Essays by Swift Jonathan

Author:Swift, Jonathan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: (Privatkopie)
Published: 2010-02-02T16:00:00+00:00

Jonathan Swift

A Letter to a Member of Parliament in Ireland upon the chusing a new Speaker there

Written in the Year 1708.

Sir,

You may easily believe I am not at all surprised at what you tell me, since it is but a Confirmation of my own Conjecture that I sent you last week, and made you my Reproaches upon it at a Venture. It looks exceeding strange, yet I believe it to be a great Truth, that, in order to carry a Point in your House, the two following Circumstances are of great Advantage: first, to have an ill Cause; and, secondly, to be a Minority. For both these Circumstances are extreamly apt to unite men, to make them assiduous in their Attendance, watchfull of Opportunityes, zealous for gaining over Proselytes, and often successfull; which is not to be wondred at, when Favour and Interest are on the side of their Opinion. Wheras, on the contrary, A Majority with a good Cause are negligent and supine. They think it sufficient to declare themselves upon Occasion in Favor of their Party; but, sailing against the Tide of Favor and Preferment, they are easily scattred and driven back. In short, they want a common Principle to cement, and Motive to spirit them. For the bare acting upon a Principle from the Dictates of a good Conscience, or prospect of Serving the Publick, will not go very far under the present Dispositions of Mankind. This was amply verifyed last Sessions of Parliament, upon Occasion of the Money-bill, the Merits of which I shall not pretend to examine. It is enough that, upon the first News of its Transmission hither, in the Form it afterwards appeared, the Members, upon discourse with their Friends, seemed unanimous against it; I mean those of both Partyes, except a few, who were lookt upon as Persons ready to go any Lengths prescribed them by the Court. Yet with onely a weeks canvassing among a very few Hands, the Bill past after a full Debate, by a very great Majority. Yet, I believe, you will hardly attempt persuading me, or any body else, that one man in ten, of those who changed their Language, were moved by Reasons any way affecting the Merits of the Cause, but meerly through Hope, Fear, Indolence, or good Manners. Nay, I have been assured from good Hands, that there was still a number sufficient to make a majority against the Bill, if they had not apprehended the other Side to be secure, and therefore thought it imprudence, by declaring themselves, to disoblige the Government to no purpose.

Reflecting upon this, and fourty other Passages, in the severall Houses of Commons since the Revolution, makes me apt to think, there is nothing a chief Governor can be commanded to attempt here wherein he may not succeed, with a very competent share of Address, and with such Assistance as he will allways find ready at his Devotion. And therefore I repeat what I said at first, that I am not at all surprized at what you tell me.

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