was only an assum'd Principle to
buoy up the Faction. I by Degrees slacken'd in my Zeal, and having no
other Nation of Government, then by submitting to the Supream National
Power, where the Law of God was silent, I found this an effectual Means
to quiet my Conscience. However I still persisted and follow'd the
Pretender's Cause, the Success of the Roman-Catholick Interest provoking
me to it: For I imagin'd that Salvo ought to weigh down in Practise,
where other Matters relating to Succession were still under Controversy;
but when I took under serious Consideration the Practise of our
Ancestors, and how in all Ages both Church and State came frequently
into Non-Hereditary Measures, where I run over the String of
Disappointments King _James_ had met withal by the Politic Management
_of France_. When I reflected what Misery had befallen, and was like to
befall these Kings by adhering to the besoted Notion of Hereditary
Right, I put the whole Controversy upon the Issue of Religion, and it
plainly appear'd to me, that no Roman Catholick was oblig'd to oppose
the Revolutionary Measures in Conscience, much less in Policy. I was
fully satisfy'd in the first Part of the Enquiry by that unanswerable
Piece lately printed, call'd, _A Roman Catholick System of Allegiance_.
As for the latter Part, let the Tory and Roman Catholick Party sum up
their Losses since 1688, and it will convince 'em how foolishly they
acted. Thus settled in my Principles in regard of Loyalty, I design'd to
pay an intire and unlimited Obedience to the present Constitution; as to
my Religion, which I own is not conformable to that by Law Established.
I will make a discreet Use of that Indulgence the Government is pleas'd
to allow; and if Providence thinks fit to make me Suffer upon that
Score, no rational Man will blame my Zeal till he does convince me of my
Mistake.

_FINIS_

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Memoirs of Major Alexander Ramkins
(1718), by Daniel Defoe

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAJOR ALEXANDER RAMKINS ***

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