To get through such a period without a coup d'etat being
attempted, on either side or on both, requires such a combination of
the love of liberty and the habit of self-restraint as very few
nations have yet shown themselves capable of: and though this
extremity were avoided, to expect that the two authorities would not
paralyse each other's operations is to suppose that the political life
of the country will always be pervaded by a spirit of mutual
forbearance and compromise, imperturbable by the passions and
excitements of the keenest party struggles. Such a spirit may exist,
but even where it does there is imprudence in trying it too far.
Other reasons make it desirable that some power in the state
(which can only be the executive) should have the liberty of at any
time, and at discretion, calling a new Parliament. When there is a
real doubt which of two contending parties has the strongest
following, it is important that there should exist a constitutional
means of immediately testing the point, and setting it at rest. No
other political topic has a chance of being properly attended to while
this is undecided: and such an interval is mostly an interregnum for
purposes of legislative or administrative improvement; neither party
having sufficient confidence in its strength to attempt things
likely to promote opposition in any quarter that has either direct
or indirect influence in the pending struggle.
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