Jan. 9. Craftsman, No. 236.
ALL his oratory here is pointed at the person of a certain great man whom he represents as affecting all the qualities and requisites of the most consummate statesman, without any qualifications in him necessary for so high a post. He ridicules him for a ready habit of lying, because it is sometimes proper for a politician to conceal the truth: Charges him with a dark mysterious proceeding on all Occasions, because secrecy is requir'd in a statesman, and adds, that 'tis a proof that his secret services are great by the large sums requir'd for carrying them on. Says, good Intelligence is another excellent property in an able statesman, and therefore our mock minister apes him in this particular; gives a long detail of instances to illustrate what he advances.
Confesses, indeed, that the fluctuation of affairs hath oblig'd the ministry to go from court to court; to make treaties, which (as observ'd by the author of the London Journal) it is by no means proper to execute ——— and adds, They found us engag'd in a treaty with the Emperor; but they have very wisely vary'd from it ——— They made a Treaty with France; and have hitherto very wisely observ'd it ——— they sent a large Squadron of ships, with an hostile appearance, and without any declaration of war, into the West-Indies; but they wisely gave the Admiral instructions not to make use of any other force than perswasion ——— They sent another squadron into the Baltick; and a third into the Mediterranean; but they very wisely gave the Commanders of them the same pacifick Instructions; even tho' Spain was actually at war with us, and attacking one of our most valuable possessions ——— They afterwards enter'd into a treaty with Spain; but they have hitherto very wisely declin'd to put it in execution; and if they are now negotiating another treaty at Vienna, as we have been told, I doubt not that the same wisdom will appear in it, whether it is design'd to be put in execution or not.
He concludes by reducing his harangue into a kind of problematical order, and makes a great many bold interrogatories, the answering of which, he imagines, would lay his opponents under the dilemma, of disapproving their own conduct, or allowing the justness of his arguments; such as these; Will our M———r execute the treaty of Seville, or will he not? would a Reconciliation at Vienna, tho' justifiable in other persons, be so in him? hath not the Emperor shewn that he does not fear us? will he not affect to show that he doth not want us? and many other queries to the like purpose. See London Journal of the 16th. p. 6, 7. and Free Briton of the 14th, p. 16, 17.
Craftsman, Jan. 16, No. 237.
Complains of the hardship that the authors of the Craftsman lye under; that a certain gentleman makes use of his authority to restrain their pens, while he employs others to throw about scandal at random; and others are suffer'd to call the authors of the Craftsman, traytors and villains!
Makes some reflections on the London Journal Jan. 9. which had took to pieces his Hague Letter, concerning the report of a negotiation at Vienna.
Mr Osborne in the London Journal having exposed a paradox from the Craftsman, that the ministry are never right; when they do what the Craftsmen count wroung; and yet wrong, when they do what the Craftsmen count right; the Craftsman observes, that 'tis allow'd that an accommodation with the Emperor is a right measure, but attended with fatal consequences, and almost insuperable difficulties; because such measures might be resented by other courts as an infraction of treaties, which Mr. Osborne says, were only occasional and temporal.
The Craftsman supposes these alliances to be such, but then asks, Will our allies understand 'em in the samesense,
