But suppose the principles of the most artful Speaker could have no
influence either to obtain or obstruct any point in Parliament, who can
answer what effects such a choice may produce without doors? 'Tis
obvious how small a matter serves to raise the spirits and hopes of the
Dissenters and their high-flying advocates, what lengths they run, what
conclusions they form, and what hopes they entertain. Do they hear of a
new friend in office? That is encouragement enough to practise the
city, against the opinion of a majority into an address to the Queen for
repealing the sacramental test; or issue out their orders to the next
fanatic parson to furbish up his old sermons, and preach and print new
ones directly against Episcopacy. I would lay a good wager, that, if the
choice of a new Speaker succeeds exactly to their liking, we shall see
it soon followed by many new attempts, either in the form of pamphlet,
sermon, or address, to the same, or perhaps more dangerous purposes.

Supposing the Speaker's office to be only an employment of profit and
honour, and a step to a better; since it is in your own gift, will you
not choose to bestow it upon some person whose principles the majority
of you pretends to approve, if it were only to be sure of a worthy man
hereafter in a high station, on the bench or at the bar?

I confess, if it were a thing possible to be compassed, it would seem
most reasonable to fill the chair with some person who would be entirely
devoted to neither party: But, since there are so few of that character,
and those either unqualified or unfriended, I cannot see how a majority
will answer it to their reputation, to be so ill provided of able
persons, that they must have recourse for a leader to their adversaries,
a proceeding of which I never met with above one example, and even that
succeeded but ill, though it was recommended by an oracle, which advised
some city in Greece to beg a general from their enemies, who, in scorn,