ABSTRACT
MIGHTY Empires, as well as Individuals have fallen through luxury and dissipation; but it has remained, from the beginning of time, for this Æra to produce an example, wherein a settled System of wanton disaffection on the part of some, and folly in others, should unite to the ruin of themselves and their Country. Such a Solecism in common sense and policy, could never be credited, if the consequence of their infatuation was not so apparent, as to present the gloomy certainty, (should they persevere) of their destruction. To lament their fate, as involving numbers of innocent well-meaning people in their ruin, to warn them of their danger, is natural and humane, even though I should be mistaken in the principles I reason from. Yet such is the nature of faction at all times, but more particularly now, that it is more than probable, the utmost efforts of the Party will be to obscure the Philanthropy of the intention in clouds of abuse; though according to my principles I cannot possible have any other in view, than to inform the deluded well-meaning part of the community, that our present distress does not principally proceed from the restrictions laid upon our trade by Great Britain, and that consequently the scheme of Independence under the auspices of France, (and for a reception of which, the Party must first poison the minds of the people to render them disaffected) is chimerical, criminal and ruinous. /
