thoughts on the present discontents-第24部分

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These　spirits；　each　of　which　informs　and　governs　his　own　little　orb；
are　neither　so　many；　nor　so　little　powerful；　nor　so　incorruptible；
but　that　a　Minister　may；　as　he　does　frequently；　find　means　of
gaining　them；　and　through　them　all　their　followers。　　To　establish；
therefore；　a　very　general　influence　among　electors　will　no　more　be
found　an　impracticable　project；　than　to　gain　an　undue　influence　over
members　of　parliament。　　Therefore　I　am　apprehensive　that　this　bill；
though　it　shifts　the　place　of　the　disorder；　does　by　no　means　relieve
the　Constitution。　　I　went　through　almost　every　contested　election　in
the　beginning　of　this　parliament；　and　acted　as　a　manager　in　very
many　of　them：　　by　which；　though　at　a　school　of　pretty　severe　and
ragged　discipline；　I　came　to　have　some　degree　of　instruction
concerning　the　means　by　which　parliamentary　interests　are　in　general
procured　and　supported。

Theory；　I　know；　would　suppose；　that　every　general　election　is　to　the
representative　a　day　of　judgment；　in　which　he　appears　before　his
constituents　to　account　for　the　use　of　the　talent　with　which　they
entrusted　him；　and　of　the　improvement　he　had　made　of　it　for　the
public　advantage。　　It　would　be　so；　if　every　corruptible
representative　were　to　find　an　enlightened　and　incorruptible
constituent。　　But　the　practice　and　knowledge　of　the　world　will　not
suffer　us　to　be　ignorant；　that　the　Constitution　on　paper　is　one
thing；　and　in　fact　and　experience　is　another。　　We　must　know　that　the
candidate；　instead　of　trusting　at　his　election　to　the　testimony　of
his　behaviour　in　parliament；　must　bring　the　testimony　of　a　large　sum
of　money；　the　capacity　of　liberal　expense　in　entertainments；　the
power　of　serving　and　obliging　the　rulers　of　corporations；　of　winning
over　the　popular　leaders　of　political　clubs；　associations；　and
neighbourhoods。　　It　is　ten　thousand　times　more　necessary　to　show
himself　a　man　of　power；　than　a　man　of　integrity；　in　almost　all　the
elections　with　which　I　have　been　acquainted。　　Elections；　therefore；
become　a　matter　of　heavy　expense；　and　if　contests　are　frequent；　to
many　they　will　become　a　matter　of　an　expense　totally　ruinous；　which
no　fortunes　can　bear；　but　least　of　all　the　landed　fortunes；
encumbered　as　they　often；　indeed　as　they　mostly　are；　with　debts；
with　portions；　with　jointures；　and　tied　up　in　the　hands　of　the
possessor　by　the　limitations　of　settlement。　　It　is　a　material；　it　is
in　my　opinion　a　lasting；　consideration；　in　all　the　questions
concerning　election。　　Let　no　one　think　the　charges　of　election　a
trivial　matter。

