thoughts on the present discontents-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


leaders　and　of　Mr。　Pitt　（in　spite　of　the　services　of　the　one　at　the
accession　of　the　Royal　Family；　and　the　recent　services　of　the　other
in　the　war）；　the　TWO　ONLY　SECURITIES　FOR　THE　IMPORTANCE　OF　THE
PEOPLE：　　POWER　ARISING　FROM　POPULARITY；　AND　POWER　ARISING　FROM
CONNECTION。　　Here　and　there　indeed　a　few　individuals　were　left
standing；　who　gave　security　for　their　total　estrangement　from　the
odious　principles　of　party　connection　and　personal　attachment；　and
it　must　be　confessed　that　most　of　them　have　religiously　kept　their
faith。　　Such　a　change　could　not；　however；　be　made　without　a　mighty
shock　to　Government。

To　reconcile　the　minds　of　the　people　to　all　these　movements；
principles　correspondent　to　them　had　been　preached　up　with　great
zeal。　　Every　one　must　remember　that　the　Cabal　set　out　with　the　most
astonishing　prudery；　both　moral　and　political。　　Those　who　in　a　few
months　after　soused　over　head　and　ears　into　the　deepest　and　dirtiest
pits　of　corruption；　cried　out　violently　against　the　indirect
practices　in　the　electing　and　managing　of　Parliaments；　which　had
formerly　prevailed。　　This　marvellous　abhorrence　which　the　Court　had
suddenly　taken　to　all　influence；　was　not　only　circulated　in
conversation　through　the　kingdom；　but　pompously　announced　to　the
public；　with　many　other　extraordinary　things；　in　a　pamphlet　which
had　all　the　appearance　of　a　manifesto　preparatory　to　some
considerable　enterprise。　　Throughout；　it　was　a　satire；　though　in
terms　managed　and　decent　enough；　on　the　politics　of　the　former
reign。　　It　was　indeed　written　with　no　small　art　and　address。

In　this　piece　appeared　the　first　dawning　of　the　new　system；　there
first　appeared　the　idea　（then　only　in　speculation）　of　SEPARATING　THE
COURT　FROM　THE　ADMINISTRATION；　of　carrying　everything　from　national
connection　to　personal　regards；　and　of　forming　a　regular　party　for
that　purpose；　under　the　name　of　KING'S　MEN。

To　recommend　this　system　to　the　people；　a　perspective　view　of　the
Court；　gorgeously　painted；　and　finely　illuminated　from　within；　was
exhibited　to　the　gaping　multitude。　　Party　was　to　be　totally　done
away；　with　all　its　evil　works。　　Corruption　was　to　be　cast　down　from
Court；　as　Ate　was　from　heaven。　　Power　was　thenceforward　to　be　the
chosen　residence　of　public　spirit；　and　no　one　was　to　be　supposed
under　any　sinister　influence；　except　those　who　had　the　misfortune　to
be　in　disgrace　at　Court；　which　was　to　stand　in　lieu　of　all　vices　and
all　corruptions。　　A　scheme　of　perfection　to　be　realised　in　a
Monarchy；　far　beyond　the　visionary　Republic　of　Plato。　　The　whole
scenery　was　exactly　disposed　to　captivate　those　good　souls；　whose
credulous　morality　is　so　invaluable　a　treasure　to　crafty
politicians。　　Indeed；　there　was　wherewithal　to　charm　everybody；
except　those　few　who　are　not　much　pleased　with　professions　of
supernatural　virtue；　who　know　of　what　stuff　such　professions　are
made；　for　what　purposes　they　are　designed；　and　in　what　they　are　sure
constantly　to　end。　　Many　innocent　gentlemen；　who　had　been　talking
prose　all　their　lives　without　knowing　anything　of　the　matter；　began
at　last　to　open　their　eyes　upon　their　own　merits；　and　to　attribute
their　not　having　been　Lords　of　the　Treasury　and　Lords　of　Trade　many
years　before　merely　to　the　prevalence　of　party；　and　to　the
Ministerial　power；　which　had　frustrated　the　good　intentions　of　the
Court　in　favour　of　their　abilities。　　Now　was　the　time　to　unlock　the
sealed　fountain　of　Royal　bounty；　which　had　been　infamously
monopolised　and　huckstered；　and　to　let　it　flow　at　large　upon　the
whole　people。　　The　time　was　come　to　restore　Royalty　to　its　original
splendour。　　Mettre　le　Roy　hors　de　page；　became　a　sort　of　watchword。
And　it　was　constantly　in　the　mouths　of　all　the　runners　of　the　Court；
that　nothing　could　preserve　the　balance　of　the　constitution　from
being　overturned　by　the　rabble；　or　by　a　faction　of　the　nobility；　but
to　free　the　Sovereign　effectually　from　that　Ministerial　tyranny
under　which　the　Royal　dignity　had　been　oppressed　in　the　person　of
his　Majesty's　grandfather。

