himself to the mifrepresentations of his enemies. But he will be prompt to communicate to either House, without folicitation or delay, whatever he conceives may fafely be laid before it; and whatever he deems himself for a time obliged in prudence to withhold, he will afterwards fpontaneously and explicitly reveal. He will never refuse information through party fpirit, through jealousy, through pride, through pique, or through refentment. Far from regarding the fuperintendence of Parliament as. burthenfome, or wishing to obftruct by open refiftance, or to elude by fubterfuges and evafions, the exercise of its inquifitorial control; he will rejoice that its vigilant folicitude, however occafionally attended with fymptoms of unnecessary diftrust and apprehenfion, is employed in confirming him against temptations to misconduct, and in correcting the errors of his judgement. At all times, and under every circumstance, he will acknowledge and fincerely rejoice in his responsibility. The fame principles of integrity and candour which guide his conduct in his parliamentary capacity, will not be laid afide in private. He will entertain no animosity against a friend who has occafionally withheld, or has altogether withdrawn his fupport; nor will he afcribe to indirect views what may fairly be attributed to confcientious conviction. He will uniformly difcourage in his adherents. the disposition, too often found in fervile and little minds, to blacken the private characters of their political antagonists, and of neutrals held in ftill greater abomination; and will embrace every occafion of doing justice to their worth. He will beware of exciting fufpicion by ill-timed and inconfiderate expreffions, or by any inftance of active conduct, that his profeffions of patriotism, of zeal for liberty, of difinterested folicitude for the public good, are merely his exterior garb; a fort of robe of of fice; a dress to be worn in Parliament, which, while it dazzles the beholders with its glaring brilliancy, conceals the real form and lineaments of the wearer. 7. In all his tranfactions on behalf of Great Britain with foreign nations, he will fcrupuloufly regard the rules of ftrict and equal juftice; and, fo far as the prior claim of his own country will admit, his benevolence and liberality will feek for a field of operation in every other. other. The influence of thefe principles will be particularly manifeft in his caution with refpect to the commencement and prolongation of wars. Confcious that felf-defence, or the defence of the just cause of an ally, is the only ground on which hoftilities can be vindicated; confcious too that however profperous the event may be, little benefit will refult to the thousands by whofe exertions, wounds and fufferings it has been purchafed; and that however apparent may be the guilt of the Governors of the enemy, the punishment of it chiefly falls on their ignorant and unoffending fubjects: he will never enter into a conteft without a firm conviction that it is both equitable and neceffary; nor ever continue it a moment after reasonable reparation and fecurity can be obtained. In forming a treaty of alliance, he will explain his fentiments on thefe topics with the utmost perfpicuity; and will never pledge his country to any measure which feems likely to lead her in the end to become an accomplice in the ambitious views of her confederates, by fupporting them in unprovoked wars; or to comply with the suggestions of their revenge or their timidity, by continuing to profecute wars originally indispensable, after proper terms of pacification have been offered or would be accepted by their adverfaries. He will gladly employ the good offices of his country in mediating peace between contending powers abroad, without rafhly endangering its own tranquillity. If, during his administration, he is called upon to fulfil an engagement with a foreign power, contracted by fome of his predeceffors in office, which he perceives to be radically unjuft; whatever may be the hazard to himself, he will refufe to comply. For is not he apprized that juftice, fanctioned alike by natural reason and revealed religion, pronounces every covenant void, whether entered into by an individual or by a nation, which oppofes her inviolable and antecedent laws? The houfe-breaker, who has promised his affistance in a burglary; the assassin, who has engaged to perpetrate a murder; is he bound, is he at liberty, to perform the contract? Nations are in this refpect individuals to each other. It is alfo to the nation, as well as to the individual, that Religion addreffes her command: "Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thyfelf; and do unto others as thou wouldest have others do unto thee." Attention may Attention to the claims of mutual benevolence, and to the general happiness of mankind, will influence an upright Minister in adjusting treaties of commerce with foreign countries ; and prompt him to adopt fuch regulations as be practicable for mitigating the horrors of future wars. A fpirit of universal goodwill, ftrengthened and roufed to action by a fense of Christian duty, will lead him to promote the discovery of unknown regions, and the civilization of their barbarous inhabitants. Confidering himself as the Representative of the Public, confidering the whole People as it were embodied in his perfon, and capable only through him of exercising an enlarged philanthropy; he will look through the world with a difcerning and judicious eye, in order to felect proper objects to whom he may dispense their charity, and pour out the overflowings of domestic prosperity and affluence. III. Under this head we are, in the first place, to advert to the motives by which a Minifter ought to be actuated in estimating the propriety of refigning: and fecondly, to the line of conduct to be adopted after his refignation. 1. Regard |