1821. April 27.

First Lines

Constitutional

Distributive

Under a Representative Democracy, scarcely for offences of this class it has been seen can so much as a place be found. On the one hand stand offences of individuals against individuals: on the other hand, acts of hostility by enemies against enemies. Rulers being individuals - rulers and subjects at the same time, for persons reputation, property and condition in life rulers receive the same protection as subjects, and of no other protection have they or can they conceive themselves to have any need. Under a Monarchy by sudden death inflicted upon the chief of the government, changes, to the importance of which no limit can be assigned, may be produced. By an operation to the same effect upon the person of a chief Magistrate in a Representative Democracy, no such effect - scarce any such effect as would in any sinister estimate be worth producing, would ever be produced: another as good as he and no better nor of any better would there be any need would, as soon as the election had run its course, step into his place.

In a Monarchy, especially if absolute, take possession of the Chief Magistrate you take possession of an immense part if not the whole of the power which is in his hands. He signs what laws and orders you give him to sign, he utters whatever speeches you give him to utter - he takes whatever oaths you give him to take: reserving to the first moment, after he is out of your hands, the signing of repealing laws and counter orders, the utterance of counter speeches, the declaration that the former oaths were null and void, and the taking of as many counter oaths, if any, as shall oresent themselves in his eyes afford a promise of being contributory to the purpose of the moment, whatsoever that purpose be. Whatsoever engagement he have /has/ taken with this ceremony for a sanction to it. Whatever course of conduct he has given a promise to pursue, with this ceremony, or sanction to the promise, if at any moment being called upon to pursue a different course, it be more agreeable to him to persevere in the original course, he will assure you that oaths, all oaths, are things sacred and inviolable.