HISTORY OF ENGLAND

78 DISSOLUTION OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT. XI. 5.A.D. 1652.aid in filling up the vacant places in the way proposed. Hewas heart and soul opposed to such a course. He refusedto confirm in the possession of their power and the enjoymentof their privileges men whose conduct he condemned l.The army now put in the foremost place the question,which had been dropped for a time, of an actual dissolution ofParliament at a fixed date. Moreover Cromwell and some ofhis friends now obtained seats on the Provisional Committee.On November 13 the question was decided in a full house.Not without a severe struggle, after two divisions, and onlyby a narrow majority, it was enacted that a limit should befixed to the existence of the Parliament. This victory gained,Cromwell appears to have taken no further part in settlingthe date. He allowed a very distant one, the 4th of November1654, to be determined upon. It was enough forhim that the long-cherished purpose of the troops to putan end to the Long Parliament was expressly sanctioned bya decree of the Parliament itself.All the more attention was now attracted to the debateon the law respecting the franchise.The army was discontented with Vane's scheme, not strictlyspeaking because it was far removed from the universalsuffrage, to which the principles adopted by the Agitatorswould have led, but on the contrary because it omitted thosequalifications by which it had originally endeavoured tolimit all participation in Parliamentary functions. It wasespecially noticed that neither Presbyterians nor neutraliwere excluded, nor even such as had been in league withneighbouring nations. With men of such sentiments it wouldbe possible to live in friendly intercourse ;-against that therewas nothing to be said ;--but they could not possibly ventureto intrust the welfare of the Commonwealth to those who hadbeen opposed to it at the first. No one would willingly mounthis enemies on horseback and then implore their mercy.The main objection however arose from the readmissionof the old members into the new legislature, which had at' 'I myself was sounded, and by no mean persons tempted, that the vacantplaces might be supplied by new elections, and so continue from generation togeneration.' Speech XX. in Carlyle iii. 3.53.XI. 5. DISSOLUTION OF THE LONG PARLIAMENT. 79A.D. 1652.least been silently provided for. Cromwell himself urgeda constitutional consideration in opposition to the proposal.He remarked that the new legislature would in that case bemerely a continuation of the old, and a succession of powerestablished to which the people would be handed over withoutfurther ado ].On the same ground he rejected the proposal, that, in theintervals between the sessions, a State Council responsible toParliament should sit : for, he urged, in that case the highestpower would eventually remain with the Parliament in theseintervals as well.It is impossible to deny the truth of these considerations.For though it might be said on the other side that parliamentarypower once established ought to be regularly continued,so as to prevent a general disturbance, yet it was notthe less true that this power, if it remained long in the samehands, outgrew all restraint, and became a despotic authorityand not merely a deputed one. Parliament became itselfa government.But on neither side can we see in these theoretical considerationsthe ultimate grounds of the antagonism.The army could not any further go along with the Parliament.The latter openly favoured the navy, which was underits control, in preference to the land forces which it dreaded.Already the proposal had more than once been made fora reduction of the land force. What else could be expectedbi~t that such a reduction would be actually decreed by afresh batch of members electzd under the influence of theexisting assembly?But to sum up the case :-the Republican authority hadarisen from a union of the military and parliamentary leaders ;according to Vane's constitution the parliamentary powerwould have secured'the highest authority, and retained itperpetually in their hands. ,The army was of opinion, thatin virtue of their victory and their divine mission, they had a' 'What was the business? It was a conversion from a parliament that shouldhave been and was perpetual, to a legislative power always sitting, and so theliberties and interests and lives of the people not judged by any known laws andPawer.'