For when Officers grow proud and full, they
will maintain their greatness, though it be in the poverty, ruin
and hardship of their Bretheren: Witness the practice of Kings and
their Laws, that have crushed the Commoners of England a long time.
And have we not experience in these days that some Officers of the
Commonwealth have grown so mossy for want of removing that they
will hardly speak to an old acquaintance, if he be an inferior man,
though they were very familiar before these wars began? And what
hath occasioned this distance among friends and bretheren, but long
continuance in places of honor, greatness and riches?"
"_Thirdly_, Let Officers be chosen new every year in love to our
posterity. For if burdens and oppressions should grow up in our
Laws and in our Officers for want of removing, as moss and weeds
grow in some land for want of stirring, surely it will be a
foundation of misery not easily to be removed by our posterity, and
then will they curse the time when we their forefathers had
opportunities to set things to rights for their ease, and would not
do it.
"_Fourthly_, To remove Officers of State every year will make them
truly faithful, knowing that others are coming after who will look
into their ways, and if they do not do things justly, they must be
ashamed when the next Officers succeed.
Pages:
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276