If any thing could embitter the Remembrance of our late Misfortunes, it must be those Circumstances that have suspended the Fate of the Author of them so long, contrary to the united Demands of the Kingdom. We are not so barbarously impatient for Justice, as to deny an equitable Trial to the worst of Criminals; but we cannot see why the Satisfaction of an injured People should be delayed; and we can never be too jealous of that Power which enables us to arraign the greatest Crimes, and condemn the most capital Offenders. And, with relation to the present Case, nothing but the most scrupulous Mercy could have deliberated on the Execution of his Sentence so long. The Fury of the People was subsided. All the Weapons, which Falshood and Calumny could invent, to transfer the Odium of this Transaction to a higher Cause. His Situation was considered with all the Allowance that Candour could make: His Judges entered upon his Trial free from all Prejudice and Passion, and every Witness that was desired was granted. So that all Complaints of ill Usage and Injustice are urged without the least Shadow of Foundation; and there is not the least Reason to pretend that he falls a Sacrifice to the Resentment of a private Party.—If he has the Sanction of Authority to produce, let his Commission be shewn, and the Mystery of the whole Combination be unfolded: But if no Associates should be found, if the original Springs of our Mischiefs should be inaccessible, we do know the Instruments of them, and whether Bribery or Disaffection, or Cowardice or Negligence, has principally prevailed.—We know what we ought to have done, and need not be reminded what we have lost. We are sensible who reflected Disgrace upon his Majesty’s Flag, abandoned his gallant Countrymen, and infamously retreated to Gibraltar, while our Enemies were seizing an undefended Garrison, and triumphing in those Seas which never acknowledged any but a British Sovereign before. When we repose such an important Trust in the Hands of a Commander, the least Neglect in the Discharge of it is a Crime of the most aggravated Nature. What can make us a Recompence for what we have lost? not all the Spoils of Plunder, nor the Profits of illicit Trade. The Forfeiture of that immense Fortune he has accumulated would be no Amends; and the Sacrifice of that Life he did not rashly expose to Danger, would be too small an Atonement of our Wrongs. Did we not hone so memorable an Example would do Justice to our Name, and prevent the same sad Misconduct from ever being transacted any more.
If there be any Weight in these Observations, Mr. Byng has been treated with no cruel Severity to which he was not intitled; and whoever exert themselves as Patrons and Defenders of his Cause, cannot hope to be exempt from the unsparing Censures of the Publick.—Your Lordship’s Evidence has not been the least remarkable: You have befriended him in open Court; and in private Conversation you have not scrupled to express your favourable Opinion of his Conduct, in Opposition to the general Belief of his Country.—Whatever Principles you may have declared in the latter Case, I shall not charge you with; but your Depositions, as an Evidence, are subject to every one’s Examination; and these, I presume, are far from making his Character appear in a more agreeable Point of View than it was placed in before. If your Lordship could have discovered one Reason why Mr. Byng’s Ship was prevented from bearing down upon the Enemy with all Expedition; why he was kept back so long, that one of our own Ships, which did not sail so well as the Ramillies, was able to get betwixt him and the Enemy, and was in great Danger therefore of receiving her Fire—you would have alledged an Argument in his Defence more material and important, than a thousand Encomiums on his Calmness and Presence of Mind. Facts are the only solid Tests of Truth, and the only Proofs which are liable to no Ambiguity: And if we appeal to these, may we not suppose that every Contingency that furnished a Pretence for Trifling and Delay, was gladly embraced.——What Appearance is there of the least Ardour to engage, or the smallest Attention to improve any favourable Event to his Advantage? Where was the Spirit of Resolution and Enterprize worthy of a British Commander? What Losses did he receive, but that of a Timber-head? What Danger could he apprehend, when the Enemy’s Fire did not reach a Ship in his Division much nearer than himself?——Where was the Heroism of delivering his Orders without Terror or Confusion, while he was situated at so harmless a Distance? If this can proceed from Neglect, it may cost us more than Minorca——our Navy and Kingdom too. And what can Cowardice or Disaffection do more?——The most friendly and partial Evidences do him no Honour, and represent him, at best, but as an inactive, inglorious Spectator, indifferent to Victory, rather than as a vigorous Commander, whose Country’s Reputation, as well as his own, was immediately interested in the Event. And if the unexceptionable Attestations of the rest have any Authority with them, we cannot be at a Loss to whom we shall ascribe the Defeat of that fatal Expedition; and we cannot but think a Solicitude to defend a Conduct so undeniably culpable, will deserve Part of the Ignominy which attends it. Your Friends, fearful of pronouncing too hasty a Sentence, rejected a great many Reports which enhanced the Guilt of this Action, and waved their Opinion till the most material Circumstances were confirmed by the Court-Martial.
They are sensible of the Difficulty of forming a just Judgment upon an Engagement, which requires such extensive Skill, and so minute an Attention, to be free from all Exception: Yet when they see a Ship of the first Note, for sailing, scandalously loitering in the Rear, without any just Impediment, while the rest were sustaining unequal Fire, with not one Man wounded or killed during the whole Time, though all the Evidences were unanimous in commending the Admiral, we could not help condemning it as defective; and while this is the Case, we cannot approve of your endeavouring to obstruct or mitigate the Punishment such Misbehaviour deserves. These Remonstrances are not the Dictates of Passion and Malice; but of a Desire for the impartial unbiassed Administration of Justice. The Honour of every brave Man is dear, as the Actions of every Coward are odious, to his Country.——It is incumbent on your Lordship to remove all Suspicions of Partiality from the Minds of your Friends, that your Memory may not be transmitted to Posterity in Connection with that Name, which they will have as much Reason to detest as their Ancestors had to admire.
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.