Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness, and faction/Section 17
SECT.XVII.
A second Mark of Licentiousness and Faction.
THE Patrons of Faction would be attached to Men, to the Neglect of Measures."
If the same Men, when formerly in Power, should have obstinately adhered to each other in every public Debate and Opinion; should have execrated every Man, as the Enemy of his Country, who dissented even in the slightest Article of political Belief:—
If on any sudden Change in the Fountain of Power, a more generous System of Government should have taken Place:—If the Sovereign had aimed to unite all honest Men of all Parties, and had invited them to co-operate for the Welfare of their Country:—
If these Men, determined still to engross all public Power, should threaten the Sovereign (as they had effectually threatened his royal Predecessor) with a general Resignation:—
If their Leaders should be taken at their Word, and unexpectedly stripped of all Power and Influence:—
If on This, the Clamours of their attendant Populace should arise;[1] and for the Sake of the public Tranquillity, Overtures should be made by the Prince to the Discontented:—If the same Principle should still predominate, and Demands in Favour of Men should be the leading Object of Accommodation:—
If these Demands should be not only irrational in their Kind, but exorbitant and oppressive in their Degree; requiring a general Restoration of All the Discontented, and a general Dismission of all who were in Power, tho' of known Fidelity to their King and Country:—
If such should be the Conduct of any Set of Men, they would stand evidently convicted of Licentiousness and Faction.
- ↑ See Sect. xix.