THE CONDUCT OF THE ALLIES, And of THE LATE MINISTRY, In beginning and carrying on the present War. Written in the Year 1712. Partem tibi Gallia noftri Odimus accipitrem quia femper vivit in armis. G 2 To this Tract and the Examiners, which make Vol. V. of the Irifh edition, there is a preface in the name of the publisher, which lord Orrery afcribes to Swift for no other apparent reafon, than to accuse him of praising himself; but befides the incorrectness of the ftyle, which his lordfhip fuppofes to be affected, there is an affertion that thefe papers produced the change in the queen's miniftry, which even in his lordship's opinion they were written to defend, and to which they appear by their date as well as tenor to be fubfequent; an abfurdity of which Swift, even in the character of a publifher, cannot be fuppofed to have been guilty. I Cannot fufficiently admire the industry of a fort of men, wholly out of favour with the prince and people, and openly profeffing a feparate intereft from the bulk of the landed men, who yet are able to raife at this juncture fo great a clamour against a peace, without offering one fingle reafon, but what we find in their ballads. I lay it down for a maxim, that no reafonable man, whether whig or tory (fince it is neceffary to use those foolish terms), can be of opinion for continuing the war upon the foot it now is, unless he be a gainer by it, or hopes it may occafion fome new turn of affairs at home to the advantage of his party; or, laftly, unless he be very ignorant of the kingdom's condition, and by what means we have been reduced to it. Upon the two firft cafes, where intereft is concerned, I have nothing to fay but as to the laft, I think it highly neceffary that the publick should be freely and impartially told what circumftances they are in, after what manner they have been treated by thofe whom they trufted : G 3 1 trusted so many years with the difpofal of their blood and treasure, and what the confequences of this management are like to be upon themselves and their posterity. Those who, either by writing or difcourfe, have undertaken to defend the proceedings of the late miniftry in the management of the war, and of the treaty at Gertruydenburgh, have spent time in celebrating the conduct and valour of our leaders and their troops, in fumming up the victories they have gained, and the towns they have taken. Then they tell us, what high articles were infifted on by our minifters and thofe of the confederates, and what pains both were at in perfuading France to accept them. nothing of this can give the leaft fatisfaction to the just complaints of the kingdom. As to the war our grievances are, that a greater lead has been laid on us than was either juft or neceffary, or than we have been able to bear; that the groffeft impofitions have been fubmitted to for the advancement of private wealth and power, or in order to forward the more dangerous deligus of a faction, to But both both which a peace would have put an end; and that the part of the war which was chiefly our province, which would have been moft beneficial to us, and deftructive to the enemy, was wholly neglected. As to a peace, we complain of ́being deluded by a mock-treaty; in which those who negotiated took care to make fuch demands as they knew were impoffible to be complied with; and therefore might fecurely prefs every article as if they were in earnest. Thefe are fome of the points I defign to treat of in the following difcourfe; with feveral others which I thought it neceffary at this time for the kingdom to be informed of. I think I am not miftaken in those facts I mention; at leaft not in any circumftance fo material as to weaken the confequences I draw from them. After ten years war with perpetual fuccefs, to tell us it is yet impoffible to have a good peace is very furprizing, and feems fo different from what hath ever happened in the world before, that a man of any party may be allowed fufpecting, that we have been either ill ufed, or have |