Epistle XX. To Maximus.
by
the Same. [Mr. Henley]
[_]
On the Behaviour of the Senate in Voting.
DO you not remember that you have often read what Disputes were rais'd by the Law of Balloting?
And what glory or Reproach it brought upon him that made it? Yet now,
it has pleas'd, as the most perfect way in the Senate, without any Contradiction.
On the Election Day they all demanded the Tables. Indeed, in those plain and open votes we exceeded the utmost Liberty of publick Assemblies.
No Time of speaking, no Bound of Silence, no Dignity of Order was preserv'd.
The Clamours on every Side were loud and jarring: All rush'd forth with their
Candidates: There were many Crowds in the Middle; many Rings of People,
and an indecent Confusion; so far had we funk from the Usage of our Ancestors;
among whom all things were regular, moderate, calm, and maintain'd the Grandeur and Solemnity of the Place.
There are old Men alive, that speak much of this Order of the Assemblies.
When the Name of a Candidate was call'd over, there was a profound Silence.
He spoke for himself in Person, explain'd his Life, produc'd his vouchers and Hands to recommend him,
either an Officer he serv'd under in War, or one to whom he was Questor;
or if possible, both of them. To these he added some of his voting Friends;
they spoke gravely and concisely: This was more useful than Petitions.
Sometimes a Candidate objected to the Birth-place, Age or Morals of a Competitor.
The Senate gave the Audience with a Censorian Gravity; so that the worthy prevail'd more often than the Favourite.
But this is now computed by the Extravagance of Favour, and is fallen to the silent
manner of Voting as if it were a better Expedient. And in the mean Time it was plainly a kind of Remedy;
for it was new and sudden. But I am in fear, that in process of Time,
some Evils may grow out of this Remedy it self. For there is Danger, that a Contempt of Reputation may creep into this silent Method of Voting.
For what Man of a Thousand has secretly the same
Care of his Integrity as openly? Many revere their Fame, but few are in awe of Conscience.
However, I presage too hastily of the future; and in the mean Time, by the Benefit of these Tables,
we will have those Officers, that ought principally to be chosen. For,
as it is in Actions of Recovery, so in these Assemblies, we have been impartial Judges,
because we have been seiz'd unawares. I write this to you, first to inform you of something new;
next, to take now and then an Occasion to talk of the Government; a Subject that ought the less to be omitted,
as we have more rarely an Opportunity to speak of it, than was enjoy'd by the Antients.
And, in the Name of Dullness, how long shall we repeat those vulgar Sounds;
So, Friend! how do you do? How fares your Body? Our Letters ought also to bear something that is not mean and groveling,
and confin'd to private Affairs. All indeed is under the Direction of one,
who has singly undertaken the Cares and Fatigues of every Man
for the common Safety. Yet some Rivulets descend from that kind Fountain, by a certain agreeable Temper of publick Management,
even to us; which we are free to draw our selves, and serve to our absent Friends in an epistolary Correspondence.
