SOME THOUGHTS OF TRENCHARD AND GORDON

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John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon were English journalists and political theorists of the early 1700's, a generation before the American Revolution. In two series of essays, The Independent Whig and Cato's Letters, they commented on the tensions between power and liberty, the need for limits on the power of rulers, the dangers of standing armies and established churches, and the conditions which would justify revolution. In Great Britain, they were gadflies, significant but minor political figures. In the colonies, men who became leaders of the Revolution read and admired their works. Here are a few selections. Why might these ideas have been so attractive to Americans looking at their relations with Great Britain?

On Power:

Considering what sort of a creature Man is, it is scarce possible to put him under too many Restraints, when he is possessed of great Power.

Power is naturally active, vigilant and distrustful; which Qualities in it push upon all means and Expedients to fortify itself, and upon destroying all Opposition....It would do what it pleases, and have no Check. Now because Liberty chastises and shortens Power, therefore Power would extinguish Liberty; and consequently Liberty has too much cause to be exceeding jealous and always upon her Defence.

On Liberty:

Men quitted Part of their Natural Liberty to acquire Civil Society. But frequently the remedy proved worse than the disease; and human Society had often no Enemy so great as their own Magistrates; who, wherever they were trusted with too much Power always abused it, and grew mischievous to those who made them what they were.

On Free Speech:

That men ought to speak well of their Governors is true, while their Governors deserve to be well spoken of; but to do public Mischief, without hearing of it, is only the Prerogative and Felicity of Tyranny. A free People will be showing that they are so, by their Freedom of Speech.

On Resistance and Revolution:

What is government but a Trust committed by all, or the Most, to One, or a Few, who are to attend upon the Affairs of All, that every one may, with the more Security, attend upon his own? A great and honorable Trust; but too seldom honorably executed; those who possess it having it often more at Heart to increase their Power than to make it useful; and to be terrible rather than beneficent....

Every Violation therefore of this Trust, where such Violation is considerable, ought to meet with proportionate Punishment: and the smallest Violation of it ought to meet with some, because indulgency to the least Faults of magistrates may be Cruelty to a whole People.

Political jealousy, therefore, in the People, is a necessary and laudable Passion.