They dwell
upon the importance of publick faith, and the necessity of an exact
observation of treaties; as if the Pragmatick sanction had been signed
by no other potentate than the king of Britain, or as if the publick
faith were to be obligatory to us only.
That we should inviolably observe our treaties, and observe them
though every other nation should disregard them; that we should show
an example of fidelity to mankind, and stand firm, though we should
stand alone in the practice of virtue, I shall readily allow; and,
therefore, I am far from advising that we should recede from our
stipulations, whatever we may suffer by performing them, or neglect
the support of the Pragmatick sanction, however we may be at present
embarrassed, or however inconvenient it may be to assert it.
But surely for the same reason that we observe our own stipulations,
we ought to incite other powers, likewise, to the observation of
theirs; at least not contribute to hinder it. But how is our present
conduct agreeable to these principles? The Pragmatick sanction was
confirmed not only by the king of Britain, but by the elector,
likewise, of Hanover, who is, therefore, equally obliged, if treaties
constitute obligation, to defend the house of Austria against the
attacks of any foreign power, and to send in his proportion of troops
to the support of the queen of Hungary.
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