The　charge；　therefore；　of　elections　ought　never　to　be　lost　sight　of；
in　a　question　concerning　their　frequency；　because　the　grand　object
you　seek　is　independence。　　Independence　of　mind　will　ever　be　more　or
less　influenced　by　independence　of　fortune；　and　if；　every　three
years；　the　exhausting　sluices　of　entertainments；　drinkings；　open
houses；　to　say　nothing　of　bribery；　are　to　be　periodically　drawn　up
and　renewedif　government　favours；　for　which　now；　in　some　shape　or
other；　the　whole　race　of　men　are　candidates；　are　to　be　called　for
upon　every　occasion；　I　see　that　private　fortunes　will　be　washed
away；　and　every；　even　to　the　least；　trace　of　independence；　borne
down　by　the　torrent。　　I　do　not　seriously　think　this　Constitution；
even　to　the　wrecks　of　it；　could　survive　five　triennial　elections。
If　you　are　to　fight　the　battle；　you　must　put　on　the　armour　of　the
Ministry；　you　must　call　in　the　public；　to　the　aid　of　private；　money。
The　expense　of　the　last　election　has　been　computed　（and　I　am
persuaded　that　it　has　not　been　overrated）　at　1；500；000　pounds；　three
shillings　in　the　pound　more　on　the　Land　Tax。　　About　the　close　of　the
last　Parliament；　and　the　beginning　of　this；　several　agents　for
boroughs　went　about；　and　I　remember　well　that　it　was　in　every　one　of
their　mouths〃Sir；　your　election　will　cost　you　three　thousand
pounds；　if　you　are　independent；　but　if　the　Ministry　supports　you；　it
may　be　done　for　two；　and　perhaps　for　less；〃　and；　indeed；　the　thing
spoke　itself。　　Where　a　living　was　to　be　got　for　one；　a　commission　in
the　army　for　another；　a　post　in　the　navy　for　a　third；　and　Custom…
house　offices　scattered　about　without　measure　or　number；　who　doubts
but　money　may　be　saved？　　The　Treasury　may　even　add　money；　but；
indeed；　it　is　superfluous。　　A　gentleman　of　two　thousand　a　year；　who
meets　another　of　the　same　fortune；　fights　with　equal　arms；　but　if　to
one　of　the　candidates　you　add　a　thousand　a　year　in　places　for
himself；　and　a　power　of　giving　away　as　much　among　others；　one　must；
or　there　is　no　truth　in　arithmetical　demonstration；　ruin　his
adversary；　if　he　is　to　meet　him　and　to　fight　with　him　every　third
year。　　It　will　be　said；　I　do　not　allow　for　the　operation　of
character；　but　I　do；　and　I　know　it　will　have　its　weight　in　most
elections；　perhaps　it　may　be　decisive　in　some。　　But　there　are　few　in
which　it　will　prevent　great　expenses。

The　destruction　of　independent　fortunes　will　be　the　consequence　on
the　part　of　the　candidate。　　What　will　be　the　consequence　of
triennial　corruption；　triennial　drunkenness；　triennial　idleness；
triennial　law…suits；　litigations；　prosecutions；　triennial　frenzy；　of
society　dissolved；　industry　interrupted；　ruined；　of　those　personal
hatreds　that　will　never　be　suffered　to　soften；　those　animosities　and
feuds；　which　will　be　rendered　immortal；　those　quarrels；　which　are
never　to　be　appeased；　morals　vitiated　and　gangrened　to　the　vitals？
I　think　no　stable　and　useful　advantages　were　ever　made　by　the　money
got　at　elections　by　the　voter；　but　all　he　gets　is　doubly　lost　to　the
public；　it　is　money　given　to　diminish　the　general　stock　of　the
community；　which　is　the　industry　of　the　subject。　　I　am　sure　that　it
is　a　good　while　before　he　or　his　family　settle　again　to　their
business。　　Their　heads　will　never　cool；　the　temptations　of　elections
will　be　for　ever　glittering　before　their　eyes。　　They　will　all　grow
politicians；　every　one；　quitting　his　business；　will　choose　to　enrich
himself　by　his　vote。　　They　will　take　the　gauging…rod；　new　places
will　be　made　for　them；　they　will　run　to　the　Custom…house　quay；　their
looms　and　ploughs　will　be　deserted。

So　was　Rome　destroyed　by　the　disorders　of　continual　elections；
though　those　of　Rome　were　sober　disorders。　　They　had　nothing　but
faction；　bribery；　bread；　and　stage　plays　to　debauch　them。　　We　have
the　inflammation　of　liquor　superadded；　a　fury　hotter　than　any　of
them。　　There　the　contest　was　only　between　citizen　and　citizen；　here
you　have　the　contests　of　ambitious　citizens　on　one　side；　supported
by　the　Crown；　to　oppose　to　the　efforts　（let　it　be　so）　of　private　and
unsupported　ambition　on　the　other。　　Yet　Rome　was　destroyed　by　the
frequency　and　charge　of　elections；　and　the　monstrous　expense　of　an
unremitted　courtship　to　the　people。　　I　think；　therefore；　the
independent　candidate　and　elector　may　each　be　destroyed　by　it；　the
whole　body　of　the　community　be　an　infinite　sufferer；　and　a　vicious
Ministry　the　only　gainer。　　Gentlemen；　I　know；　feel　the　weight　of
this　argument；　they　agree　that　this　would　be　the　consequence　of　more
frequent　elections；　if　things　were　to　continue　as　they　are。　　But
they　think　the　greatness　and　frequency　of　the　evil　would　itself　be　a
remedy　for　it；　that；　sitting　but　for　a　short　time；　the　member　would
not　find　it　worth　while　to　make　such　vast　expenses；　while　the　fear
of　their　constituents　will　hold　them　the　more　effectually　to　their
duty。

