CHARLES H. 227

Great opposition was made to this bili ; asmight be expected from the present dispositionof the nation. During seventeen days, the debateswere' carried on with much zeal; and all thereason and learning of both parties were displayedon the occasion. The question, indeed, withregard to resistance, was a point, which enteredinto the controversies of the old parties, cavalierand roundhead; as it made an essential part ofthe present disputes between court and country.Few neuters were found in the nation : Butamong such as could maintain a calm indifference,there prevailed sentiments wide of those whichwere adopted by either party. Such persons thought*that all general, speculative declarations of theleg!stature, either for or against resistance, wereequally impolitic, and could serve to no otherpurpose, than to signalize in their turn thetriumph of one faction over another: That thesimplicity retained in the ancient laws of England,as well as 111 the laws of every other country, oughtstill to be preserved, and was best calculated toprevent the extremes on either side : That theabsolute exclusion of resistance, in all possiblecases , was founded on false principles ; its expressadmission might be attended with dangerous con-sequences ; and there was no necessitv lor exposingthe public to either inconvenience : That isa choicemust necessarily be made in the cafe, the prefer-ence of utility" to truth in public institutions wasapparent; nor could the supposition of resistance,beforehand and in general terms , be safelv

Q. 3

H AEX VII«7V