The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1774-12-22

buckingham
IS 564.
Il is flameful what ,a'proportion OF inc 81 -
TENT into the houic by handful, and that hahoiui
notify people in low circumstances, and therefore
obnoxious 70 bribery, or under the power OF their
fuperiors Blythe above lieitapPears that 50 mem
bers (abeut aninth part of thewhoe tor England)
are fent into the houfe of commons BY 3o4 votes
which number ought not TO iend in one member.
Fer no member ought to be elected by fewer than
the majority of 500, upon the mott moderate cal
culation. according to Doctor Price, IN order TO
olive AIo.ooo voters their due, and equally ditri-
buted fhare of Legislative power, without which G.
quail diilribution the majority OF the men OF pro-
perry are enilaved TO the handful OF beggars. we
lee above (morgyau berrrsA9n inger5 1.-TWO Perion'
the Lord of the ptifnl town of Newton IN the iile
of WIGHT. and him of Old Sarum. Wiltihire,
where there is not houfe, fend in as many mem
hers a, the ineAimable wealth of the city OF Lon
don. in which the livery, who are the legal cleo
tors are 5000, and the perions who ought to
have votes are 10000, and upwards. Here two
individuals. have equal weight in the fate nth
10000. The Britih government therefore,
taking j, according to its avswed tate IS neither
abiolute monarchy, nor limited monarchy, nor
ariRoeracy, nor democracy, nor mixture OF mo-
norchy. aritocracy and democracy, but may be
called p,ocbovaey 1.-THE reader will pardon new
word) or goverxment of beggars For few
b.ooarIy boroughs do avowedly elect the mott
;mnortant part OF the government, the part which
commands the purie. Its true this is only TIE
oaenfhle fate Of things. The Butiih govern
nent IS really juntocracy Il doubt the reaSier
x,;lI now think prelume upon his good nature
or government by miniiter and his crew. For
the court direa she beggars whom to chooie.
Suppofe tfays the author) our court mould take
.ha i.,;nsr;ve power into It's own hands, and omit
-.Il;n9 narliament for feven years together,
horl3 we not fay" Chaos is come again -
wv, ;s the difference TO the natien between cal
Inc no parliament and calling let OF oribed
flayes, the ready tools Of the court.
Is the people Of England once be corrupted IN
,h,, which is the fountain OF their liberties,
their own representatives IN parliament ahem
hisd ,hev mua expect nothing bur the Aowings
80 &C tyranry and mitchell upon them, IN and
-, rbr;ryerv laws. The high court of parlla-
~, ;s the mott certain and contant guardian
nfI;bertv but if it be deprived Otis own liber-
:, !, ;slef without life or power to keep the IL
g. -, nc others. Our artleis ancetors on mott
occsGons particularly in framing the bill OF iuc-
os0;or fhew. that they took it for granted, par
I.ment would never content 10 any thug wrong
IN compliance with the court" Little did they
think Of zinc coming. when content OF parlla-
.r,ent might be obtained to any thing the mini
,rv mould ak yer they ieen at Tome periods to
have been Jealous of the eneroaching dhPa:uon
of m;niaers, and aware of The doctrine which this
orion reaches, viz. that corrupt parliaments are
layes to miniHers. Il is miieraole TO ooierve IN
readinu the parliamentary hiforysthe Magazines
,,oiaeTs. SC. that the ienic and the Paruoaim
.,s almoa ALWAYS Tour own virtuo1s times ex-
centcdl on the iide Of the protecting LORDS the
n,iror;,v in the houie of commons, and the VIII
~. oftbe magazines or regiters, and againit the
,,~o,eed;ngs Of the houies, which are ofteneii
!''roro headed and wrong mentioned. YET our
houTes Of parliament take in grievous dudgeon
.rv reelection on their wiidom or integrity, and
wonder that the people thew awant OF feiPee'
Sor them. though the people fee plainly that
,0aoazirewriter has more ienie or more INTEGRITY,
,haS the majority of the two houies. Which
arrange phenomenon can only be aicrioed to MI
n;eey,al notion working in the houics.
From this account it appears, with the elearei'
evidence. that majority Of the houie OF COM
mons Is elected by very inan part OF the people
sc Rr;ta;n. and tfofe chiefly IN low circumstances
,rbe candidates fpend iinmenie iums to iecuTe
,h.;r elections, and :heirncxt care IS to reimbunC
,a,mfelyes during the Jevts ysarI continuance Of
n.rl;smsn,. The way to do this Is to DC very
esmrlsiiant to the miniiters.