4. The. landed aristocracy have partly brought this
upon themselves, by their blind resistance to all innova-
tion, and by their tenacious adherence to what they ima-
gine to be their own indispensable interest, Had they
paid all taxes, and left all trade unfettered, there would
have no political sacrifice been required of them ; and they
would have remained in the undisturbed possession df
their natural, their rightful inheritance, as lords of the
commonwealth. But the democracy of England, fired
by a sense of injury, have now made head against them.;
and may, perhaps, wrest from them^ by force, that which
ought to have been freely and willingly conceded in the
spirit of an enlightened policy. We should rejoice in
such a compromise between the two parties, as that both
a full commutation of the taxes, and the full establishment
of commercial liberty, unshackled by impositions or re-
straints of any sort, were at length effected, but effected
gradually. What we fear in the present spirit of reform,
is its impetuosity, and that it may not only, without the
necessary delay, precipitate right changes, but, without
the necessary discrimination, may hurry a new.Jegi6lature
into wrong changes. There lies a noble field of improve-
ment before them, in rightly shifting the burden of taxes;
in emancipating trade, and that without reserve or limi-
tation ; above all, in providing, amply and liberally pro-
viding, both for the christian and literary education of
the people. But there is a waywardness of innovation
which might carry ruin and overthrow in its train, and of
this they will have to beware* They should meddle not
with the national debt, save in an equitable adjustment of
the taxes ; else they will pass a sentence of confiscation on
one set of proprietors to the enrichment of another ««! ^^
proprietors, and these are exclusively xVw ^to^rv^Q\% ^^

28*



336 GONCLUBIOlf.
