This they have learned from the language of
many amongst ourselves, whose conversations have been one main cause of
whatever extent the opinion for peace with Regicide may be. But I, who
think the ministers unfortunately to be but too serious in their
proceedings, find myself obliged to say a little more on this subject of
the popular opinion.
Before our opinions are quoted against ourselves, it is proper, that,
from our serious deliberation, they may be worth quoting. It is without
reason we praise the wisdom of our Constitution in putting under the
discretion of the crown the awful trust of war and peace, if the
ministers of the crown virtually return it again into our hands. The
trust was placed there as a sacred deposit, to secure us against popular
rashness in plunging into wars, and against the effects of popular
dismay, disgust, or lassitude, in getting out of them as imprudently as
we might first engage in them. To have no other measure in judging of
those great objects than our momentary opinions and desires is to throw
us back upon that very democracy which, in this part, our Constitution
was formed to avoid.
It is no excuse at all for a minister who at our desire takes a measure
contrary to our safety, that it is our own act. He who does not stay the
hand of suicide is guilty of murder. On our part, I say, that to be
instructed is not to be degraded or enslaved. Information is an
advantage to us; and we have a right to demand it.
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