He then adds this very striking remark: "Men seldom think deeply on
subjects on which they have no choice of opinion:--they are fearful of
encountering obstacles to their faith (as in religion), and so are
content with the surface."

Dr. Johnson says, in one part of his pamphlet,--"As all are born the
subjects of some state or other, we may be said to have been all born
consenting to some system of government." On this Sheridan remarks:--
"This is the most slavish doctrine that ever was inculcated. If by our
birth we give a tacit bond for our acquiescence in that form of
government under which we were born, there never would have been an
alteration of the first modes of government--no Revolution in England."

Upon the argument derived from the right of conquest he observes--"This
is the worst doctrine that can be with respect to America.--If America
is ours by conquest, it is the conquerors who settled there that are to
claim these powers."

He expresses strong indignation at the "arrogance" with which such a man
as Montesquieu is described as "the fanciful Montesquieu," by "an
eleemosynary politician, who writes on the subject merely because he has
been rewarded for writing otherwise all his lifetime."

In answer to the argument against the claims of the Americans, founded
on the small proportion of the population that is really represented
even in England, he has the following desultory memorandums:--"In fact,
every man in England is represented--every man can influence people,
so as to get a vote, and even if in an election votes are divided, each
candidate is supposed equally worthy--as in lots--fight Ajax or