The Virginia Gazette

To his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester.

SIR,

The common Form of Respect shown to Persons of distinguished Rank is the only Motive of my addressing your Royal Highness, Second to any Man in the Nation. Your Highness's late Conduct and Vote in an august Assembly, on one of the most important and consequential Acts that the three Estates of Parliament can pass, deserves the Thanks of the Friends of Liberty and Protestantism. The Memory of the Deed will last as long as our Annals, and save us from the Charge of total Degeneracy. We now look up to YOU, Sir, as the Friend and Guardian of our Rights and Liberties; and we cannot but express our Satisfaction in seeing the Laws and Religion of the State supported by one, at least, of the illustrious House of Hanover. And we form the higher Opinion of such a noble Discharge of the Trust reposed in your Royal Highness, as one of the Guardians of our Liberties, from the peculiar Situation you are in, and the Relations in which you stand.

The Principles of your Conduct, Sir, are decisive; and we have not the least Shadow of Doubt that your Vote in Parliament arose from a full Conviction that the Bill was subversive of the Constitution, derogatory to the Honour and Interests of your Royal Brother, dangerous to the Establishment both of the Laws and Religion of this Realm, and fatal in its Effects.

It is great Consolation, Royal Sir, to the People of England, to look forward and presage an unbroken Succession of Patriot Kings in your illustrious Line. And though Providence has been pleased to bless your Royal Brother, our Sovereign, with a Progeny of hopeful Princes, yet, as in his Wisdom, God, who sometimes setteth up one, and pulleth down another, may see fit to remove them from their present State, it will no Doubt be some Consolation to them, but much more to us, to think that one of your august House shall sway the Sceptre over a free and consequently a happy People.

TRIBUNUS.