The Sun.
London, England, 1818-07-24 00:00:00

SECT. VI.

Eriti.nst,—=From what has been Said,
t may appeir That the founders Of Putiticci/ Stet
are entitled to great honour, for having banded
doWn.to posterity rules for the liberty, peace,
and happiness of mankind, Which can Only be .r-
-jrryed under good GovernMent ; but much as
thebe died deserve respect, so much (hi the
founders.of deserve hatred and detesta-
Their influence, instead of being directed
owarcis what is right, takes•ti contrary effect, to
Subvert' dovernment, and engender animosity
among the people, who would otherwise mutually
assist and protect each other. These noxious
weeds, wt en once they take root in a state, are
not: easily extirpated. They grow best in the
richest soil, awl, always near some virtuous platy
in free Governments. Where liberty reigns they
infect the legislature, which, by a wise application
V rewards-and punishments, only is able to root

lOU.

Gem out: Faction is real or personal ; one

friendly, the other adverse. The real are of inte-
rest, personal of affection ; of interest is the most
reasonable, though it be distinct in all orders of
men. It of principle, each party honestly, but
Mistakingly, thinks itself in the right. This is
the origin of all religious divisions and contentions,
fble.b.were unknown in the ancient world, and
which has raised a spirit of persecution, the poi -
son.of human society. In the ancient world, sects
of philosophy were more zealous than parties of
religion, but now and of late, factions of religion
are more furious than factions founded on inte-
rest. Faction of affection is founded on attach-
ment to particular families or persons, and they
ire viotrnt. iii the extreme.'

The parties of Great Britain and Ireland, which
are of principle, are those of the Court and
Country, whose strength or weakness, depend on
an existing administration. If bad, it may throw
a great majority into the Opposition ; but if good,
it may weaken them. The nation may fluctuate
between them,
.yet they will contimie - while we
are under a limited monarchy,
_where„ trust and
power are bestowed on those svhoSe principles are
%most favourable to it. Those whose ambition ia
disappointed, join the party who are most jealous
of Royal 'frivoitr, and go. 'greater, lengths than
good policy kliitifie3. Court and Country party
are the offspring of our Constitution, and are
alike influenced by principle, with little or no
regard to interest at all. The higher branches of
a -factilin- are 4410n:eta:by selfishness,: and inte-
rest is their only idol ; the lower, on the con-
trary, are actuated wholly by principle.
'Parties first rose up with the grand Rebellion
under CHARLBS 1. Before that time, our Consti-
tution, though intrinsically good, was in a state
iii confusion, unsettled, and troboundeti by law;
• though the people enjoycl. Many valuable priVi,
• loges, which this unhappy King- looked upon as
concessions. from former Sovereigns, and revocable.
Tbis began his ruin, and his contempt of liberty
increased, and spread it under oppression. It pro-
duced contests that divided met) into parties;
yvitieh joined the side most agreeable to their opi-
nions of right. Interest was nor a motive with
either. One was called round-beads or republi-
cans, the other cavaliers or monarchy-men ; in
tandem terms, .Court and Country parties. The
end„of this contest between King and People,
the Established Clergy, who adhered to the
for Mer, and the Dissenters the latter, is well.
known. The-King was murdered, and the Par-
liament annihilated. The People were cursed
with the absolute dominion of An'arch Impostor,
and an hypocritical self-named Protector of a
Commonwealth.

iu the next reign parties were nicknamed Whigs
and Lilies, sometimes in power, sometimes out
of it. The Tories were for passive obedience and
indefeasable right, though against oppression
and arbitrary power. Tim succeeding .revolution
is the foundation of British Wseity. The Tories
then and since were friendly to liberty, with-
out giving up their principle, as to the right
of the Prince; and in this they seem to he Court
parties, Foyers of liberty, but 2,nrore so, of mo-
narchy,
.uhich they carried too far to 'be con-
sistent with a limited Government. Since the
Revolution they have been lovers of monarchy,
Withion abandoning liberty, but friendly to
the STEWARTS. A IVhig, on the other hand,
is a lover of liberty, without renouncing mo-
narchy, while limited ; a friend to the Settlement
and the Protestant Soceession. The difference
between these parties since 1688, is•little more
than nominal and verbal ; and now only kept up
as sounds t;iught to parrots when young, to be
repeated, without a definite meaning, When:they
ale old. The parties now in vogue are.of the
Court and Country, who from interest. or princi-
ple are either friends (I) mo4archy on one side, or
of liberty On (lie other. There is a litde hypo-
crisy in each, and each will figure in. 'with the
other, as times and occasions may favour:their
wish, and answer their purpose.

MONTESQLTIXTJ.
(To be concluded in Sect. VII.)