terference; and thus they
themselves originate the offence which they are forearmed with power to
chastise. In England such extreme measures are never resorted to until
necessity compels them. How I have envied Englishmen, when, on the
occasion of assizes, every soldier is marched from the town while the
judge is sitting; in Ireland the place of trial bristles with bayonets!
How much more must a people respect and love the laws, whose own purity
and justice are their best safeguard--whose inherent majesty is
sufficient for their own protection! The sword of justice should never
need the assistance of the swords of dragoons; and in the election of
their representatives, as well as at judicial sittings, a people should
be free from military despotism."

"But, as an historian, my dear young friend," said the doctor, "I need
not remind you, that dragoons have been considered 'good lookers-on' in
Ireland since the days of Strafford."

"Ay!" said Edward; "and scandalous it is, that the abuses of the
seventeenth century should be perpetuated in the nineteenth.[24] While
those who govern show, by the means they adopt for supporting their
authority, that their rule requires undue force to uphold it, they
tacitly teach resistance to the people, and their practices imply that
the resistance is righteous."

[24] When Strafford's infamous project of the wholesale robbery of
Connaught was put in practice, not being quite certain of his
juries, he writes that he will send three hundred horse to the
province during the proceedings, as "good lookers-on."

"My dear Master Ned," said the doctor, "you're a patriot, and I'm sorry
for you; you inherit the free opinions of your namesake 'of the hill,'
of blessed memory; with such sentiments you may make a very good Irish
barrister, but you'll never be an Irish judge--and as for a silk gown,
'faith you may leave the wearing of _that_ to your wife, for stuff
is all that will ever adorn your shoulders."

"Well, I would rather have stuff there than in my head," answered
Edward.

"Very epigrammatic, indeed, Master Ned," said the doctor. "Let us make
a distich of it," added he, with a chuckle; "for, of a verity, some of
the K. C.'s of our times are but dunces. Let's see--how will it go?"

Edward dashed off this couplet in a moment--

"Of modern king's counsel this truth may be said,
They have _silk_ on their shoulders, and _stuff_ in their head."

"Neat en