-1852), that "the success of free
institutions in any country depends far less upon the particular form of
those institutions than upon the character of the people on whom they
are conferred." But how he and others in the same office carried out
that principle must be reserved for a later chapter.

Besides the numerous motions which were brought forward by the
Opposition respecting the continuance and conduct of the war, there were
several also which were indirectly prompted by it. The Opposition
claimed to be on this subject not only the champions of the real
interests of the nation, but also its spokesmen, who expressed the
opinions and feelings of all the thinking and independent portion of the
people. That their efforts were overborne they attributed to the
subservience of the Parliament to the ministers, and of the ministers to
the crown.[58] And consequently several motions were made by members of
that party, the object of which was, in one way or another, to diminish
what they regarded as the undue influence of the crown. In one instance,
and that the most successful, a direct denunciation of that influence
was employed, but the earlier and more frequent proposals were directed
to the purification of the House of Commons, and to the strengthening of
its independence. It is remarkable that of these the two which related
to a subject of which the Commons are usually most especially and most
rightly jealous, the interference of peers in elections, had the worst
fortune. In 1780 complaints were made and substantiated that the Duke of
Bolton and the Duke of Chandos (who was also Lord-lieutenant of the
county) had exerted themselves actively in the last election for
Hampshire. And, in support of motions that these peers "had been guilty
of a breach of the privileges of the House, and an infringement of the
liberties and privileges of the Commons of Great Britain," a case was
adduced in which Queen Anne had dismissed the Bishop of Worcester from
the office of Almoner for similar interference. Nor did Lord Nugent, a
relative of the Duke of Chandos, deny the facts alleged; on the
contrary, he avowed them, and adopted a line of defence which many must
have thought an aggravation of the charge, since it asserted that to
prevent such interference was impossible, and therefore the House would
but waste its time in trying. However, on this occasion the House took
the view which he thus suggested to it, postponing all farther
c