BUYING AND SELLING.
IN venturing a few more last words to electors on the coming elec- tions, we do not address those constituencies which look upon the franchise as a local trust to be exercised for their peculiar benefit. They follow a definite line of business, and understand it better than we could teach them : they know who is likely to pay the best, and whether in meal or in malt ; they can estimate more exactly than any actuary the respective value of a sum in hand or of pa- tronage in expectancy ; and, if not very comprehensive or foreseeing,. they have an instinctive power, analogous to the scent of the hound, which attracts them to the party that is likely to be in place. But there are constituencies too extensive to be either bought or influenced ; and electors, we trust, who are conscientiously anxious to do the best they can for the cause they adopt. We formerly threw out a few hints to such men as to the qualifications of candidates, and they may take one general rule as a guide for their own conduct—they cannot escape the lex talionis. If they prefer any vague notions of party-interest to their own sense of what is right, party, they may depend upon it, will sacrifice their interests to its own. However humble or mistaken, honesty and disinterestedness always enforce respect. The Member who knows he is honestly chosen solely from the opinion his constituents entertain of his fitness to advocate a principle, is compelled to serve them honestly. But candidates, however obtuse in the loftier questions of ethics and politics, are keen enough in detecting the weakness of voters ; and if they have to purchase their seat, whether by money or money's worth, or by flattery, compliances, or the long list of things whose generic term is gammon, the electors may be assured that they will be treated, in effect, though their Member may not so plainly avow his determination, as the bold-faced jobber of CHARLES the Second's days treated his burgesses, who, when they remonstrated as to some unusual course be was taking, replied with a brevity worthy of a Spartan, " You rascals, I bought you, and rll sell you."
Previous page
