ay them under the necessity of
demanding, in their turn, assistance from Great Britain. From this way
of arguing, the English may perceive what they have to expect in cases
of emergency from the friendship of their nearest allies, who must
always be furnished with the same excuse, whenever they find it
convenient or necessary to their own interest. Such a consideration,
joined to other concurring motives, ought to induce the British
legislature to withdraw its dependence from all foreign connexions,
and provide such a constitutional force within itself, as will be
fully sufficient to baffle all the efforts of an external enemy. The
apprehensions and distraction of the people at this juncture plainly
evinced the expediency of such a national force; but different parties
were divided in their opinions about the nature of such a provision.
Some of the warmest friends of their country proposed a well regulated
militia, as an institution that would effectually answer the purpose of
defending a wide extended sea-coast from invasion; while, on the other
hand, this proposal was ridiculed and refuted as impracticable or
useless by all the retainers to the court, and all the officers of
the standing army. In the meantime, as the experiment could not be
immediately tried, and the present juncture demanded some instant
determination, recourse was had to a foreign remedy.

Towards the latter end of March, the king sent a written message to
parliament, intimating, that he had received repeated advices from
different persons and places, that a design had been formed by
the French court to invade Great Britain or Ireland; and the great
preparations of forces, ships, artillery, and warlike stores, then
notoriously making in the ports of France opposite to the British
coasts, together with the language of the French ministers in some
foreign courts, left little room to doubt the reality of such a design;
that his majesty had augmented his forces both by sea and land, and
taken proper measures and precautions for putting his kingdom in a
posture of defence; that, in order further to strengthen himself, he
had made a requisition of a body of Hessian troops, pursuant to the
late treaty, to be forthwith brought over, and for that purpose ordered
transports to be prepared; that he doubted not of being enabled
and supported by his parliament in taking such measures as might
be conducive to an end so essential to the honour of his crown, the
p