ould survive five triennial
elections. If you are to fight the battle, you must put on the armour of
the Ministry; you must call in the public, to the aid of private, money.
The expense of the last election has been computed (and I am persuaded
that it has not been overrated) at 1,500,000 pounds; three shillings in
the pound more on the Land Tax. About the close of the last Parliament,
and the beginning of this, several agents for boroughs went about, and I
remember well that it was in every one of their mouths--"Sir, your
election will cost you three thousand pounds, if you are independent; but
if the Ministry supports you, it may be done for two, and perhaps for
less;" and, indeed, the thing spoke itself. Where a living was to be got
for one, a commission in the army for another, a post in the navy for a
third, and Custom-house offices scattered about without measure or
number, who doubts but money may be saved? The Treasury may even add
money; but, indeed, it is superfluous. A gentleman of two thousand a
year, who meets another of the same fortune, fights with equal arms; but
if to one of the candidates you add a thousand a year in places for
himself, and a power of giving away as much among others, one must, or
there is no truth in arithmetical demonstration, ruin his adversary, if
he is to meet him and to fight with him every third year. It will be
said, I do not allow for the operation of character; but I do; and I know
it will have its weight in most elections; perhaps it may be decisive in
some. But there are few in which it will prevent great expenses.

The destruction of independent fortunes will be the consequence on the
part of the candidate. What will be the consequence of triennial
corruption, triennial drunkenness, triennial idleness, triennial
law-suits, litigations, prosecutions, triennial frenzy; of society
dissolved, industry interrupted, ruined; of those personal hatreds that
will never be suffered to soften; those animosities and feuds, which will
be rendered immortal; those quarrels, which are never to be appeased;
morals vitiated and gangrened to the vitals? I think no stable and
useful advantages were ever made by the money got at elections by the
voter, but all he gets is doubly lost to the public; it is money given to
diminish the general stock of the community, which is the industry of the
subject. I am sure that it is a good while before he or his family
settle again to their busines