These　were　some　of　the　many　artifices　used　to　reconcile　the　people
to　the　great　change　which　was　made　in　the　persons　who　composed　the
Ministry；　and　the　still　greater　which　was　made　and　avowed　in　its
constitution。　　As　to　individuals；　other　methods　were　employed　with
them；　in　order　so　thoroughly　to　disunite　every　party；　and　even　every
family；　that　NO　CONCERT；　ORDER；　OR　EFFECT；　MIGHT　APPEAR　IN　ANY
FUTURE　OPPOSITION。　　And　in　this　manner　an　Administration　without
connection　with　the　people；　or　with　one　another；　was　first　put　in
possession　of　Government。　　What　good　consequences　followed　from　it；
we　have　all　seen；　whether　with　regard　to　virtue；　public　or　private；
to　the　ease　and　happiness　of　the　Sovereign；　or　to　the　real　strength
of　Government。　　But　as　so　much　stress　was　then　laid　on　the　necessity
of　this　new　project；　it　will　not　be　amiss　to　take　a　view　of　the
effects　of　this　Royal　servitude　and　vile　durance；　which　was　so
deplored　in　the　reign　of　the　late　Monarch；　and　was　so　carefully　to
be　avoided　in　the　reign　of　his　successor。　　The　effects　were　these。

In　times　full　of　doubt　and　danger　to　his　person　and　family；　George
the　Second　maintained　the　dignity　of　his　Crown　connected　with　the
liberty　of　his　people；　not　only　unimpaired；　but　improved；　for　the
space　of　thirty…three　years。　　He　overcame　a　dangerous　rebellion；
abetted　by　foreign　force；　and　raging　in　the　heart　of　his　kingdoms；
and　thereby　destroyed　the　seeds　of　all　future　rebellion　that　could
arise　upon　the　same　principle。　　He　carried　the　glory；　the　power；　the
commerce　of　England；　to　a　height　unknown　even　to　this　renowned
nation　in　the　times　of　its　greatest　prosperity：　　and　he　left　his
succession　resting　on　the　true　and　only　true　foundation　of　all
national　and　all　regal　greatness；　affection　at　home；　reputation
abroad；　trust　in　allies；　terror　in　rival　nations。　　The　most　ardent
lover　of　his　country　cannot　wish　for　Great　Britain　a　happier　fate
than　to　continue　as　she　was　then　left。　　A　people　emulous　as　we　are
in　affection　to　our　present　Sovereign；　know　not　how　to　form　a　prayer
to　Heaven　for　a　greater　blessing　upon　his　virtues；　or　a　higher　state
of　felicity　and　glory；　than　that　he　should　live；　and　should　reign；
and；　when　Providence　ordains　it；　should　die；　exactly　like　his
illustrious　predecessor。

A　great　Prince　may　be　obliged　（though　such　a　thing　cannot　happen
very　often）　to　sacrifice　his　private　inclination　to　his　public
interest。　　A　wise　Prince　will　not　think　that　such　a　restraint
implies　a　condition　of　servility；　and　truly；　if　such　was　the
condition　of　the　last　reign；　and　the　effects　were　also　such　as　we
have　described；　we　ought；　no　less　for　the　sake　of　the　Sovereign　whom
we　love；　than　for　our　own；　to　hear　arguments　convincing　indeed；
before　we　depart　from　the　maxims　of　that　reign；　or　fly　in　the　face
of　this　great　body　of　strong　and　recent　experience。

One　of　the　principal　topics　which　was　then；　and　has　been　since；　much
employed　by　that　political　school；　is　an　effectual　terror　of　the
growth　of　an　aristocratic　power；　prejudicial　to　the　rights　of　the
Crown；　and　the　balance　of　the　constitution。　　Any　new　powers
exercised　in　the　House　of　Lords；　or　in　the　House　of　Commons；　or　by
the　Crown；　ought　certainly　to　excite　the　vigilant　and　anxious
jealousy　of　a　free　people。　　Even　a　new　and　unprecedented　course　of
action　in　the　whole　Legislature；　without　great　and　evident　reason；
may　be　a　subject　of　just　uneasiness。　　I　will　not　affirm；　that　there
may　not　have　lately　appeared　in　the　House　of　Lords　a　disposition　to
some　attempts　derogatory　to　the　legal　rights　of　the　subject。　　If　any
such　have　really　appeared；　they　have　arisen；　not　from　a　power
properly　aristocratic；　but　from　the　same　influence　which　is　charged
with　having　excited　attempts　of　a　similar　nature　in　the　House　of
Commons；　which　House；　if　it　should　have　been　betrayed　into　an
unfortunate　quarrel　with　its　constituents；　and　involved　in　a　charge
of　the　very　same　nature；　could　have　neither　power　nor　inclination　to
repel　such　attempts　in　others。　　Those　attempts　in　the　House　of　Lords
can　no　more　be　called　aristocratic　proceedings；　than　the　proceedings
with　regard　to　the　county　of　Middlesex　in　the　House　of　Commons　can
with　any　sense　be　called　democratical。

It　is　true；　that　the　Peers　have　a　great　influence　in　the　kingdom；
and　in　every　part　of　the　public　concerns。　　While　they　are　men　of
property；　it　is　impossible　to　prevent　it；　except　by　such　means　as
must　prevent　all　property　from　its　natural　operation：　　an　event　not
easily　to　be　compassed；　while　property　is　power；　nor　by　any　means　to
be　wished；　while　the　least　notion　exists　of　the　method　by　which　the
spirit　of　liberty　acts；　and　of　the　means　by　which　it　is　preserved。
If　any　particular　Peers；　by　their　uniform；　upright；　constitutional
conduct；　by　their　public　and　their　private　virtues；　have　acquired　an
influence　in　the　country；　the　people　on　whose　favour　that　influence
depends；　and　from　whom　it　arose；　will　never　be　duped　into　an
opinion；　that　such　greatness　in　a　Peer　is　the　despotism　of　an
aristocracy；　when　they　know　and　feel　it　to　be　the　effect　and　pledge
of　their　own　importance。

I　am　no　friend　to　aristocracy；　in　the　s