What I have said here
concerning the legislative in general holds true also concerning the
supreme executor, who having a double trust put in him, both to have a
part in the legislative and the supreme execution of the law, acts
against both, when he goes about to set up his own arbitrary will as
the law of the society. He acts also contrary to his trust when he
employs the force, treasure, and offices of the society to corrupt the
representatives and gain them to his purposes, when he openly
pre-engages the electors, and prescribes, to their choice, such whom
he has, by solicitation, threats, promises, or otherwise, won to his
designs, and employs them to bring in such who have promised
beforehand what to vote and what to enact. Thus to regulate candidates
and electors, and new model the ways of election, what is it but to
cut up the government by the roots, and poison the very fountain of
public security? For the people having reserved to themselves the
choice of their representatives as the fence to their properties,
could do it for no other end but that they might always be freely
chosen, and so chosen, freely act and advise as the necessity of the
commonwealth and the public good should, upon examination and mature
debate, be judged to require.
Pages:
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209