The Scottish party are pretty much confounded with the set of men that are called, by way of distinction, the king’s friends.  The design of these men has been to exalt regal power and prerogative upon the ruins of aristocracy, and the neck of the people.  Arguments, and those by no means of a frivolous description, have been brought to prove, that a most subtle and deep-laid scheme was formed by them, in the beginning of the reign, to subserve this odious purpose.  It has been supposed to have been pursued with the most inflexible constancy, and, like a skiff, when it sails along the meandering course of a river, finally to have turned to account the most untoward gales.

Lord North, whatever we may suppose to have been his intrinsic abilities, stands forward, as, perhaps, the most unfortunate minister, that this country ever produced.  Misfortune overtook him in the assertion of the highest monarchical principles.  In spite of misfortune, he adherred inflexibly to that assertion.  In the most critical situations he remained in a state of hesitation and uncertainty, till the tide, that “taken at the flood, led up to fortune,” was lost.  His versatility, and the undisguised attachment, that he manifested to emolument and power, were surely unworthy of the stake that was entrusted to him.

In what I have now said, I do not much fear to be contradicted.  It was not with a view to such as are attached to any of these parties, that I have taken up the pen.  Those who come under this description, are almost universally the advocates of monarchy, and think that they have nothing to regret, but that power and police are not established upon a more uncontrolable footing among us.  To such persons I do not address myself.  I know of nothing that the friends of lord Rockingham have to offer that can be of any weight with them; and, for my own part, I should blush to say a word, that should tend to conciliate their approbation to a system, in which my heart was interested.  The men I wish chiefly to have in view, are those that are personally attached to the earl of Shelburne; such as stand aloof from all parties, and are inclined to have but an indifferent opinion of any; and such as have adhered to the connexion I have undertaken to defend, but whose approbation has been somewhat cooled by their late conduct.  The two last in particular, I consider as least under the power of prejudice, and most free to the influence of rational conviction.

The friends of freedom have, I believe, in no instance hesitated, but between the Rockingham connexion, and the earl of Shelburne.  It is these two then that it remains for me to examine.  Lord Shelburne had the misfortune of coming very early upon the public stage.  At that time he connected himself with the earl of Bute, and entered with warmth into the opposition to Mr. secretary Pitt.  In this system of conduct, however, he did not long persist; he speedily broke with the favourite, and soon after joined the