JB/009/070/001

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Soon after the publication of the foregoing the following Ministerial apology
appeared. Bentham attributed it, on what he thought good authority to the
King himself

Letter II.
To the Printer of the Public Advertizer
June 4, 1789.

Sir

In several of the public papers, but particularly
those called Opposition papers, great pains I observe, have lately been taken
to blame his Majesty's Ministers for having concluded the late
Treaty of Defensive Alliance with the King of Prussia. The manner
in which most of the authors of these remarks have treated
the subject, proves, that the ardour of serving their party
has led them far beyond the sphere of their knowledge and
that they are very little acquainted with the different
interests of the several powers of Europe, of whose respective
political situations an exact statement appeared
in one of your papers some time in the beginning
of May.* The necessity of a continental ally being
allowed on all sides, the enemies of the treaty in
question could do no less than point out another Power, as preferable to the King of Prussia; and they have very
wisely fixed upon Russia. But whilst, in order to
prove prove the advantages of an alliance with that Empire,
they represent it's power by sea and by land in it's utmost
magnitude, they seem not to be aware, that,
what they allege as an inducement to an alliance,
might partly be looked upon as a sufficient reason
for declining it. The power of Russia has lately
grown to uch a pitch, that, in the opinion of the
best informed statesman, it threatens to overthrow
the political balance of Europe. But by the present judicious combination of England, Prussia, Sweden,
and perhaps Denmark, it is likely to receive a reasonable
check; and, in proportion as Russia will
thereby be reduced, Sweden will rise in importance
and

* Mr. Elliott's declaration to Count Bernstoff - (May 10.)

Identifier: | JB/009/070/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 9.
Date_1	1789-06-04	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	009	Main Headings
Folio number	070	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	copy/fair copy sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	c1
Penner	john flowerdew colls; richard doane	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public	bowring, x, 206-207	ID Number	3371
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