7 Aug. 1809

Parl y Reform

Hume

14

14

Add Origin of this notion Ballance of power as[?] in international law.

In note B. nothing is said of the quantity [...?] of the forces.

And what is it that in his view of the matter had so long kept them from it? Want of " moderation" forsooth: want of moderation, and nothing else.

"But such a moderation["] (continues he) "is not to be expected in party-men of any kind. After a concession of this nature, all declamations must be abandoned; and a calm enquiry into the proper degree of court-influence and parliamentary dependence would have been expected by the readers.["]

"And though the advantage in such a controversy might (continues he) possibly remain to the country-party, yet the victory would not be so compleat as they wish for; nor would a true patriot have given an entire loan[?] to his zeal, for fear of running matters into a contrary extreme, by diminishing too far

+ the influence of the Crown. It was therefore thought best to deny, that this extreme could ever be dangerous to the constitution, or that the Crown could ever have too little influence over the members of parliament."