_Over_. Sir _John_, you may praise their good Nature as much as you please; but, Gad! I say they are the veriest Oafs in Christendom. Z—ds! that a People should be so d—n’d stupid as to delegate their Power again and again; nay, a Power too over their Lives and Fortunes, to Men who had done them repeated Injuries, and of whom they had made repeated Complaints. They complain’d of the _Septennial_ as a grievous Imposition; yet the very next Opportunity chose those very Men that had so grossly imposed upon them. _Blunt_. Was it not the same in regard to the _Excise-Scheme_ and the _Convention_? _Over_. The _H—r_ Troops, and the _&c. &c_. to the End of a Chapter as long as the Book of Homilies. _Broad_. But, Gentlemen, don’t you forget to season your Account of the People’s _Folly_ with a certain native Spice called _Knavery_, or in other Words, _Self-interest_, which, according to Sir _John_, is the primary fundamental Ingredient in the Composition of most Men? Did not these injur’d complaining People bring their Suffrages to Market overt, where the best Bidder was sure to have them? Sir _John_. The Fact, I am afraid, is but too true: And at the same Time that it proves the Corruption of the People, it proves likewise the Necessity of an immediate Remedy. Had those scandalous Marts for the Sale of _B—sh_ Liberty been more common; had they been _annual_, or even _triennial_, the M—rs would not find their Account in the frequent Expence; nay, they could not support it. _Blunt_. Yet necessary as the immediate Application of this Specific is, you shall see it postponed to more pacific _Times_, and gentler _Seasons_. _Smooth_. Mr. _Blunt_, tho’ you speak thus in Derision, yet if you reflect with Seriousness, the Delay of a Remedy so extraordinary as the Repeal of the _Septennial_ is, till after the War, will not seem so unmeet to you as it appears at present. _Blunt_. Dost think the _Repeal_ would abate the Courage of our Soldiers and Seamen, and raise that of the Enemy? Dost think it would pall the Appetites of those greedy _Germans_, that now and long have done us the Honour to receive _Subsidies_ from us? Wou’d the Queen of _Hungary_ and King of _Sardinia_ receive _English_ Money the less freely; or defend their own Territories the less carefully, if _general Content_ should be spread throughout this Island, powerful as much or more by the Union of its Inhabitants, as by their Bravery and Wealth? Would our good Allies the _Dutch_ be deafer to our Intreaties, or slower in their Motions than they have been of late, should they see the very _Fountain_ of our Corruption and Venality dry’d up by a Legislative Spunge? _Over_. Would our A—ls and G—ls have less Sense, Experience, Courage and Honesty, if they were to go to _Market_ with their _Bank-bills_, but every _Third Year_? _Smooth_. You forget that your favourite A—l was lately courted at many _Markets_ without the Aid of Bank-bills.