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

Britisl, CCllS Iii zlti{;r;.
~ny rpac;on of public utility, for thi! preference of one
(ompctitor to another. These cases compose the
province of influence; that i.:, the deci!>ion in the~e
~a!'-es will inevitably be det~rmined by influence of
some ~ort or other. The only doubt is, what influence
shall be admitted. If you remove the influence
of the crOWD-; it is only to make wa}Y for influence
from a djtf~rent quarter. If motives of expectation
and gratitude be withdra\VIl, other motives will succeed
in their place, acting probably in an opposite direction,
but equally irrelati,re and external to the
proper merits of the qu~~tion. There exist, as we
have seen, passions in the tJuman heart, v.hich \vill
always make a strong party against the executive
po,\~er of a Inixed government. According as the
!Fsposition of parliament is friendly or advt:rse to !he
l·ccommendation of the crown in matters ,,·hien are
J-eallv or apparently indifferent, as indifference hattl
J
be2n no\v explained,
I
the bllsiness
.
of ell)?ire \.. ~ill be
!rJ.n~acted \\·ith e~se and convenience, or embarrassed
\virh endless contention and difficulty. Nor is it a
COIlclusion founded in justice, or \\:arranred byexpe­
~ience, that, because men are induced by vie,,"s of interest
to yidJ their con::ent to measures,:- concerning
1Nhich their judgment decides nothing~ they may be
brought by the same influence, to act in deliberate
opposition to knowledge and duty. \\Thoever re ..
views the uperations of government in this countrj
:;ince the revolution, ,viI) filld few, e\~en of the most
questionable mea~ures of administration. about which
the be~t in~tructed judgment might not have doubt.
cd at tIle time: hilt ot' \\1hich 11e nlav affirm \vith
J
certainty, that they were indijfertlzt to the greatest
part of tl10se \\'ho conclirred in thetli, Frc:m the
~
~UCce5$ or the facility, with which ti:ey who dealt
out the p:.ltronage of the crown carried measures like
these, ought we to conclude, that a similar appHca ..
!jon of 11l)11~:~r~ and Clll()lulncllts ,,~o\lld pr()cure tIle
conient of p;~r1iamcnt to ·:onnsels cviJf'mly detrimental
t() tl1r Cr~nllJ10l1 \\'elf~,re ?-Is ther~ !~nr, till tile
contrary, more reason tv fear, that the: ~}rl'rl)gatiV(':
if deprived of illfluL'n\:~, \\{JUld, not !;~ lwn~ lbl,.! to