wikieditor
10,503
edits
System of Government for Canada: Difference between revisions
m
→Eleventh article of the reform
| Line 129: | Line 129: | ||
By what fatality does a nation, famous in the universe for the spirit of wisdom and the constitutional straightness which governs her, stubbornly condemns a whole people, for 24 years, to civil exheredation and national servitude because some followers of the religion which this people professes, but to which they are attached by a title neither natural nor civil, have formerly dishonoured themselves, by crimes against the State? But the natural balance, the judicial justice of the universe, the laws of of nations, the decrees of the [[Wikipedia:social contract|social contract]], all claim against the punishment of the innocent. The English legislature, neither in the content, nor in the spirit of its [[Wikipedia:criminal law|criminal law]]s, can only have captured the culprits, or their descendants who were the only falling under its jurisdiction, either really or virtually by their representation; but strangers, who were not then [[Wikipedia:Justiciability|justiciable]], who could not even have foreseen that they be one day linked to the State, who were not dependent of this State, and who were under no guilt, ah! there is only the blindness which could have confused them in this sentence: but England is the first one being deceived and the first victim of this mistake, which deprives her of a number of good and rich subjects, who, prohibited from settling in her midst, with the citizens rights to the public places and to territorial acquisitions, migrate their families and their fortunes elsewhere, often acquired under the auspices of her wisdom and her services. The more I consider the wellbeing of the State, the more I promise myself that the Parliament will not let an error so detrimental to all the nation last any longer. | By what fatality does a nation, famous in the universe for the spirit of wisdom and the constitutional straightness which governs her, stubbornly condemns a whole people, for 24 years, to civil exheredation and national servitude because some followers of the religion which this people professes, but to which they are attached by a title neither natural nor civil, have formerly dishonoured themselves, by crimes against the State? But the natural balance, the judicial justice of the universe, the laws of of nations, the decrees of the [[Wikipedia:social contract|social contract]], all claim against the punishment of the innocent. The English legislature, neither in the content, nor in the spirit of its [[Wikipedia:criminal law|criminal law]]s, can only have captured the culprits, or their descendants who were the only falling under its jurisdiction, either really or virtually by their representation; but strangers, who were not then [[Wikipedia:Justiciability|justiciable]], who could not even have foreseen that they be one day linked to the State, who were not dependent of this State, and who were under no guilt, ah! there is only the blindness which could have confused them in this sentence: but England is the first one being deceived and the first victim of this mistake, which deprives her of a number of good and rich subjects, who, prohibited from settling in her midst, with the citizens rights to the public places and to territorial acquisitions, migrate their families and their fortunes elsewhere, often acquired under the auspices of her wisdom and her services. The more I consider the wellbeing of the State, the more I promise myself that the Parliament will not let an error so detrimental to all the nation last any longer. | ||
Here are, ''Messieurs'', all the principal pieces of political detail which, as a whole, can be | Here are, ''Messieurs'', all the principal pieces of political detail which, as a whole, can be put together for the complete formation of a happy government in the province, which undoubtedly bought it for quite and expensive price, was it only for the calamities produced by more than 20 years of a failed administration. I have tried to tie them one to another, with as much order as it was possible to do using the weakness of my genius; you only have to sew them with more art in a provincial petition, to be submitted to the throne and the Parliament of England; because the ministers are in the State but the agents of the executive power: it is indeed in their power, by passing [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lenitive lenitives] and temporary modifications, to soften for a time the bitterness of the yoke which you tasted for so long: they can even, by a thoughtful choice, and as such, beneficial, to place over your heads a governor who would be just, human, and virtuous, who would make it a glory to wipe your tears, and to resurrect among you the reign of serenity, safety and peace; but your happiness would only be the free gift of ministerial condescension, and the natural disposition of the honest and pleasant despot who would govern you; the ministers could return from their goodwill, take back their gifts, and you plunge in your old misfortunes again; but the happiness of a entire people must be sat on firmer and more durable bases. | ||
