Page:Political Tracts.djvu/176

 arbitrary authority, former parliaments have judged the diputes about elections, it is not neceary to relate. The claim of a candidate, and the right of electors are aid carcely to have been, even in appearance, referred to concience; but to have been decided by party, by paion, by prejudice, or by frolic. To have friends in the borough was of little ue to him, who wanted friends in the houe; a pretence was eaily found to evade a majority, and the eat was at lat his, that was choen not by his electors, but his fellow-enators.

the nation was inulted with a mock election, and the parliament was filled with purious repreentatives; one of the mot important claims, that of a right to it in the upreme council of the kingdom, was debated in jet, and no man could be confident of ucces from the jutice of his caue.