though having Cause of Complaint. 139 



back ground ; and whether these may arise from 

 disrespect, or depraved notions of moral obliga- 

 tion, on the part of the people ; or from pri- 

 vations remediable by the government of the 

 country, is seldom or ever made known, or of- 

 fered in palliation of the errors or enormities 

 with which the people are charged. Personal 

 irritation, or private revenge, though unjustifi- 

 able, and highly inexcusable, might sometimes, 

 no doubt, be offered in extenuation in the one 

 case, while on the other, sufferings, to which 

 they ought not to be exposed, from the petty 

 tyranny of superiors, or a failure in the due 

 administration of the laws, must be admitted 

 as ample excuses for dissatisfaction ; and where 

 the mass of a people are so, the probability is, 

 they have at the bottom great cause for com- 

 plaint. 



" 



When popular discontents have been very 

 prevalent," says Mr. Burke, " it may be well 

 affirmed and supported, that there has been 

 generally something found amiss in the consti- 

 tution or in the conduct of Government. The 

 people have no interest in disorder. When they 

 do wrong, it is their error, not their crime : 

 but with the governing part of the state, it is 

 far otherwise ; they certainly may act by il} 

 design as well as by mistake." 

 3 



