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Editorial
October 14, 1768
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
An editorial from July 1768 critiques executive interference in parliamentary elections, citing Locke and Montesquieu on threats to constitutional balance. It condemns ministerial influence on electors, venal boroughs, and the routine creation of peers under Queen Anne's successors as dangerous precedents eroding freedoms.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
From the Political Register for July 1768.
SIR,
THE great Mr. Lock, in his Treatise on Government, well observes, that if the executive Power shall ever presume to interfere in Matters of Election, and make use of those very Offices and Revenues with which it was originally vested for the Reward of Merit, to operate on the Minds of timid Electors of Representatives in Parliament, there and in that Case the executive Power must overwhelm the legislative, and be soon buried in the Ruins of both.
If the Name and Power of the executive Part of Government, be made use of by a Minister or his Agents in Elections, it alters not the Case, and is a high Affront offered to the sacred Majesty of the Constitution of a free Country:
If Boroughs will dispose of their Power of electing two Representatives, to the highest Bidders, this only shews a total Dissolution of Manners and Morals in such Boroughs; and they need not wonder at their Representatives selling themselves to succeed Administrations, when they must remember how dear their Favors cost them. But if the executive Power shall presume to give Sanction to such Proceedings, and not demonstrate a worthy Resentment, at such Prostitutions of Authority, then indeed that fatal Period foretold by Montequieu will arrive; when (as he says) the executive Part shall by the Immensity of its Wealth and Power be able to Secure at all Times a Majority in Parliament; and that no Remedy can be found for this by Reason of the Venality of the Individuals; then the Constitution of such a Country must be entirely changed, as the Balance will then be lost in the State, and all Means to restore it render'd fruitless.
In the Reign of Queen Ann an Attempt was made to operate in a most unusual Way on the Freedom of Parliaments by the sudden Introduction of twelve Peers into the upper House to serve a particular Jobb: this violent Exertion of Prerogative, was disagreeable to the whole Nation; but then it could not be alledged it was illegal. Now sixteen Peers are created, as it may well be said, at the beginning of every Parliament; and yet so callous and so stupid are People in general, that they do not perceive it, tho' it is one of the most dangerous Invasions that ever was made; and is now settled by a long Prescription,
What puts me on this Train of Argument to
SIR,
THE great Mr. Lock, in his Treatise on Government, well observes, that if the executive Power shall ever presume to interfere in Matters of Election, and make use of those very Offices and Revenues with which it was originally vested for the Reward of Merit, to operate on the Minds of timid Electors of Representatives in Parliament, there and in that Case the executive Power must overwhelm the legislative, and be soon buried in the Ruins of both.
If the Name and Power of the executive Part of Government, be made use of by a Minister or his Agents in Elections, it alters not the Case, and is a high Affront offered to the sacred Majesty of the Constitution of a free Country:
If Boroughs will dispose of their Power of electing two Representatives, to the highest Bidders, this only shews a total Dissolution of Manners and Morals in such Boroughs; and they need not wonder at their Representatives selling themselves to succeed Administrations, when they must remember how dear their Favors cost them. But if the executive Power shall presume to give Sanction to such Proceedings, and not demonstrate a worthy Resentment, at such Prostitutions of Authority, then indeed that fatal Period foretold by Montequieu will arrive; when (as he says) the executive Part shall by the Immensity of its Wealth and Power be able to Secure at all Times a Majority in Parliament; and that no Remedy can be found for this by Reason of the Venality of the Individuals; then the Constitution of such a Country must be entirely changed, as the Balance will then be lost in the State, and all Means to restore it render'd fruitless.
In the Reign of Queen Ann an Attempt was made to operate in a most unusual Way on the Freedom of Parliaments by the sudden Introduction of twelve Peers into the upper House to serve a particular Jobb: this violent Exertion of Prerogative, was disagreeable to the whole Nation; but then it could not be alledged it was illegal. Now sixteen Peers are created, as it may well be said, at the beginning of every Parliament; and yet so callous and so stupid are People in general, that they do not perceive it, tho' it is one of the most dangerous Invasions that ever was made; and is now settled by a long Prescription,
What puts me on this Train of Argument to
What sub-type of article is it?
Constitutional
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
Election Interference
Constitutional Balance
Peer Creation
Executive Power
Parliamentary Freedom
Venality
Locke
Montesquieu
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Lock
Montequieu
Queen Ann
Executive Power
Minister
Parliament
Boroughs
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Executive Interference In Elections And Peer Creation
Stance / Tone
Strongly Critical Of Governmental Corruption And Prerogative Abuse
Key Figures
Mr. Lock
Montequieu
Queen Ann
Executive Power
Minister
Parliament
Boroughs
Key Arguments
Executive Interference In Elections Overwhelms Legislative Power, Per Locke.
Ministerial Use Of Executive Authority In Elections Affronts The Constitution.
Venal Boroughs Reflect Moral Dissolution, But Executive Sanction Worsens It.
Montesquieu Warns Of Executive Wealth Securing Parliamentary Majority, Destroying Balance.
Creation Of Twelve Peers Under Queen Anne Was Controversial; Now Sixteen Per Parliament Is Normalized Danger.