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 ¬where breaking up their farms, even in those parts of the island proverbially famous for their pro- pagation?' ¬I could not here help interrupting again, by asking — " Where was your government all this while? — or rather perhaps I should ask, have you any government at all ?" — " Certainly," he an- swered, " we have, and one that is justly the envy of our world; but nothing is perfect. — The matter was lately brought before the great council, and was passed over without redress; but you must not be hasty in judging of the national character from such a seemingly absurd determination. — The great council is composed of men far superior, from talents and informa- tion, to those of any other country, but who are now and then obliged to suffer their own good sense to be overshadowed by the non- sense of others ; they are not chosen equally by the various classes of an intelligent people, but are got together in such a manner that local interests and local prejudices sometimes ¬prevail ¬