The benefits of heaven to any community ought never to be connected with
political arrangements, or made to depend on the personal conduct of
princes; in which the mistake, or error, or neglect, or distress, or
passion of a moment on either side, may bring famine on millions, and
ruin an innocent nation perhaps for ages. The means of the subsistence
of mankind should be as immutable as the laws of nature, let power and
dominion take what course they may.