That all the miscarriages of our late measures are by common fame
imputed to one man, I suppose, will not be denied; nor can it, in my
opinion, be reasonably required, that in the present circumstances of
things any other proof should be brought against him.

Common fame, my lords, is admitted in courts of law as a kind of
auxiliary or supplemental evidence, and is allowed to corroborate the
cause which it appears to favour. The general regard which every wise
man has for his character, is a proof that in the estimation of all
mankind, the testimony of common fame is of too great importance to be
disregarded.

If we consider the nature of popular opinions on publick affairs, it
will be difficult to imagine by what means a persuasion not founded on
truth should universally take possession of a people; it will be yet
more difficult to believe that it should preserve its empire, and that
in opposition to every art that can be made use of to undeceive them,
they should pertinaciously adhere to an errour not imbibed in their
education, nor connected with their interest. And how has any man been
originally prejudiced against the present minister? Or what passion or
interest can any man gratify, by imagining or declaring his country on
the verge of ruin? The multitude, my lords, censure and praise without
dissimulation, nor were ever accused of disguising their sentiments;
their voice is, at least, the voice of honesty, and has been termed the
voice of heaven, by that party of which those affect to be thought whom
it now condemns.

Let it not be urged, that the people are easily deceived, that they
think and speak merely by caprice, and applaud or condemn without any
calm inquiry or settled determination; these censures are applicable
only to sudden tumults, and gusts of zeal excited by fallacious
appearances, or by the alarms of a false report industriously
disseminated, but have no relation to opinions gradually propagated, and
slowly received.

If the credulity of the people exposes them to so easy an admission of
every report, why have the writers for the minister found so little
credit? Why have all the loud declamations, and the laboured arguments,
the artful insinuations, and positive assertions, which have been for
many years circulated round the nation, at the expense of the
government, produced no effect upon the people, nor convinced any man,
who was not apparently bribed, to resign his private opinion to th