THE INTERREGNUM.

415

are absurd, though they carry demonstration with them. chap.Logic admits of no compromise. The essence of politics is 1 168B " •compromise. It is therefore not strange that some of themost important and most useful political instruments in theworld should be among the most illogical compositions thatever were penned. The object of Somers, of Maynard, andof the other eminent men who shaped this celebrated motionwas, not to leave to posterity a model of definition and parti-tion, but to make the restoration of a tyrant impossible, andto place on the throne a sovereign under whom law and libertymight be secure. This object they attained by using languagewhich, in a philosophical treatise, would justly be reprehendedas inexact and confused. They cared little whether theirmajor agreed with their conclusion, if the major secured twohundred votes, and the conclusion two hundred more. Infact the one beauty of the resolution is its inconsistency.

There was a phrase for every subdivision of the majority. Themention of the original contract gratified the disciples ofSidney. The word abdication conciliated politicians of amore timid school. There were doubtless many fervent Pro-testants who were pleased with the censure cast on the Je-suits. To the real statesman the single important clause wasthat which declared the thronevacant; and, if that clause couldbe carried , he cared little by what preamble it might be in-troduced. The force which was thus united made all resistancehopeless. The motion was adopted by the Committee with-out a division. It was ordered that the report should be in-stantly made. Powle returned to the chair: the mace waslaid on the table: Hampden brought up the resolution: theHouse instantly agreed to it, and ordered him to carry it tothe Lords.*

On the following morning the Lords assembled early. The it is sentbenches both of the spiritual and of the temporal peers were lhocrowded. Hampden appeared at the bar, and put the reso-lution of the Commons into the hands of Halifax. The Upper

■ Commons’ Journals, Jan. 28. 168J.; Grey's Debates; Citlers,

^ d> e report in Grey’s Debates be correct, Citlers must havebeen misinformed as to Sawyer’s speech.