S,79^' political pragrefs of Britain. nj; 



War can serve no other good purpose therefore but to 

 augment the power of the minister, by furnifhing indivi- 

 duals with the means of suddenly enriching themselves by 

 plunder, at the expence of the community at large. It is the 

 hope of this plunder that makes so many voices join in the 

 favourite cry of national glory, — balance of power, — and 

 benefits of trade. It is the hopes of profiting by their aid, 

 in gulling the people at large, that the minister so cordially 

 £ver leads the van in this general cry. Shall man ever 

 continue a child, and allow himself to be led to destruction 

 in leading strings ? 



The writer of the pamphlet before us, has here lent his 

 aid to throw into disrepute the system of war. There 

 still remains a wide field for discufsion with regard to 

 ■other doctrines, that have been cherilhed for ages from the 

 same motives, to which he has not extended his views. 

 These, it is hoped, will come succefsively to be examined, 

 by persons who have the national good at heart ; and who 

 have no connection with party ; no prejudice at individu- 

 al men ; no hopes of being benefitted by the plunder cither 

 of enemies or of friends ; for when once plunder becomes 

 the object, the experience of ages clearly proves, that mea 

 have ever Ihowed themselves as eager to obtain it from 

 their neighbours as from strangers, — from their friends as 

 from their foes. 



Many of the readers of the Bee have imagined that Mr 

 Thunderproof is inimical to the present minister 3 but this 

 opinion does not appear to be well founded. One of the 

 national prejudices that ever has, and probably ever will 

 .prevail, is, that the present minister, whoever he be, ought 

 to be deemed in some measure sacred •, and that every per- 

 son who does not speak and write in that manner, must be 

 ranked among those who have set themselves in opposj- 

 ;on to him, and who, right or wrong, will oppose every 



