I will not
insult the common sense of my readers by offering an argument against
it, founded upon the laws of human nature. And yet, Lord Macaulay has
surrendered his reason to just such an assumption. Had Junius ever
revealed himself to the king and his "detestable junto," that would have
been the last of him.

Before I take my leave of Junius, I will give two extracts in which he
sounds, TO ARMS!

He is addressing the Duke of Grafton: "You have now brought the merits
of your administration to an issue, on which every Englishman, of the
narrowest capacity, may determine for himself; it is not an alarm to the
passions, but a calm appeal to the judgment of the people upon their own
most essential interests. A more experienced minister would not have
hazarded a direct invasion of the first principles of the constitution
before he had made some progress in subduing the spirit of the people.
With such a cause as yours, my lord, it is not sufficient that you have
the court at your devotion, unless you find means to corrupt or
intimidate th