Chapter 2

When the necessary Rigor of the military Oeconomy is relaxed by an unbounded Indulgence to superior Officers, when supreme Orders are stripped of all their Meaning and Force, by the arbitrary Construction of those to whom they are directed, when the greatest Offenders, relying upon their affluent Fortunes and almighty Influence, shall be able to resist the united Demands of a whole People, crying for Vengeance, we can never be astonished at the Consequences which will follow. The Restraint of publick Awe will be removed, popular Displeasure despised, and our invaluable Possessions will be sacrificed to Indolence, Timidity, or private Revenge.--That this was our Case we had but too much Reason to apprehend, when such uncommon Circumstances of Delay protracted the Execution of a late Sentence so long. At last we find that neither Artifice nor Intreaty, Interest nor Power, can wrest from us that Victim to Justice which our Misfortunes require of us.----Whether we are to look upon any hidden Mover in this dark Labyrinth as antecedently guilty or no, we refer to the Deliberations of Parliament; and, waving all Assertions and Murmurs not sufficiently supported, shall acquiesce in the Result of their impartial Enquiries.

My Lord, you cannot do greater Justice to yourself, or Favour to your Friends, than by promoting, to the utmost of your Power, that Scrutiny we have recommended to you, that the Causes of our Disasters may no longer be concealed, nor their Authors escape with Impunity: May future Discoveries reflect an agreeable Light upon your Conduct, and restore you to that Esteem you once deservedly possessed. If these Reasonings are not founded on so exact a Knowledge of the inaccessible Situation of _St. Philip_'s, or so accurate a Calculation of the Force of the two Squadrons as your Lordship obtained, we may expect you will confute them by an open Vindicacation; for Silence and Contempt will only confirm them.

It would be malignantly partial to have directed the popular Clamour against you, had not you invited this Address by the Talk you voluntarily undertook, in which you have advanced so little material, that the Admiral was indebted more to the Generosity of your Friendship than the Merit of your Evidence.

To draw this Letter to a Conclusion; when the Actions of any Officer are not called to publick Account, it creates a strong and probable Presumption in his Defence: But there is a secret Judge in every human Breast, by which a brave Man would always wish to be approved. Honour erects a more equitable Tribunal; and its Decrees are irreversable. To stand acquitted there, it is necessary that every Prejudice and Exception, which tend to diminish the Fame of any Exploit, be cleared up and removed.

Those which lie against your Lordship are here faithfully related, without any groundless Aspersions or malicious Conjectures.--But it is too painful to dwell on this critical Subject any longer; may the Review of past Misfortunes animate us to a more vigorous Execution of future Measures. Our Enemies have longed triumphed in their perfidious Spoils, and reaped the Fruit of our Negligence and Misconduct.----The last dear Prizes are at Stake, our Possessions and our Being in the most critical Suspence.----Yet, when a wise and uncorrupted Administration sustains the arduous Offices of Government, when Valour and Integrity conduct our Arms, when our Commanders are recompensed with their just Deserts,----a brighter Prospect will dawn upon us; _Britain_ may once more lift up her Head, her withered Laurels revive, and her Dominion over the Deep be re-assumed.--That the Infamy of our late Mismanagement may be effaced by the Steadiness of our Councils, and the Propriety of all our Measures; and that your Lordship may take an honourable and distinguished Part therein, is the sincere and ardent Wish of,

MY LORD, Your most obedient Humble Servant.

End of Project Gutenberg's A Letter to Lord Robert Bertie, by Anonymous