The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Volume 10: Parlimentary Debates IJohnson, Samuel
History
The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Volume 10: Parlimentary Debates I
Johnson, Samuel
Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons -- History -- 18th century
In this motion, therefore, we need not be supposed to imply that the
minister is either ignorant or corrupt, but that he is disliked by the
people, disliked to such a degree, my lords, that it is not safe for his
majesty to employ him.
It is, doubtless, our duty, my lords, to guard both the rights of the
people, and the prerogatives of the throne, and with equal ardour to
remonstrate to his majesty the distresses of his subjects, and his own
danger. We are to hold the balance of the constitution, and neither to
suffer the regal power to be overborne by a torrent of popular fury, nor
the people to be oppressed by an illegal exertion of authority, or the
more insupportable hardships of unreasonable laws.
By this motion, my lords, the happiness of the people, and the security
of his majesty, are at once consulted, nor can we suppress so general a
clamour without failing equally in our duty to both.
To what, my lords, is the untimely end of so many kings and emperours to
be imputed, but to the cowardice or treachery of their counsellors, of
those to whom they trusted that intercourse, which is always to be
preserved between a monarch and his people? Were kings honestly informed
of the opinions and dispositions of their subjects, they would never,
or, at least rarely, persist in such measures, as, by exasperating the
people, tend necessarily to endanger themselves.
It is the happiness of a British monarch, that he has a standing and
hereditary council, composed of men who do not owe their advancement to
the smiles of caprice, or the intrigues of a court; who are, therefore,
neither under the influence of a false gratitude, nor of a servile
dependence, and who may convey to the throne the sentiments of the
people, without danger, and without fear. But, my lords, if we are
either too negligent, or too timorous to do our duty, how is the
condition of our sovereign more safe, or more happy than that of an
emperour of Turkey, who is often ignorant of any complaints made against
the administration, till he hears the people thundering at the gates of
his palace.
Let us, therefore, my lords, whatever may be our opinion of the conduct
of the minister, inform his majesty of the discontent of his subjects,
since, whether it is just or not, the danger is the same, and whenever
any danger threatens the king, we ought either to enable him to oppose,
or caution him to avoid it.
Lord CHOLMONDELEY spoke next, to the following effect:--My lords, I
cannot but observe in this debate an ambition of popularity, in my
opinion not very consistent with the freedom of debate, and the dignity
of this assembly, which ought to be influenced by no other motive than
the force of reason and truth.
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