THOUGHTS

ON

THE CAUSE

OF THE PRESENT

DISCONTENTS.

I

T is an undertaking of fome degree of delicacy to examine into the cause of public disorders. If a man happens not to fucceed in fuch an enquiry, he will be thought weak and vifionary; if he touches the true grievance, there is a danger that he may come near to perfons of weight and confequence, who will rather be exafperated at the difcovery of their errors, than thankful for the occafion of correcting them. If he should be obliged to blame the favourites of the people, he will be confidered as the tool of power; if he cenfures thofe in power, he will

be looked on as an inftrument of faction. But in all exertions of duty fomething is to be hazarded. In cafes of tumult and diforder, our law has invefted every man, in fome fort, with the authority of a magiftrate. When the affairs of the nation are diftracted, private people are, by the spirit of that law, juftified in stepping a little out of their ordinary sphere. They enjoy a privilege, of fomewhat more dignity and effect, than that of idle lamentation over the calamities of their country. They may look into them narrowly; they may reafon upon them liberally; and if they should be fo fortunate as to discover the true fource of the mischief, and to fuggeft any probable method of removing it, though they may displease the rulers for the day, they are certainly of fervice to the cause of Government. Government is deeply interested in every thing which, even through the medium of fome temporary uneafinefs, may tend finally to compose the minds of the fubject, and to conciliate their affections. I have nothing to do here with the abftract value of the voice of the people. But as long as reputation, the moft precious poffeffion of every individual, and as long as opinion, the great fupport of the State, depend entirely upon that voice, it can never be confidered as a thing of little confequence either to individuals or to Government. Nations

are not primarily ruled by laws; lefs by violence. Whatever original energy may be fuppofed either in force or regulation; the operation of both is, in truth, merely inftrumental. Nations are governed

are

governed by the fame methods, and on the fame principles, by which an individual without authority is often able to govern those who are his equals or his fuperiours; by a knowledge of their temper, and by a judicious management of it; I mean, when public affairs fteadily and quietly conducted; not when Government is nothing but a continued fcuffle between the magiftrate and the multitude; in which fometimes the one and fometimes the other is uppermoft; in which they alternately yield and prevail, in a series of contemptible victories and fcandalous fubmiffions. The temper of the people amongst whom he prefides ought therefore to be the first study of a Statesman. And the knowledge of this temper it is by no means impoffible for him to attain, if he has not an interest in being ignorant of what it is his duty to learn.

To complain of the age we live in, to murmur at the present poffeffors of power, to lament the past, to conceive extravagant hopes of the future, are the common difpofitions of the greatest part of mankind; indeed the neceflary effects of the ignorance and levity of the vulgar. Such complaints and humours have exifted in all times; yet as all times have not been alike, true political fagacity manifefts itself, in diftinguishing that complaint which only characterizes the general infirmity of human nature, from those which are fymptoms of the particular diftemperature of our own air and Nobody,

feafon.

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Nobody, I believe, will confider it merely as the language of fpleen or difappointment, if I fay, that there is fomething particularly alarming in the prefent conjuncture. There is hardly a man in or out of power who holds any other language. That Government is at once dreaded and contemned; that the laws are defpoiled of all their respected and falutary terrors; that their inaction is a fubject of ridicule, and their exertion of abhorrence; that rank, and office, and title, and all the folemn plaufibilities of the world, have loft their reverence and effect; that our foreign politicks are as much deranged as our domeftic oeconomy; that our dependencies are flackened in their affection, and loofened from their obedience; that we know neither how to yield nor how to inforce; that hardly any thing above or below, abroad or at home, is found and entire; but that disconnexion and confufion, in offices, in parties, in families, in Parliament, in the nation, prevail beyond the diforders of any former time: these are facts univerfally admitted and lamented.

This ftate of things is the more extraordinary, because the great parties which formerly divided and agitated the kingdom are known to be in a manner entirely diffolved. No great external calamity has vifited the nation; no peftilence or famine. We do not labour at present under any fcheme of taxation new or oppreffive in the quantity or in the mode. Nor are we engaged in unfuccefsful war; in which, our misfortunes might eafily pervert our judgement;

and

and our minds, fore from the lofs of national glory, might feel every blow of Fortune as a crime in Government.

It is impoffible that the caufe of this strange diftemper fhould not fometimes become a subject of difcourfe. It is a compliment due, and which I willingly pay, to thofe who adminifter our affairs, to take notice in the first place of their fpeculation. Our Minifters are of opinion, that the increase of our trade and manufactures, that our growth by colonization and by conqueft, have concurred to accumulate immenfe wealth in the hands of fome individuals; and this again being dispersed amongst the people, has rendered them univerfally proud, ferocious, and ungovernable; that the infolence of fome from their enormous wealth, and the boldnefs of others from a guilty poverty, have rendered them capable of the moft atrocious attempts; fo that they have trampled upon all fubordination, and violently born down the unarmed laws of a free Government; barriers too feeble against the fury of a populace fo fierce and licentious as ours. They contend, that no adequate provocation has been given for fo fpreading a difcontent; our affairs having been conducted throughout with remarkable temper and confummate wifdom. The wicked induftry of fome libellers, joined to the intrigues of a few disappointed politicians, have, in their opinion, been able to pro

duce this unnatural ferment in the nation.

Nothing indeed can be more unnatural than the prefent convulfions of this country, if the above

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