To　this　I　answer；　that　experience　is　full　against　them。　　This　is　no
new　thing；　we　have　had　triennial　parliaments；　at　no　period　of　time
were　seats　more　eagerly　contested。　　The　expenses　of　elections　ran
higher；　taking　the　state　of　all　charges；　than　they　do　now。　　The
expense　of　entertainments　was　such；　that　an　Act；　equally　severe　and
ineffectual；　was　made　against　it；　every　monument　of　the　time　bears
witness　of　the　expense；　and　most　of　the　Acts　against　corruption　in
elections　were　then　made；　all　the　writers　talked　of　it　and　lamented
it。　　Will　any　one　think　that　a　corporation　will　be　contented　with　a
bowl　of　punch；　or　a　piece　of　beef　the　less；　because　elections　are
every　three；　instead　of　every　seven　years？　　Will　they　change　their
wine　for　ale；　because　they　are　to　get　more　ale　three　years　hence？
Do　not　think　it。　　Will　they　make　fewer　demands　for　the　advantages　of
patronage　in　favours　and　offices；　because　their　member　is　brought
more　under　their　power？　　We　have　not　only　our　own　historical
experience　in　England　upon　this　subject；　but　we　have　the　experience
co…existing　with　us　in　Ireland；　where；　since　their　Parliament　has
been　shortened；　the　expense　of　elections　has　been　so　far　from　being
lowered　that　it　has　been　very　near　doubled。　　Formerly　they　sat　for
the　king's　life；　the　ordinary　charge　of　a　seat　in　Parliament　was
then　1；500　pounds。　　They　now　sit　eight　years；　four　sessions：　　it　is
now　2；500　pounds　and　upwards。　　The　spirit　of　emulation　has　also　been
extremely　increased；　and　all　who　are　acquainted　with　the　tone　of
that　country　have　no　doubt　that　the　spirit　is　still　growing；　that
new　candidates　will　take　the　field；　that　the　contests　will　be　more
violent；　and　the　expenses　of　elections　larger　than　ever。

It　never　can　be　otherwise。　　A　seat　in　this　House；　for　good　purposes；
for　bad　purposes；　for　no　purpose　at　all　（except　the　mere
consideration　derived　from　being　concerned　in　the　public　councils）
will　ever　be　a　first…rate　object　of　ambition　in　England。　　Ambition
is　no　exact　calculator。　　Avarice　itself　does　not　calculate　strictly
when　it　games。　　One　thing　is　certain；　that　in　this　political　game
the　great　lottery　of　power　is　that　into　which　men　will　purchase　with
millions　of　chances　against　them。　　In　Turkey；　where　the　place；　where
the　fortune；　where　the　head　itself；　are　so　insecure；　that　scarcely
any　have　died　in　their　beds　for　ages；　so　that　the　bowstring　is　the
natural　death　of　Bashaws；　yet　in　no　country　is　power　and　distinction
（precarious　enough；　God　knows；　in　all）　sought　for　with　such
boundless　avidity；　as　if　the　value　of　place　was　enhanced　by　the
danger　and　insecurity　of　its　tenure。　　Nothing　will　ever　make　a　seat
in　this　House　not　an　object　of　desire　to　numbers　by　any　means　or　at
any　charge；　but　the　depriving　it　of　all　power　and　all　digni