he rectitude of whose views, I trust, the ill
tendency of any such involuntary error will be effectually counteracted.
In the mean time this deviation of Mr. Burke from the general principles
of his connexion, has given occasion to some to impute aristocratical
views to the whole party. The best answer to this, is, that the
parliamentary reform was expressly stipulated by lord Rockingham, in his
coalition with the earl of Shelburne, as one of the principles, upon
which the Administration of March, 1782, was formed.

From what has been said, I consider my first proposition as completely
established, that the Rockingham party was the only connexion of men, by
which the country could be well served.

I would however just observe one thing by the way. I forsee that my
first proposition lies open to a superficial and childish kind of
ridicule. But in order to its operation, it is not necessary to say,
that the friends of lord Rockingham were persuaded, that the country
could not be well served, but by themselves. In reality, this is the
proper and philosophical state of it: that each individual of that
connexion was persuaded, that the country could not be well served but
by his friends. And I trust, it has now appeared, that this was a just
and rational persuasion.

The next argument adduced in conformation of my thesis, is, that they
were not by themselves of sufficient strength, to support the weight of
administration. It is certainly a melancholy consideration, that there
should not be virtue enough left in a people to support an
administration of honest views and uniform principles, against all the
cabals of faction. This however, is incontrovertibly the case with
Britain. The bulk of her inhabitants are become, in a very high degree,
inattentive, and indifferent to the conduct of her political affairs.
This has been, at one time, ascribed to their despair of the
commonwealth, and their mortification in perceiving a certain course of
mal-administration persisted in, in defiance of the known sense of the
country. At another time, it has been imputed to their experience of the
hollowness of all our public pretenders to patriotism. I am afraid, the
cause is to be sought in something, more uniform in it's operation, and
less honourable to the lower ranks of society, than either of these. In
a word, luxury and dissipation have every where loosened the bands of
political union. The interest of the public has been forgotten