PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

VI dijfcra;t Furm;
exciting therpby~ and calling farth to the service of
the comm()Dwealth, the faculties of its best citizens.
The evils of a REPUBLIC are, dissention, tUlnults J
faction; the attempts of powerful citizens to pas;
sess themselves of the empire; the confusion, rage~
a:ld clamour, which are ttle inevitable consequences
of a~sembljng multitudes," and of propounding Questions
of state to the:: .'iscussion of the peop!e ; the de ..
lay and di~closUl·~ r f public co~sels and designs;
and the imbecilit J ill measures retarded by the ne·
cessit y of obtaining the consent of numbers ; lastly,
the oppression of the provinces which are not admit.
ted to :t participation in the legislative power.
A mi:ed government is composed by the combina.
tion of two or more of the simple forms ~f government
above described; aIid, in whatever proportion each
form enters into the constitution of a government,
in the same proportion rna y both the advantages and
evils, which we have attributed to that form, be e.x,·
peeted ; that is, those ~e the uses to be maintained and
cultivated in each part of the ~onstitution, and these
-
., are the dangers to be pro\ridtd against in each.
Thus, if secrecy and dispatch be truly enumerated
amongst the separate excellences of regal go,·ernment;
then a mixed government, which retain:~
monarchy in one part of its constitution, should be
careful that the other estates of the elnpire do not, b}:
an officious aild inquisitive interference '..virh the ex:­
ecutive functions, which are, or ought to be, resen·"
ed to tile administration of the prince, interpose de··
lays, or divuige \vhat it is expedient to con:eal. On.
the other hand, jf profusion, exaction, militar)- dOln·
ination and needless wars, be ju~tly accounted nat,
~iral proIJt:rties of 111(,n~rcl))T, in its simple unq ilalified
form; then are these the objects to which, ill a mix­
~J governnwnt, th·: ari tocratic and popular parts of
the constit uti()}l ought to c:!irect their vigilance; ttle
Jangers against which they should raise and fortify
their barriers: these are departmcIlrs c·f sO\Ft:reignty,
over \vl!ich a Jh)\Ver of ill :pectJon and (:on:ro! ought
f
'.0 be Jcp(~~'it;:d ',', jtl1 tlw people.