preferving; that is, until it can be exchanged for a better. I premise this diftinction, because

many things in the English, as in conftievery

tution, are to be vindicated and accounted for, folely from their tendency to maintain the government in its present state, and the feveral parts of it in poffeffion of the powers which the conftitution has affigned to them; and because I would wish it to be remarked that fuch a confideration is always fubordinate to another-the value and usefulnefs of the conftitution itself.,

The Government of England, which has been fometimes called a mixed government, fometimes a limited monarchy, is formed by a combination of the three regular species of government; the monarchy, refiding in the King; the aristocracy, in the House of Lords; and the republic, being reprefented by the Houfe of Commons. The perfection intended by such a scheine of government is, to unite the advantages of the feveral fimple forms, and to exclude the inconveniencies. To what degree this purpose is attained or attainable in the British conftitution; wherein it is loft sight of or neglected; and by what means it may in any part be promoted with better fuccefs, the reader will be enabled to judge, by a separate recollection of these advantages and incon

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inconveniences, as enumerated in the preceding chapter, and a distinct application of each to the political condition of this country. We will present our remarks upon the subject in a brief account of the expedients by which the British conftitution provides,

ift, For the intereft of its fubjects.

2dly, For its own prefervation.

The contrivances for the firft of these purposes are the following:

In order to promote the establishment of falutary public laws, every citizen of the state is capable of becoming a member of the fenate; and every fenator poffeffes the right of propounding to the deliberation of the legislature whatever law he pleafes.

Every district of the empire enjoys the privilege of choofing reprefentatives, informed of the interefts and circumftances and defires of their conftituents, and entitled by their fituation to communicate that information to the national council. The meaneft fubject has fome one whom he can call upon to bring forward his complaints and requefts to public attention.

By annexing the right of voting for members of the Houfe of Commons to different qualifications in different places, each order and profef

fion of men in the community become virtually represented; that is, men of all orders and profeffions, ftatefmen, courtiers, country gentlemen, lawyers, merchants, manufacturers, foldiers, failors, interested in the prosperity, and experienced in the occupation of their respective profeffions, obtain feats in parliament.

The elections, at the fame time, are fo connected with the influence of landed property as to afford a certainty that a confiderable number of men of great eftates will be returned to parliament; and are alfo fo modified, that men the moft eminent and fuccefsful in their respective profeffions, are the moft likely, by their riches. or the weight of their ftations, to prevail in thefe competitions.

The number, fortune, and quality of the members; the variety of interefts and characters amongst them; above all, the temporary duration of their power, and the change of men which every new election produces, are so many securities to the public, as well against the fubjection of their judgments to any external dication, as against the formation of a junto in their own body, fufficiently powerful to govern their decifions.

The

The representatives are fo intermixed with the conftituents, and the conftituents with the reft of the people, that they cannot, without a partiality too flagrant to be endured, impose any burthen upon the fubject, in which they do not share themfelves; nor fcarcely can they adopt an advantageous regulation, in which their own interefts will not participate of the advantage.

The proceedings and debates of parliament, and the parliamentary conduct of each reprefentative, are known by the people at large.

The representative is fo far dependent upon the constituent, and political importance upon public favour, that a member of parliament cannot more effectually recommend himself to eminence and advancement in the ftate, than by contriving and patronizing laws of public utility.

When intelligence of the condition, wants, and occafions of the people, is thus collected from every quarter, when fuch a variety of invention, and so many understandings, are set at work upon the fubject, it may be prefumed, that the moft eligible expedient, remedy or improvement, will occur to fome one or other:

and

and when a wife counfel, or beneficial regulation is once fuggefted, it may be expected, from the difpofition of an affembly fo conftituted as the British House of Commons is, that it cannot fail of receiving the approbation of a majority.

To prevent those deftructive contentions for the supreme power, which are fure to take place where the members of the ftate do not live under an acknowledged head, and a known rule of fucceffion; to preferve the people in tranquillity at home, by a speedy and vigorous execution of the laws; to protect their interest abroad,. by ftrength and energy in military operations, by thofe advantages of decifion, fecrecy, and dispatch, which belong to the refolutions of monarchical councils;-for thefe purposes, the conftitution has committed the executive government to the administration and limited authority of an hereditary king.

In the defence of the empire; in the maintenance of its power, dignity, and privileges, with foreign nations; in the advancement of its trade by treaties and conventions; and in the providing for the general administration of municipal justice, by a proper choice and appointment of magiftrates, the inclination of the king and of the people ufually coincides: in this part, therefore,

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