are fuffered to pafs by without punishment or observation. The prefent ministry are as fingularly marked by their fortune, as by their crimes. Inftead of atoning for their former conduct by any wife or popular meafure, they have found, in the enormity of one fact, a cover and defence for a series of measures, which must have been fatal to any other administration. I fear we are too remifs in obferving the whole of their proceedings. Struck with the principal figure, we do not fufficiently mark in what manner the canvafs is filled up. Yet furely it is not a lefs crime, nor lefs fatal in its confequences, to encourage a flagrant breach of the law by a military force, than to make use of the forms of parliament to destroy the conftitution. The miniftry feem determined to give us a choice of difficulties, and, if poffible, to perplex us with the multitude of their offences. The expedient is worthy of the Duke of Grafton. But though he has preferved a gradation and variety in his meafures, we should remember that the principle is uniform. Dictated by the fame fpirit, they deferve the fame attention. The following fact, though of the most alarming na ture ture, has not yet been clearly stated to the public, nor have the confequences of it been fufhciently understood. Had I taken it up at an earlier period, I should have been accused of an uncandid, malignant precipitation, as if I watched for an unfair advantage against the miniftry, and would not allow them a reasonable time to do their duty. They now ftand without excufe. Inftead of employing the leisure they have had, in a strict examination of the offence, and punishing the offenders, they feem to have confidered that indulgence as a fecurity to them, that, with a little time and management, the whole affair might be buried in filence, and utterly forgotten. * A MAJOR general of the army is arrested by the fheriffs officers for a confiderable debt. He perfuades them to conduct him to the Tilt-yard in St. James's Park, under fome pretence of business, which it imported him to fettle before he was confined. He applies to a ferjeant, not immediately on duty, to affift with fome of his companions in favouring his escape. He attempts it. A buftle * Major General Ganfel. enfues. enfues. The bailiffs claim their prifoner. + An officer of the guards, not then on duty, takes part in the affair, applies to the lieu+ tenant commanding the Tilt-yard guard, and urges him to turn out his guard to relieve a general officer. The lieutenant de-clines interfering in perfon, but stands at a diftance, and fuffers the bufinefs to be done. The officer takes upon himself to order out the guard. In a moment they are in arms, quit their guard, march, refcue the general, and drive away the fheriffs officers, who, in vain represent their right to the prisoner, and the nature of the arreft. The foldiers first conduct the general into the guard-room, then escort him to a place of fafety, with bayyonets fixed, and in all the forms of military triumph. I will not enlarge upon the various circumftances which attended this atrocious proceeding. The perfonal injury received by the officers of the law in the execution of their duty, may perhaps be atoned for by fome private compenfation. I confider nothing but the wound, which has been given to the law itself, to which no remedy; has been applied, no fatisfaction made. Lieutenant Dodd. Lieutenant Garth. Neither Neither is it my defign to dwell upon the mifconduct of the parties concerned, any farther than is neceffary to fhew the behaviour of the miniftry in its true light. I would make every compaffionate allowance for the infatuation of the prifoner, the falfe and criminal difcretion of one officer, and the madnefs of another. I would leave the ignorant foldiers entirely out of the queftion. They are certainly the leaft guilty, though they are the only persons who have yet fuffered, even in the appearance of punishment. * The fact itself, however atrocious, is not the principal point to be confidered. It might have happened under a more regular government, and with guards better difciplined than ours. The main question is, in what manner have the miniftry acted on this extraordinary occafion. A general officer calls upon the king's own guard, then actually on duty, to refcue him from the laws of his country; yet at this moment he is in a fituation no worse, than if he had not committed an offence, equally enormous in a civil and military view. A lieutenant upon duty defignedly quits his guard, and fuffers it to be * A few of them were confined, B 3 drawn drawn out by another officer, for a purpose, which he well knew (as we may collect from an appearance of caution, which only makes his behaviour the more criminal) to be in the highest degree illegal. Has this gentleman been called to a court martial to anfwer for his conduct? No. Has it been cenfured? No. Has it been in any shape inquired into? No.-Another lieutenant, not upon duty, nor even in his regimentals, is daring enough to order out the king's guard, over which he had properly no command, and engages them in a violation of the laws of his country, perhaps the moft fingular and extravagant that ever was attempted.What punishment has be fuffered? Literally none. Suppofing he fhould be profecuted at common law for the rescue, will that circumftance, from which the ministry can derive no merit, excuse or justify their suffering fo flagrant a breach of military discipline to pass by unpunished, and unnoticed? Are they aware of the outrage offered to their fovereign, when his own proper guard is ordered out to ftop by main force, the execution of his laws? What are we to conclude from fo fcandalous a neglect of their duty, but |