he late _Bill of Treasons_ (tho it reach'd not
so far as many wou'd have had it) a Favourite of the _Old Whigs_; they
thought it a very desirable one whenever it cou'd be compass'd, and
perhaps if not at that very Juncture, wou'd not have been obtained all:
'twas necessary for Two different Sorts of People to unite in this, in
order for a Majority, whose Weight shou'd be sufficient to enforce it.
And I think some _Whigs_ were very unjustly reproach'd by their
_Brethren_, as if by voting for this Bill, they wilfully exposed the
late _King's_ Person to the wicked Designs of his Enemies.
_Lastly_, The supporting of Parliamentary Credit, promoting of all
_publick Buildings_ and _Highways_, the making all _Rivers Navigable_
that are capable of it, employing the _Poor_, suppressing _Idlers_,
restraining _Monopolies_ upon Trade, maintaining the liberty of the
_Press_, the just _paying_ and _encouraging_ of all in the publick
Service, especially that best and usefullest Sort of People the
_Seamen_: These (joined to a firm Opinion, that we ought not to hearken
to any _Terms of Peace_ with the _French King_, till it be quite out of
his Power to hurt us, but rather to dye in Defence of our _own_ and the
_Liberties_ of _Europe_) are all of them Articles of my _Whiggish
Belief_, and I hope none of them are _heterodox_. And if all these
together amount to a _Commonwealthsman_, I shall never be asham'd of the
Name, tho given with a Design of fixing a Reproach upon me, and such as
think as I do.
Many People complain of the Poverty of the Nation, and the Weight of the
Taxes. Some do this without any ill Design, but others hope thereby to
become _popular_; and at the same time to _enforce a Peace_ with
_France_, before that Kingdom be reduced to too low a Pitch: fearing,
lest that _King_ shou'd be _disabled_ to accomplish their Scheme of
bringing in the _Pretender_, and assisting him.
Now altho 'tis acknowledg'd, that the _Taxes_ lye very heavy, and
_Money_ grows scarce; yet let the _Importance_ of our _War_ be
considered, together with the _Obstinacy, Perfidy_, and _Strength_ of
our Enemy, can we possibly carry on such a _diffusive_ War without
_Money_ in Proportion? Are the _Queen's_ Subjects more burden'd to
maintain the publick _Liberty_, than the _French_ King's are to confirm
their own _Slavery_? Not so much by three Parts in four, God be prais'd:
Besides, no true _Englishman_ will grudge to pay Taxes whilst he has a
Penny in
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