MIs ORY! OF CEP ROPES, 
a practical government, on princi- 
ples which had no teudency to dis- 
organize society, or shake the esta- 
blishment of the nation. As to the 
~ last and most momentous point, that 
of time, Mr. Erskine’s opinion was, 
that the present moment for refor- 
mation was singularly and critically 
seasonable; and that those who 
seized on the times, as a foundation 
for objection, would lay the same 
hold on prosperity, if it were pro- 
posed, on the return. of peace. 
‘his opinion, by a variety of con- 
siderations, it must be owned, he 
rendered extremely probable. —But 
it was said, in. objection to the 
times, that there was, at the pre- 
sent moment, a dangerous dis- 
affection prevalent in the minds of 
men, to the government of ¢his 
country ; and that pestilent and de- 
structive theories had poisoned public 
opinion, against all monarchical con- 
stitutions. Admitting, said Mr. 
Erskine, for the sake of argument, 
that thesimputation of wide-spread 
disaffection is just, how is the evil 
to be remedied? If despair of ob- 
taining any moderate reform has 
driven any considerable numbers to 
republicanism, to whom is the fault 
to be imputed ?. Will any man de- 
ny, that the foundation of this spirit 
(whateyer may be its extent) was 
laid in the declarations of the right 
honourable gentleman himself, who 
affirmed, that it was impossible an 
upright or useful administration 
could exist, whilst the house was 
constituted as it is, and who has un- 
answerably illustrated the truth of 
‘his position, by the evidence of his 
own? Did the right honour- 
able gentleman imagine, that he 
could prescribe bounds beyond 
which this spirit should not pass? 
Did he imagine that he could plant 
[255 
the root, and prevent the shoots 
from springing up? Does the right 
honourable gentleman think that he 
éan extinguish, in the minds of the 
people, that distrust of the present 
system of government which he 
himself has taught them to enter- 
tain? Or does he think by coercion 
to make them tamcly submit to 
those abuses which he himself was 
the foremost to expose? Does he 
think to guard the coastitution from 
violence, by persecuting those who 
would peaceably reform it? Does he 
think to silence the voice of com- 
plaint, bya sullen refusal to remedy 
the grievance? This road may be 
pursued for a season ; but the end 
thereof is death. Instead of inflam- 
ing by persecutivn, let me advise 
you to conciliate by seasonable con- 
cession. The system of terror can 
neither remove nor silence a deep- 
rooted and well-founded discontent. 
Let me conclude with repeating 
again, that the condition of this 
country renders a reform most criti- 
cally seasonable. The’nation stands 
in the most perilous predicament ;. 
government is forced to call upon 
the people for greater exertions than 
at former times. Burdens which 
appeared impracticable, even in 
speculation, are now to be carried 
into practical effect. This must be 
done, either by affection, or by co- 
ercion ; and this is the moment for 
the choice. Give the people the 
blessings of the constitution, and 
they will join with ardour in its de- 
fence: raise within these walls a 
standard, which was never before 
raised, around which the friends of 
the constitution may rally, and to 
which.the people will be attracted 
by the: feelings of confidence and of 
attachment ; it will giye general. 
satisfaction; it will unite all who 
are 
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