of counsel, (God forbid he should not have them!) yet that the people under him shall have none of those advantages.  The reverse is the principle of every just and rational procedure.  For the people, who have nothing to use but their natural faculties, ought to be gently dealt with; but those who are intrusted with an artificial and instituted authority have in their hands a great deal of the force of other people; and as their temptations to injustice are greater, so their moans are infinitely more effectual for mischief by turning the powers given for the preservation of society to its destruction:  so that, if an arbitrary procedure be justifiable, (a strong one I am sure is,) it is when used against those who pretend to use it against others.

My Lords, I will venture to say of the governments of Asia, that none of them ever had an arbitrary power; and if any governments had an arbitrary power, they cannot delegate it to any persons under them:  that is, they cannot so delegate it to others as not to leave them accountable on the principles upon which it was given.  As this is a contradiction in terms, a gross absurdity, as well as a monstrous wickedness, let me say, for the honor of human nature, that, although undoubtedly we may speak it with the pride of England that we have better institutions for the preservation of the rights of men than any other country in the world, yet I will venture to say that no country has wholly meant, or ever meant, to give this power.

As it cannot exist in right on any rational and solid principles of government, so neither does it exist in the constitution of Oriental governments,—­and I do insist upon it, that Oriental governments know nothing of arbitrary power.  I have taken as much pains as I could to examine into the constitutions of them.  I have been endeavoring to inform myself at all times on this subject; of late my duty has led me to a more minute inspection of them; and I do challenge the whole race of man to show me any of the Oriental governors claiming to themselves a right to act by arbitrary will.

The greatest part of Asia is under Mahomedan governments.  To name a Mahomedan government is to name a government by law.  It is a law enforced by stronger sanctions than any law that can bind a Christian sovereign.  Their law is believed to be given by God; and it has the double sanction of law and of religion, with which the prince is no more authorized to dispense than any one else.  And if any man will produce the Koran to me, and will but show me one text in it that authorizes in any degree an arbitrary power in the government, I will confess that I have read that book, and been conversant in the affairs of Asia, in vain.  There is not such a syllable in it; but, on the contrary, against oppressors by name every letter of that law is fulminated.  There are interpreters established throughout all Asia to explain that law, an order of priesthood, whom they call men of the law.  These men are conservators of the law; and to enable them to preserve it in its perfection, they are secured from the resentment of the sovereign:  for he cannot touch them.  Even their kings are not always vested with a real supreme power, but the government is in some degree republican.