NotwithstandingthetaxesofEnglandamounttoalmostseventeenmillionsayear,saidtobefortheexpensesofGovernment,itisstillevidentthatthesenseoftheNationislefttogovernitself,anddoesgovernitself,bymagistratesandjuries,almostatitsowncharge,onrepublicanprinciples,exclusiveoftheexpenseoftaxes。Thesalariesofthejudgesarealmosttheonlychargethatispaidoutoftherevenue。Consideringthatalltheinternalgovernmentisexecutedbythepeople,thetaxesofEnglandoughttobethelightestofanynationinEurope;insteadofwhich,theyarethecontrary。Asthiscannotbeaccountedforonthescoreofcivilgovernment,thesubjectnecessarilyextendsitselftothemonarchicalpart。
WhenthepeopleofEnglandsentforGeorgetheFirst（anditwouldpuzzleawisermanthanMr。Burketodiscoverforwhathecouldbewanted,orwhatservicehecouldrender）,theyoughtatleasttohaveconditionedfortheabandonmentofHanover。BesidestheendlessGermanintriguesthatmustfollowfromaGermanElectorbeingKingofEngland,thereisanaturalimpossibilityofunitinginthesamepersontheprinciplesofFreedomandtheprinciplesofDespotism,orasitisusuallycalledinEnglandArbitraryPower。AGermanElectorisinhiselectorateadespot;howthencoulditbeexpectedthatheshouldbeattachedtoprinciplesoflibertyinonecountry,whilehisinterestinanotherwastobesupportedbydespotism？
Theunioncannotexist;anditmighteasilyhavebeenforeseenthatGermanElectorswouldmakeGermanKings,orinMr。Burke\'swords,wouldassumegovernmentwith\"contempt。\"TheEnglishhavebeeninthehabitofconsideringaKingofEnglandonlyinthecharacterinwhichheappearstothem;whereasthesameperson,whiletheconnectionlasts,hasahome—seatinanothercountry,theinterestofwhichisdifferenttotheirown,andtheprinciplesofthegovernmentsinoppositiontoeachother。TosuchapersonEnglandwillappearasatown—residence,andtheElectorateastheestate。TheEnglishmaywish,asIbelievetheydo,successtotheprinciplesoflibertyinFrance,orinGermany;butaGermanElectortremblesforthefateofdespotisminhiselectorate;andtheDuchyofMecklenburgh,wherethepresentQueen\'sfamilygoverns,isunderthesamewretchedstateofarbitrarypower,andthepeopleinslavishvassalage。
ThereneverwasatimewhenitbecametheEnglishtowatchcontinentalintriguesmorecircumspectlythanatthepresentmoment,andtodistinguishthepoliticsoftheElectoratefromthepoliticsoftheNation。TheRevolutionofFrancehasentirelychangedthegroundwithrespecttoEnglandandFrance,asnations;buttheGermandespots,withPrussiaattheirhead,arecombiningagainstliberty;andthefondnessofMr。Pittforoffice,andtheinterestwhichallhisfamilyconnectionshaveobtained,donotgivesufficientsecurityagainstthisintrigue。
Aseverythingwhichpassesintheworldbecomesmatterforhistory,Iwillnowquitthissubject,andtakeaconcisereviewofthestateofpartiesandpoliticsinEngland,asMr。BurkehasdoneinFrance。