Untitled - Rore Sanctifica

2 The Exigency of Truth.
extreme opponents of those measures, became at
length convinced that they had not therein acted
rightly, seeing that they had helped on a party
of whose later actions they could not possibly
approve. What was to be done ? Were they
immediately to change sides, and fight against
their former friends on the side of the Cava
liers, whose principles they were convinced now
were in the main right ? There are extreme
moralists who will at once sav undoubtedly they
j / j
ouffht. More moderate men will believe, howo
/
ever, that they did better in forming a strong
Conservative party in the midst of the Repub
licans. To this party, as is well known, the
Restoration was due,
a fact, which had Charles
II. borne it more in mind, might have preserved
the crown to his dynasty. It is not contended
that the line which this party adopted was free
from difficulty no moral question is so. It
must have seemed to many among them a
/ o
dereliction of duty to stand by at the dictates
of prudence and policy, w r hilst those with whom
they principally agreed were being borne clown
for the want of that aid which each individually
had it in his power to afford. And when, after
his triumph, the tyranny of the usurper had
created manv dissidents, it might ~ have seemed
,
criminal acquiescence in evil to remain still,
especially as one who had a right
to their
allegiance was calling upon them to dethrone