* "As Mr. Lorimer remarks, by creating a pecuniary inducement to
persons of the lowest class to devote themselves to public affairs,
the calling of the demagogue would be formally inaugurated. Nothing is
more to be deprecated than making it the private interest of a
number of active persons to urge the form of government in the
direction of its natural perversion. The indications which either a
multitude or an individual can give, when merely left to their own
weaknesses, afford but a faint idea of what those weaknesses would
become when played upon by a thousand flatterers. If there were 658
places of certain, however moderate, emolument, to be gained by
persuading the multitude that ignorance is as good as knowledge, and
better, it is terrible odds that they would believe and act upon the
lesson."- (Article in Fraser's Magazine for April 1859, headed
"Recent Writers on Reform.")
Chapter 11
Of the Duration of Parliaments.
AFTER HOW long a term should members of Parliament be subject to
re-election? The principles involved are here very obvious; the
difficulty lies in their application. On the one hand, the member
ought not to have so long a tenure of his seat as to make him forget
his responsibility, take his duties easily, conduct them with a view
to his own personal advantage, or neglect those free and public
conferences with his constituents which, whether he agrees or
differs with them, are one of the benefits of representative
government.
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