The Constitution of England

Chapter XI1

197 u c h a p t e r x i u The Powers which the People themselves exercise.— The Election of Members of Parliament. The English Constitution having essentially connected the fate of the Men to whom the People trust their power, with that of the People themselves, really seems, by that caution alone, to have procured the latter a complete security. However, as the vicissitude of human affairs may, in process of time, realize events which at first had appeared most improbable,itmighthappen that the Ministers of the Executive power, notwithstanding the interest they themselves have in the preservation of public liberty, and in spite of the precautions expressly taken in order to prevent the effect of their influence , should, at length employ such efficacious means of corruption as might bring about a surrender of some of the laws upon which this public liberty is founded. And thoughweshouldsupposethatsuchadanger would really be chimerical, it might at least happen, that, conniving at a vicious administration, and being over liberal of the produce of thelabours of the People, the Representatives of the People might make them suffer many of the evils which attend worse forms of Government. Lastly, as their duty does not consist only in preservingtheirconstituents against the calamities of an arbitrary Government, but moreover in procuring them the best administration possible, it might happen that they would manifest, in this respect, an indifference which would, in its consequences , amount to a real calamity. It was therefore necessary that the Constitution should furnish a remedy for all the above cases; now, it is in the right of electing Members of Parliament , that this remedy lies. 198 book ii When the time is come at which the commission which the People had given to their delegates expires, they again assemble in their several Towns or Counties: on these occasions they have it in their power to elect again those of their Representatives whose former conduct they approve, and to reject those who have contributed to give rise to their complaints. A simple remedy this, and which only requiring in its application, a knowledge of matters of fact, is entirely within the reach of the abilities of the People; but a remedy, at the same time, which is the most effectual that could be applied: for, as the evils complained of, arise merely from the peculiar dispositions of a certain number of individuals, to set aside those individuals, is to pluck up the evil by the roots. But I perceive, that, in order to make the reader sensible of the advantages that may accrue to the People of England, fromtheirrightof election, there is another of their rights, of which it is absolutely necessary that I should first give an account. ...