they now declare more fully their respect for property than they did at that time?  And yet was there ever known such horrid violences and confiscations as instantly followed under the very persons now in power, many of them leading members of that Assembly, and all of them violators of that engagement which was the very basis of their republic,—­confiscations in which hundreds of men, women, and children, not guilty of one act of duty in resisting their usurpation, were involved?  This keeping of their old is, then, to give us a confidence in their new engagements.  But examine the matter, and you will see that the prevaricating sons of violence give no relief at all, where at all it can be wanted.  They renew their old fraudulent declaration against confiscations, and then they expressly exclude all adherents to their ancient lawful government from any benefit of it:  that is to say, they promise that they will secure all their brother plunderers in their share of the common plunder.  The fear of being robbed by every new succession of robbers, who do not keep even the faith of that kind of society, absolutely required that they should give security to the dividends of spoil, else they could not exist a moment.  But it was necessary, in giving security to robbers, that honest men should be deprived of all hope of restitution; and thus their interests were made utterly and eternally incompatible.  So that it appears that this boasted security of property is nothing more than a seal put upon its destruction; this ceasing of confiscation is to secure the confiscators against the innocent proprietors.  That very thing which is held out to you as your cure is that which makes your malady, and renders it, if once it happens, utterly incurable.  You, my Lord, who possess a considerable, though not an invidious estate, may be well assured, that, if, by being engaged, as you assuredly would be, in the defence of your religion, your king, your order, your laws, and liberties, that estate should be put under confiscation, the property would be secured, but in the same manner, at your expense.

But, after all, for what purpose are we told of this reformation in their principles, and what is the policy of all this softening in ours, which is to be produced by their example?  It is not to soften us to suffering innocence and virtue, but to mollify us to the crimes and to the society of robbers and ruffians.  But I trust that our countrymen will not be softened to that kind of crimes and criminals; for, if we should, our hearts will be hardened to everything which has a claim on our benevolence.  A kind Providence has placed in our breasts a hatred of the unjust and cruel, in order that we may preserve ourselves from cruelty and injustice.  They who bear cruelty are accomplices in it.  The pretended gentleness which excludes that charitable rancor produces an indifference which is half an approbation.  They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate.