Part 6
_Citt._ What if a _King_ will Transgresse all the Laws of _God_ and _Man_? may not the _People_ resume their _Trust_?
Power is from God, not from the People.
Soveraignty of the People most ridiculous.
_True._ No, not unlesse you can produce an expresse _stipulation_ to _That very purpose_. But let me shew you, First, the Errour of taking That to be a _Trust_ from the _People_, which, in truth, is an _Ordinance_ of _Providence_, For _All Power is from God_; And Secondly, the _Absurdity_ of the very _Supposition_, even in the Case of a Trust conferr'd by the People. If the _King breaks_ his _Trust_, the _People Resume_ it: but _who_ are These _People_? If a _Representative_, they are but _Trustees Themselves_, and may incur a _Forfeiture_ too, by the same Argument. Where are we next then? For if it devolves to the _Loose Multitude_ of _Individuals_, (which you will have to be the Fountain of _Power_) you are Then in an _Anarchy_, without any Government at all; and There you must either Continue in a _Dissociated State_, or else agree upon _Uniting_ into some Form of _Regiment_, or other: and whether it be _Monarchy_, _Aristocracy_, or _Democracy_, it comes all to a Point. If you make the _Government Accountable_ upon every Humour of the _People_, it lapses again into a _Confusion_. To say nothing of the ridiculous phansy of a _Sovereignty_ in the _People_ upon This Account; that they can never be so brought together either to _Establish_ or to _Dissolve_ a _Government_, as to authorize it to be the _Peoples Act_. For there must be, _First_, an _Agreement_ to _Meet_ and _Consult_. _Secondly_, an _Agreement_ upon the _Result_ of That _Debate_; and any _One Dissenter_ spoils all, where every _Individuall_ has an _Equall Right_: So that unlesse the People be all of the same minde, This Supposition will be found wholly Impractible and Idle.
_Citt._ But is there no Fence then against _Tyranny_?
_True._ Only _Patience_, unless you run into _Anarchy_, and then into that which you call _Tyranny_ again; and so tread Eternally that Circle of _Rigour_ and _Confusion_. _In fine_, the Question is this, whether people had better run _Certainly_ into _Confusion_ to avoid a _Possible Tyranny_, or venture a _Possible Tyranny_, to avoid a _Certain Confusion_.
_Citt._ But where we finde _Positive Law_ and _Provisions_ to _fail_ us, may we not in those Cases, betake our selves to the _Laws_ of _Nature_ and _Self-Preservation_?
Self-preservation is no Plea for the People.
_True._ No, ye may not; for many Reasons. First, it makes you _Judges_; not only _when_ those Laws take Place, but also _what_ they _are_. Secondly, the _Government_ is _Dissolved_, if Subjects may go off or on at pleasure. Thirdly, _Self-Preservation_ is the Plea only of _Individuals_; and there can be no Colour for the exposing of the _Publick_ in favour of _Particulars_. What would ye think of a _Common Seaman_ that in a _Storm_ should throw the _Steers-man Overboard_, and set himself at the _Helm_? Or of a _Souldier_ that shou'd refuse a _Dangerous Post_ for fear of being knock'd on the Head, when the _whole Army_, depends upon the Maintaining of _That Pass_.
_Citt._ Pray'e tell me what it is that you call _Government_, and how far it _extends_? for you were saying even now, that the _Reason_ of _all Governments_ is _alike_.
What Government is.
Certain Priviledges essential to Government.
_True._ _Government is the_ Will, _and_ Power _of a_ Multitude, _United in some One Person, or More, for the Good, and safety of the whole._ You must not take it that _all Governments_ are _alike_; but the _Ratio_ of _all Governments_ is the _same_ in some Cases. As in the Instance of _Self-Preservation_; which is only Pleadable by the _Supream Magistrate_, in Bar to all _General Exceptions_; for he is First, presumed in Reason, to be vested with all _Powers necessary_ for the _Defence_, and _Protection_ of the _Community_: without which his Authority is Vain. He is Secondly, Oblig'd in _Duty_ to exert those _Powers_ for the _Common Good_: and he is Thirdly, entrusted with the Judgment of all _Exigences_ of _State_, be they _Greater_ or _Lesse_; wherein the Publick Good may be concern'd. Now put the Case that a Magistrate should make a wrong _Judgment_ of Matters, and misemploy those _Powers_; it were an Infelicity in the _Administration_; but the _Sacredness_ of _Authority_ is still the same: And he is a Mad man, that plucks down his _House_, because it rains in at the _Window_. And in case of the _Magistrate_, it is not so much _He_, as _They_; for the _King_ is (as I said before) the _United Power_ and _Will_ of the _People_. And so Fare ye well.
_The End._
Transcribers Note
1. 'Fraudulant' changed to 'Fraudulent'. (Introdution) 2. 'deux ex machina' changed to 'deus ex machina'. (Introdution) 3. Closing bracket inserted. (The mean ways of promoting their Designs.) 4. Possibly this should be 'Gaols' rather than 'Goals'. (The way of getting hands in and about _London_.) 5. Possibly this should be 'Gaol' rather than 'Goal'. (A Salvo for a Lye.) 6. 'Dop' should read 'Drop'. (Consciences of State or Interest.) 7. 'original' changed to 'Origin'. (PUBLICATIONS IN PRINT 1964-1965- 109.)
_Errata._ (From the original, these errors have been corrected) Page 1. line 24. for _his_, reade _this_. p. 3. l. 27. for _Religion_ r. _Religions_; p.11 l. 25. for _Hands_, r. _Heads_. p.22. l. 9. for _on all_ r. _on to all_.
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_WILLIAM ANDREWS CLARK MEMORIAL LIBRARY_ University of California, Los Angeles
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15. John Oldmixon, _Reflections on Dr. Swift's Letter to Harley_ ... (1712) and _A. Mainwaring's The British Academy_ ... (1712).
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