■WILLIAM AND MABY.

35

generally were bent on effecting a great reform, without whichit was felt that the Declaration of Eights would be but an-imperfect guarantee for public liberty. During the conflictwhich fifteen successive Parliaments had maintained againstfour successive Kings, the chief weapon of the Commons hadbeen the power of the purse; and never had the representativesof the people been induced to surrender that weapon withouthaving speedy cause to repent of their too credulous loyalty. Inthat season of tumultuous joy which followed the Restoration,a large revenue for life had been almost by acclamation grantedto Charles the Second. A few months later there was scarcelya respectable Cavalier in the kingdom who did not own that thestewards of the nation would have acted more wisely if they hadkept in their hands the means of checking the abuses whichdisgraced every department of the government. James theSecond had obtained from his submissive Parliament, withouta dissentient voice, an income sufficient to defray the ordinaryexpenses of the state during his life; and, before he had enjoyedthat income half a year, the great majority of those who haddealt thus liberally with him blamed themselves severely fortheir liberality. If experience was to be trusted, a long andpainful experience, there could be no effectual security againstmaladministration, unless the Sovereign were under the neces-sity of recurring frequently to his Great Council for pecuniaryaid. Almost all honest and enlightened men were thereforeagreed in thinking that a part at least of the supplies ought tobe granted only for short terms. And what time could be fitterfor the introduction of this new practice than the year 1689, thecommencement of a new reign, of a new dynasty, of a new eraof constitutional government? The feeling on this subjectwas so strong and general that the dissentient minority gaveway. No formal resolution was passed; but the House pro-ceeded to act on the supposition that the grants which had

3 *

CHAP.

XI.