Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness, and faction/Section 27
SECT.XXVII.
The Conclusion.
THESE Remedies, however just in their Nature, can only be effectual through a proper Application: And this can only lie "in a zealous and unfeigned Union of the Honest among all Ranks and Parties, for the Accomplishment of these Ends, against the Patrons and Instruments of Licentiousness and Faction."
This Union, at first View, seems of such a Nature as could hardly need to be inforced: Yet it is frequently retarded by several Circumstances.
Among the Great, this rational Union is often counteracted by the Ties of false Honour; a dangerous Principle, which we have already noted, as being productive of Party-Rage and Faction.[1] This Principle, even in honest Minds, will sometimes prevail over the Dictates of Religion and private Virtue. On this false Foundation, political Connexions are often maintained, in Defiance of a just Sense of public Utility: While the unhappy Man who acts on this mistaken Motive, is inwardly rent by two contrary and contending Powers. Severe Moralists may perhaps discard such a Character from the List of the Honest: But it should seem, that he is rather an Object of Clemency than Indignation. Remove but the unhappy Prejudice from his Breast; And such a Character would press forward among the first, towards the Goal of public Virtue.
Again: This rational and salutary Union may be retarded by Connexions of Friendship, Gratitude, or Blood. This Cause tends to confirm and extend the Influence of the former. Fathers, powerful Friends, and Patrons, connect themselves with Parties, and cleave to them on a mistaken Principle: Sons, obliged Friends, and Dependents, are naturally inlisted in their Party; and are rivetted in it, not only by false Honour, but Education, Gratitude, Affection. How peculiarly unfortunate is this Circumstance; that the generous Passions should ever become the Adversaries of public Virtue!
The same false Attachment to Friends, Patrons, and Relations, naturally prevails, in a certain Proportion, among the middle Ranks of the Kingdom. Their Interests, Passions, and Prejudices, are not so immediately concerned as Those of the higher Ranks; and therefore 'tis natural to suppose, that their mutual Attachments of mistaken Honour or private Affection, will upon the Whole be more moderate and less culpable. Yet still, while these false Attachments are prevalent among the Great, the People must in some Degree catch the Infection, from the various Relations which they bear to their Superiors. Hence untractable Prejudices arise, and are maintained: While Measures are less regarded, than the Party which adopts them.
But besides This, another Circumstance ariseth, which inevitably tends to disunite, and distract the Honest among the People; even when their personal Attachments are conquered by their Integrity. Their Dispersion in the Country hath already been remarked, as a Circumstance worthy of Attention. Here it meets us again, as a Cause of their frequent Disunion. We have seen how naturally (under the present State of Things) every factious Clamour that riseth in the Capital, is transmitted with aggravated Circumstances, through the whole Kingdom.[2] And the People of the Villages being easy of Belief, because not suspecting the abandoned Profligacy of these Town-Defamers, are apt to receive every insinuated personal Slander, as a Truth. These Calumnies being seldom contradicted by the injured Party, take Root in the Minds of the less knowing. Hence Doubts arise; Surmises and Dislikes are spread; Facts, though void of all Foundation, are alledged and persisted in; the more credulous Part are misled: Thus an honest People are divided; and not only a Province or a Village, but even an House often set at Variance within itself.
These Contentions sometimes arise to a Degree which is ridiculous: And have formerly been so described without Exception, by the Tools of Faction. Notwithstanding This, every Friend of Liberty ought to grieve, if a free, an honest, and a sensible People should ever desist (were it possible) to debate on Affairs of Government. Tho' they may be occasionally alarmed and misled on slight Occasions, yet their mature and collective Judgment on important Subjects, will seldom be erroneous. On this Foundation, Montesquieu's Remark is solid: "Tell me not, that such a People will sometimes reason ill:" 'Tis sufficient, "that they reason.[3]"
The Guilt and ill Consequences, then, arise from the malevolent Clamours of the Capital, transmitted thence to the Provinces. These Clamours, though not of Power to seduce an honest People into actual Sedition, are yet often sufficient to alarm and divide them.[4]
Much Caution, therefore, ought to be used by the Inhabitants of the Country, how they give Credit to the political Rumours of the Town; which are seldom spread without Design; and are in general spread most industriously by the Malevolent. They who act on good ciples, are apt to trust to the native Force of Truth: The Patrons of Falsehood are conscious of a Defect here; and therefore endeavour to supply it by a misapply'd Diligence and Cunning.
One Mark of Licentiousness and Faction is peculiarly applicable to these Clamours from the Metropolis: If they are fraught with personal Calumny, and attack private Characters, they assuredly come from the Enemies of Virtue and Freedom.
All These, therefore, a sensible and honest People will learn to suspect and deride. This Foundation once laid, they will not be far from a general Union against the hidden Designs of Licentiousness and Faction.
In Conclusion, therefore, let the Honest among every Rank and Party recollect; that their first and highest Obligations are to God, their King, and Country. That every subordinate Connexion ought to yield to These: That true Honour can never be at Variance with the Laws of Religion and Virtue: That if any Desertion be shameful, it is the Desertion from Truth and the Welfare of their Country: If any Attachment be honourable, it is an impartial Attachment to the public Weal, unbiassed by private Affections and Regards. If any Acknowledgment be the certain Mark of a great and ingenuous Mind, it is the Acknowledgment of its own Errors, or those of a Patron, Friend, or Ancestor.
These Remarks the Writer submits to the Impartiality and Candor of his Countrymen; desiring that they may be regarded as his Mite, thrown in towards the Accomplishment of the Sovereign's Wish, on his Accession to the Throne; that of "founding the Liberty and Happiness of this Kingdom on the solid Basis of Religion and Virtue, and uniting all Honest Men in the steady Prosecution of this great Purpose."
THE END.