I QO MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEXVICK. 



able energy and bravery, like a whirlwind, swept 

 the advocates and the armies of despotism from off 

 the face of the earth. Thus roused, this con- 

 federacy of Legitimates, finding or fearing that 

 they might be baffled in their attempts, looked to 

 England for support ; and grieved, indeed, were 

 the advocates of rational liberty to find that these 

 enemies to freedom had not looked in vain ; for 

 the government of this free country and free people 

 long veering, indeed, from the line of rectitude- 

 had readily found pretexts for entering into a war 

 in support of despotism ; and war was begun, in 

 the year 1793, against the republican government 

 of France. 



It had long been the settled opinion of many 

 profound politicians, that corruption had spread, 

 and was spreading, its baneful influence among 

 the members of the government of this kingdom ; 

 and that the majority cared nothing about main- 

 taining the constitution in its purity, which to 

 them was become like an old song. In this state 

 of things, with Mr. Pitt at their head, and the 

 resources of the British Isles in their hands, it 

 was calculated upon as a certainty that his weight, 

 added to the already powerful confederacy, would 

 soon put a stop to the march of intellect, and, 

 if found necessary, put an extinguisher upon the 

 rights of man. 



It is horrible to contemplate the immense de- 

 struction of human beings, and the waste of 

 treasure, which followed and - supported this 

 superlatively wicked war. Under the mask of 

 patriotism, Mr. Pitt had begun his career, but 

 he soon changed sides, and, blinded perhaps by 

 ambition, became the powerful advocate of an 