[[Image:Penn.jpg|thumb|left|William Penn, founder of the province of Pennsylvania]][[Image:Orange.jpg|thumb|William III of England, prince of Orange]]The Famous founder of the confraternity of [[Wikipedia:Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] (Mr. [[Wikipedia:William Penn|Penn]]) has placed at the [[Wikipedia:Frontispiece|frontispiece]] of his legislative code, that "Good men make good laws, and all that a people need are good administrators to be happy": he was right; but before establishing such an reasonable [[Wikipedia:axiom|axiom]] as a single rule of the legislation for a country, we should find a reference point to be forever assured of the virtue of public servants. Undoubtedly, this enthusiastic leader of the Quakers, ''saisi et agité de l'esprit''(5), could read in the hearts of the his present and future co-religionists, but me, who do not claim the glory of the prophetic gift, I boldly sustain that it is to the goodness of laws to train the good public administrators: the virtue of the latter is so strongly due to chance and [[Wikipedia:Causality|causality]], the one cannot reasonably rely on it for the happiness of a whole people: but the virtue of the law is fixed; it reigns in spite of the iniquity of the executive, and the peoples are happy. It is admittedly not free from transgression; but the transgression of a law (I hear a fundamental, constitutional law of government, which is in question here) calls on the whole body of the people for revenge, or for the overthrowing of the transgressor, or for a total revolution. This doctrine, founded on the nature of the social contract, is especially sacred in England; because it was at the heart of this [[Wikipedia:Glorious Revolution|great and memorable revolution]], which decided it forever, (at least it should be hoped for) the empire of the law, that is to say of freedom; because the later is the natural and legitimate child of the first: it is for these great lessons, ''Messieurs'', that you cannot rely on any of the particular concessions which could be granted to you by subordinate hands, which would consequently be authorized to seize it back out of fancy tomorrow: law, ''Messieurs'', the seal of the law, which forever consecrates the form of government whose choice you will have decided, here is the sole bond which can invariably attach yourselves to happiness, and happiness to yourselves: it is thus to the king sitting in Parliament which you must address. | [[Image:Penn.jpg|thumb|left|William Penn, founder of the province of Pennsylvania]][[Image:Orange.jpg|thumb|William III of England, prince of Orange]]The Famous founder of the confraternity of [[Wikipedia:Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]] (Mr. [[Wikipedia:William Penn|Penn]]) has placed at the [[Wikipedia:Frontispiece|frontispiece]] of his legislative code, that "Good men make good laws, and all that a people need are good administrators to be happy": he was right; but before establishing such an reasonable [[Wikipedia:axiom|axiom]] as a single rule of the legislation for a country, we should find a reference point to be forever assured of the virtue of public servants. Undoubtedly, this enthusiastic leader of the Quakers, ''saisi et agité de l'esprit''(5), could read in the hearts of the his present and future co-religionists, but me, who do not claim the glory of the prophetic gift, I boldly sustain that it is to the goodness of laws to train the good public administrators: the virtue of the latter is so strongly due to chance and [[Wikipedia:Causality|causality]], the one cannot reasonably rely on it for the happiness of a whole people: but the virtue of the law is fixed; it reigns in spite of the iniquity of the executive, and the peoples are happy. It is admittedly not free from transgression; but the transgression of a law (I hear a fundamental, constitutional law of government, which is in question here) calls on the whole body of the people for revenge, or for the overthrowing of the transgressor, or for a total revolution. This doctrine, founded on the nature of the social contract, is especially sacred in England; because it was at the heart of this [[Wikipedia:Glorious Revolution|great and memorable revolution]], which decided it forever, (at least it should be hoped for) the empire of the law, that is to say of freedom; because the later is the natural and legitimate child of the first: it is for these great lessons, ''Messieurs'', that you cannot rely on any of the particular concessions which could be granted to you by subordinate hands, which would consequently be authorized to seize it back out of fancy tomorrow: law, ''Messieurs'', the seal of the law, which forever consecrates the form of government whose choice you will have decided, here is the sole bond which can invariably attach yourselves to happiness, and happiness to yourselves: it is thus to the king sitting in Parliament which you must address. | ||