Thoughts on civil liberty, on licentiousness, and faction/Section 18

 

SECT.XVIII.

 

A third Mark of Licentiousness and Faction.

 

THE Patrons of Faction would be self-contradictory and inconsistent, not only on different, but on parallel Occasions."

Thus, if the Exercise of a Privilege should be quietly allowed to one Officer of State, and by the same Persons should be clamoured against in his Successor: The Persons thus acquiescing and clamouring by Turns, would stand convicted of a self-contradictory and inconsistent Conduct: And without deciding on the Propriety or Impropriety of the Privilege in Question, would carry upon them a clear Mark of Licentiousness and Faction.

Again, if a certain Mode of political Influence on Dependents was generally exercised among all the Ranks of a free Country:—If the same Persons already characterized, should now condemn This as a despotic Measure in the Servants of the Crown, which They themselves formerly exercised when in Power, and still continue to exercise towards their private Dependents:—These Gentlemen would betray a very notable Inconsistence in their Conduct: And therefore, without any Decision on the Rectitude of such a general Practice, would stand convicted of an undeniable Mark of Licentiousness and Faction.