360. ' THE BEE, OR Maruh 2, 



It is much to be regreted, that the prelTure of the prefent 

 moment, added to the prejudices of the times, fliould have 

 ever fo far prevailed, as to oblige feme of thefe ftates to adopt 

 a legal fufpeniion of the payment of debts. I do not condemn 

 this meafure fo much, becaufe of its influence on commerce,^ 

 and its exciting a diifruft among ether nations, though thefe 

 are much greater political evils, than that which it was in- 

 tended to remove : But it is becaufe It tends to vitiate the 

 moral principle, and to corrupt the heart ofjihe people them- 

 h'lves, that it merits the utmofl feverity of reprehenlion from 

 the enlightened politician. In an infant ftate, every evil 

 (hould be fubraitted to, rather than to allow the people to 

 think it pojfible for any circumflance to give the fmalleft mark 

 of toleration to a meafure tliat had but thu Jl?adoiu .of injuf- 

 tice. I (liould not have been furpnfed to have feen this 

 in an old corrupted government ; but here they have begun 

 where other ftates have ended. 



Ea/1 Indies. 



Ol'R territories in India are yet extenfive ; and like a per- 

 son who is on theeveof bankruptcy, to afuperficial obferver, 

 they appear great and brilliant objects j but their remaining 

 in our poffellion, depends rather on the faults of others than 

 our own exertions. Had not Tippoo Saib been a brutal 

 monfter, it is not impofTible, but at tills moment we fhould 

 not have had a footing In India. His vices fight againft 

 him, and aid us. But every defeat adds to the ftrength of 

 the native powers in India; and fo foon as a man of talents 

 and virtue ihall appear among them, the European power in 

 India mull ceafe. This is the unavoidable confequence 

 that muft ever refult from the crooked policy engendered 

 by \\ce. and weaknefs, v.hich has got footing in India un- 

 der the name of fate nectjjity. This fyftem, when once 

 adopted, diffolves all human ties, and leaves nothing but 

 fear as the principle of action. But fear engenders perfidy, 

 that is continually ready to burft, before it gives any warn- 

 ing, on the head of the unworthy oppreffor, or If that fliould 

 fail, It ferves as a principle of union, to conneft together 

 people of the moft oppofite characters and interefts, in order 

 molt effectually to crulh him. It is happy that heaven hath 

 thus annexed punilhment to guilt, which no more can b» 

 leparated than the ftiadow from its fubftance. 



