Page:Letters of Junius, volume 2 (Woodfall, 1772).djvu/114

104 them to surrender it by degrees, consequently has warned them to hold up and inhance the price;—so that the plan of reducing the four per cents must either be dropped entirely, or continue with an increasing disadvantage to the public. The minister's sagacity has served to raise the value of the thing he means to purchase, and to sink that of the three per cents, which it is his purpose to sell. In effect, he has contrived to make it the interest of the proprietor of the four per cents to sell out and buy three per cents in the market, rather than subscribe his stock upon any terms that can possibly be offered by government.

state of the nation leads us naturally to consider the situation of the King. The prorogation of parliament has the effect of a temporary dissolution. The odium of measures adopted by the collective body sits lightly upon the separate members, who composed it. They retire into summer quarters, and rest from the disgraceful labours of the campaign. But as for the sovereign, it is not so with him. HE has a permanent existence in this country; HE cannot withdraw himself from the complaints,