ts mortifications, ere it can be induced to adopt a principle
of general mistrust. And that such a principle should have so large a
spread among persons, whose honesty, candour forbids us to suspect, is
surely, of all the paradoxe upon the face of the earth, incomparably the
greatest.--The man of virtue then will be willing, before he gives up
all our political connexions without distinction, to go along with me to
the review of the only one that yet remains to be examined, that of the
late marquis of Rockingham.

Too much perhaps cannot be said in their praise. They have nearly
engrossed the confidence of every friend of liberty. They are the only
men, whose principles were never darkened with the cloud of suspicion.
What, let me ask, has been their uniform conduct during the whole course
of the reign? They have been ever steady in their opposition, to
whatever bore an ill aspect to the cause of freedom, and to the whole
train of those political measures, that have terminated in calamity and
ruin. They have been twice in administration. Prosperity and power are
usually circumstances that prove the severest virtue. While in power how
then did this party conduct themselves?

Of their first administration the principal measure was the stamp act. A
law that restored tranquility to a distracted empire. A law, to which,
if succeeding administrations had universally adhered, we had been at
this moment, the exclusive allies and patrons of the whole continent of
North America. A law, that they carried in opposition to the all-dreaded
Mr. Pitt, on the one hand, and on the other, against the inclination of
those secret directors, from whose hands they receive their delegated
power. They repealed the excise upon cyder. They abolished general
warrants. And after having been the authors of these and a thousand
other benefits in the midst of storms and danger; they quitted their
places with a disinterestedness, that no other set of men have imitated.
They secured neither place, pension, nor reversion to themselves, or any
of their adherents.

Their second administration was indeed very short. But it was crowded
with the most salutary measures. The granting a full relief to Ireland.
The passing several most important bills of oeconomy and reformation.
The passing the contractors bill. The carrying into effect that most
valuable measure, the abolishing the vote of custom-house officers in
the election of members of parliament. And la