that everything established should be maintained; but adopts in practice
that everything that is established is indefensible. To reconcile this
theory and this practice, they produce what they call 'the best bargain;'
some arrangement which has no principle and no purpose, except to obtain a
temporary lull of agitation, until the mind of the Conservatives, without
a guide and without an aim, distracted, tempted, and bewildered, is
prepared for another arrangement, equally statesmanlike with the preceding
one.

Conservatism was an attempt to carry on affairs by substituting the
fulfilment of the duties of office for the performance of the functions of
government; and to maintain this negative system by the mere influence of
property, reputable private conduct, and what are called good connections.
Conservatism discards Prescription, shrinks from Principle, disavows
Progress; having rejected all respect for Antiquity, it offers no redress
for the Present, and makes no preparation for the Future. It is obvious
that for a time, under favourable circumstances, such a confederation
might succeed; but it is equally clear, that on the arrival of one of
those critical conjunctures that will periodically occur in all states,
and which such an unimpassioned system is even calculated ultimately to
create, all power of resistance will be wanting: the barren curse of
political infidelity will paralyse all action; and the Conservative
Constitution will be discovered to be a Caput Mortuum.




CHAPTER VI.