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the same near approach to double. But

by what proportion shall we estimate the "benefit to the state from this increased ex

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pense? Let the hireling advocate of mi

nistry, the protester, who has no feeling "for his country's wrongs and disgraces, "say!-The Extraordinaries" (an article which he explained in familiar terms to the plainest freeholder) " through the whole ex"tent of King William's war, of nine years' "duration, amounted nearly to one million "and a quarter; and of Ann's war for eleven years to two millions'; of George the

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Second's first war, which was ended in "nine years, to three millions and a half; "and for the first four years of his second "and last war to three millions six hundred "thousand pounds. While the same article "for the first four years of the present impolitic, inglorious and fatal war is charged

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at nearly eight millions and a quarter; and "for the year 1778 alone at upwards of three "millions. Thus the Extraordinaries of the 66 army. for one single year of the present

war

"war are very nearly equal to the whole "extraordinaries for twenty years war of "William and Ann, wars of the greatest extent, difficulty, and exertion, as well as'

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glory. And the same Extraordinaries of "the first four years of the present war ex"ceed all the demand for twenty-nine years "war of William, Ann, and George II, by

one million and a half; and are one" "million more than double to the extraordi"naries for the first four years of George II "last war; though the army voted by Par"liament for those years of George II's 66 war exceeded the army voted for the "same term of the present war by thirty"three thousand men. Yet expense blushes "to look upon the present war, while in` "George the Second's contest with the "whole house of Bourbon she proudly bore "her fruits from every quarter of the globe. The Navy Debt is what the Minister

"darés to contract, and involve his country in, beyond the provision of Parliament "for this great bulwark of all our com- ́

VOL. 1.

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"merce,

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merce, power, and glory: and where the "national benefit answers to the debt incurred, it may perhaps be justified; but it "has been reserved for our day to bear at once the most liberal grants of the public

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money, the boldest anticipation of future sums, and the acknowledgement of the ministers, that the fleet of England is too "weak to chastise the perfidy and ambition " of an enemy, whom but yesterday she had "driven out of the seas. This navy debt, "at this moment, exceeds eight millions; "while at the close of the last memorable “ war, when the British flag was seen tri"umphant in every sea of the globe, and gave a serious alarm to every power in Europe, the navy debt did not amount to "six millions, and the addition to this debt "in the single year 1779 is nearly three millions, more than half of what was incurred "throughout the whole progress of the last war; the last war indeed, as it was the highest, of England's glory. This is a gloomy tale to tell to English yeomen; "and while your petition asks the disclosing

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"of these iniquities, an Englishman almost "shudders to look into so dark and ruinous

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Worthy of this profusion, this contempt "of the people's distresses, as of the nation's "disgrace, are a thousand other disburse

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ments, which, however singly of smaller "moment, all together form a dreadful ac66 -count. Near four millions have been re"mitted to North America; but for what “ purpose, remains for the Minister yet to

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say, as for the Parliament yet to ask of "him. The drawing of bills upon the trea

sury by our governors abroad is but a "novel business; this article in 1760, when "the whole continent of North America "was under the superintendance of English

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governors, amounted nearly to 14,000l.: "but so determined is the system of increase "in every form in which expense can insi"nuate itself, that in the year 1778, when

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hardly one British government existed "there, this demand was swelled to what? to double? to triple? to quadruple? nay h 2

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❝ to

"to nearly seven times the former sum! "A musterer of German troops on the home "establishment is appointed at 51. per day, "and a subordinate one at 31. per day; this

might be tolerable while the levying these ".ready instruments of blood carried the "face of duty to such officers; but they are "still continued and paid at the same glorious

rate, though the levies have ceased, The "generosity of the present system scorns to "resume on the poor trifling ground of

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œconomy and the people's relief, what it "has once extended to any of it's favourites. "Another of these Muster-masters is ap

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pointed to officiate in America at 27. per "day; but the gentleman quits neither "England nor his pay; he leaves it to the

grave to muster them. A Superintendant "of recruits is first appointed by this admi"nistration, ingenious only in the invention of expense; and this appointment, with a "herd of under-agents, has cost the nation many thousands. Another new appoint"ment is that of Inspector-general of the

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"forces

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