CANDID THOUGHTS; OR, AN ENQUIRY INTO THE CAUSES O F NATIONAL DISCONTENTS AND MISFORTUNES SINCE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PRESENT REIGN. LONDON: Printed for W. NICOLL, No. 51, St. Paul's Church-yard, CANDID THOUGHTS, &c. I T is the duty of every good citizen to be well informed concerning the state of the nation. If grievances are complained of, or misfortunes announced, he will enquire with folicitude, whether they really exift or not, from what fources they proceed, and what remedies ought to be applied in order to redress and remove them. Without comparing the ftate of this nation with what it has been in any former period, it cannot be denied, that, during the prefent reign, fignal calamities have been mingled with our profperity. The clamours of faction have been loud and inceffant. Jealoufies and difcontents have broken out in every part of the empire: a civil war, the most deplorable of all national difafters, has, for many years paft, drained the blood and treasure of Britain; a combination of the most powerful foreign enemies has aggravated and protracted thefe evils, and brought us to the brink of deftruction. To what caufes are thefe to be afcribed? Or who are the perfons who have been inftrumental in bringing them on? The queftion will meet with different and contradictory folutions, according to the penetration, prejudices, and intereft of those to whom it is referred. Men of narrow underftanding are incapable of comprehending that complication of causes with which political events are A 2 neceril neceffarily connected. Remote from the channels of information, thofe of fuperior judgment often indolently acquiefce in vague conjectures, and plaufible reprefentations, which are widely diftant from truth. Retainers to party, not only most readily believe, but too often invent and induftrioufly spread, fuch accounts of public measures and the characters of men, as are the best calculated to infure them fuccefs in their purfuits after that pre-eminence and power which they envy others the poffeffion of, and which they long to poffefs themselves; or to fecure the enjoyment of thofe favorite objects, when fuccefs has once crowned their expectation. To men of real integrity and patriotifm, (who it is ftill to be hoped make no inconfiderable proportion of the nation) to men who wish to fix their judgment with candour, and to contribute to the true glory and welfare of their country, an attempt to investigate the causes of those grievances and misfortunes, which have happened to the nation fince the commencement of this reign, may prove acceptable and useful. Such an attempt, purfued with impartiality and according to facts, though executed with flender ability, may, in fome measure, affift them to diftinguish between real and imaginary grievances, between fuch meafures as have been blamable or praife-worthy, either in the friends or enemies of administration, to allay groundlefs fears and jealoufies, and to point out that conduct and thofe exertions, which the true intereft of their country demands. I enter on this undertaking with diffidence of my own abilities, but confiding in the rectitude of my intention, and the consciousness of impartiality. Our Our prefent Sovereign afcended the throne at a molt aufpicious æra. There is not in the annals of Britain, an example of any reign having commenced with a concurrence of fo many circumstances, calculated to infure national profperity and the reciprocal affection and confidence of the Prince and his fubjects. Succefs, without interruption, had attended the British arms for the two preceding years of the war. Our enemies, exhaufted and defponding, feemed to be compelled to restore the peace of Europe upon whatever terms Britain should please to dictate. A Prince born a Briton, claimed not only the allegiance, but the affections of his fubjects, and the commencement of his reign was marked with the unfeigned joy and heart-felt gratulations of a flourifhing and affectionate people. It is painful at this hour to reflect, that many months of the new reign had not elapfed, till the murmurs of faction and difcord began to disturb that tranquillity, which the national fuccefs and the character of the Prince had encouraged us to expect. The caufes of this difappointment to the expectations of every good citizen, deferve to be investigated, and may be justly confidered as the fources of many fucceeding misfortunes. First, The attachment of the Sovereign to the Earl of Bute, was foon difplayed by fignal marks of confidence and favour. He was called from retirement to offices of public truft, and in a few months appeared in the most important minifterial character. That the integrity and abilities of the man were intimately known to his mafter-that private friendship might be admitted to have fome influence in the choice-that it was candid to fufpend judgment, and to found approbation and A 3 censure |