A dialogue between a gentleman of London, agent for two court candidates, and an honest alderman of the country party

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1747 Excerpt: ... ( 35 ) Answers; for I think they have never yet been so good to give a single Answer to all which hath been advanced against their absurd Principles. Their Arguments and their Weapons are indeed one and the same; Songs and Toasts, Curses-and Huzzas. Indeed in this they act consistently enough; for as it is a Cause in behalf of which no Man, though his Wit "was ever so great, could say any thing, so is it a Cause for which no Man would fight who had even a single Grain of common Sense. I shall not therefore be deterred by their Example, but am as sanguine in my Hopes of answering this Grievance as much to your Satisfaction, as I seem to have answered the other. Let me ask you,'then, what Advantage you proposi? from an annual Parliament? t ..i ;:" Alderman., That it would not be in the Power of a Minister to corrupt either the Electors or Elected. Gentleman. You think the Expence would be so great? E 2 Alderman. Aldermaft, Certainly, Gentleman. So much the worse for us, fbr.we must find the Money to corrupt them; but to confess the Tjuth, it wpuld have no such Consequence. On the contrary, would you not be surpriz'd, could I convince you that this fine plausible Scheme would of all others bid the fairest for putting Parlia- ments absolutely into the Hands of a Minister, and that without giving him any Trouble at all with the Electors, and not much more with the Elected. Alderman.. This would surprize me indeed. Gentleman. By what Right doth any Man sit in Parliament f Alderman, Why, by being elected by his Country. Gentlemen. You mould rather say by being returned ejected j for if the Person so returned had I m not a single good Vote, he wotrid have a Right to sit there, and the other Party would be driven to his Petition. What then would be the Case, i...