One would imagine that the natural principle of self-preservation
implanted in us, would make it unnecessary to caution any one not to
furnish an enemy with arms against himself. Yet daily experience shews
us that such instances of imprudence are not uncommon. In this life we
are liable to be surrounded with calamities and distresses: we should
therefore be cautious of adding to our misfortunes, by our own want
of caution, and of putting power into the hands of those enemies,
which our merit or our affluence may tempt to rise up against us. Any
person in a community, by what name or title soever distinguished,
who affects a power which may possibly hurt a people, is their enemy,
and therefore they ought not to trust him: for though he were ever
so fully determined not to abuse such a power, yet he is so far a
bad man, as he disturbs a nation’s quiet, and makes them jealous and
uneasy, by desiring to have it, or even retaining it, when it may prove
mischievous. If we consult history, we shall find that the thing called
prerogative, has been claimed and contended for chiefly by those who
never intended to make a good use of it; and as readily resigned by
wise and just princes, who had the true interest of their people at
heart. How like senseless stocks do they act, who, by complimenting
some capricious mortal, from time to time, with scraps of prerogative,
at last put it out of their power to maintain their just and natural
liberty!
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