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Show [6] for my part, I am not ambitious of ridicule; not abfolutely a candidate for difgrace. Behdes, Sir, to {peak the plain truth, Ihave in general no very exalted opinion of the virtue of Paper Government; nor of any Politicks, in which the plan is to be wholly Ieparated from the execution. But when 1 law, that anger and violence prevailed every day more and more; and that things were haitening towards an in- curable alienation of our Colonies; I cont‘efs, my caution gave way. I felt this, as one of thofe few moments in which decorum yields to an higher duty. Public "calamity is a mighty leveller; and there are oecafions when any, even the flightefi, chance of doing good, muft be laid hold on, even by the mof't inconfiderable perfon. To reitore order and repofe to an Empire {0 great and {o difiraé‘ted as ours, is, merely in the attempt, an undertaking that would ennoble the flights of the highei'c genius, and obtain pardon for the efforts of the meanefl: underfianding. Struggling a good while with thefe thoughts, by degrees I felt myfelf more firm. I derived, at length, fome confidence from what in other circumiiances ufually produces timidity. I grew lefs anxrous, even from the idea of my own in- fignlficance. For, judging of what you are, by what you ought to be, I perfuaded myfelf, that you would not reject a reafonable propofition, becaufe It had nothing but its reafon to recommend 1t. it. On the other hand, being totally deflitute of all {hadow of influence, natural or adventi- tious, Iwas very fure, that, if my propofition were futile or dangerous; if it were weakly conceived, or improperly timed, there was nothing exterior to it, of power to awe, dazzle, or delude you. You will fee it juit as it is; and you will treat it juf't as it deierves. The propofition is Peace. Not Peace through the medium of War; not Peace to be hunted through the labyrinth of intricate and endlefs negociations; not Peace to arife out of univerfal difcord, fomented, from principle, in all parts of the Empire; not Peace to depend on the Juridical Determination of perplexing quef- tions; or the precife marking the ihadowy boundaries of a complex Government. It is fimple Peace; fought in its natural courfe, and its ordi- nary haunts.-lt is Peace fought in the Spirit of Peace; and laid in principles purely pacific. I propofe, by removing the Ground of the dif- ference, and by refioring theformer unfizfifiefiing cozyidmce 0f the Colanies in the Moi/yer Country, to give permanent fatisfaéiion to your people; and (Far from a fcheme of ruling by diibord) to reconcile them to each other in the fame act, and 'by the bond of the very fame intereft, which reconciles them to Britiih Government. My idea is nothing more. Refined policy ever has been the parent of confufion; and B 4. ever |