I

T is well obferved by Dr. Robinfon," "the fupreme power in every fociety is poffeffed by those who have arms in their hands." The defpotic fovereign may raife and maintain what number of troops he pleases, and these either foreign or domeftic. He has nothing to restrain him but his will, or the poverty of his fubjects. Charles VII. of France was the first prince in Europe who introduced a ftanding army. This army, which at first was only twenty-five thoufand horfe and foot, is now upwards of two hundred thoufand. In confequence of this, all the neighbouring fovereigns

thought

It

thought themselves obliged to adopt the fame measure. <c Mercenary troops were "introduced into all the confiderable kingdoms on the continent. They gradually became the only military "force that was employed or trusted. It "has long been the chief object of policy "to encrease and to fupport them. "has long been the great aim of princes and minifters to difcredit and to annihilate all "means of national activity and defence *› The two confequences which have followed from hence, have been, first, that all these nations have loft their liberty, excepting Holland, of which I fhall speak hereafter; the second, that the fovereigns. of Europe, fometimes from jealousy, at other times from reftlefs ambition, have been conftantly augmenting their military force, and vying with each other which fhall keep up the greatest standing armies. Not being willing to truft arms in the hands of their native fubjects alone, they have introduced foreigners. The

• Robinson, chap. v. fect. 113.

moft bold, the most adventurous, the most worthless are the subjects who leave their native spot, and being entertained by the different fovereigns, compofe the troops on which they moft depend for maintaining their authority at home, while their chief confidence is placed on their own fubjects for foreign conqueft, or for repelling any invafion from abroad. By means of mixing and blending foreign officers and native foldiers, foreign foldiers and native officers, foreign corps and native corps, the fovereigns of Europe have nothing to fear, either from their own fubjects, or thefe foreign mercenaries, while they spread terror among their neighbours round about them. This competition among the powers of Europe, must in the end reduce the fubjects to two claffes, foldiers and beggars, and inevitably prove the ruin of them all, England alone excepted. England, laying more commodiously for trade than any other nation, and having no need to wafte any part of her ftrength in maintaining standing armies, has it naturally

in

in her power to maintain her empire of the fea; and while all the nations of Europe are exhaufting their already diminished refources, and weakening themfelves by continuing to augment their tanding armies, fhe, by her commerce alone, must naturally increase in strength, unless some evil dæmon fhould make her forget the advantage fhe derives from her local fituation.-Nature has given us a deep intrenchment, furrounded us with the ocean, bestowed on us a fertile country, and a heart to defend it; furnished us with oak in plenty for the construction of fhips, and feamen of confummate skill to navigate, and invincible courage to fight them. Our fituation then, the genius of the nation, and the conftitution of our government, all confpire to banish every idea of a standing army: this is one of the greatest bleffings we derive from our fituation." In a land of liberty," fays Judge Blackftone, "it is extremely dangerous to make a distinct order of the profeffion of arms. abfolute monarchies this is neceffary for

In

the

the fafety of the prince, and arifes from the main principle of their conftitution, which is that of governing by fear; but in free ftates, the profeffion of a foldier, taken fingly and merely as a profession, is justly an object of jealoufy. In these, no man should take up arms but with a view to defend his country and its laws; he puts not off the citizen when he enters the camp; but it is because he is a citizen, and would wish to continue fo, that he makes himself for a while a foldier. The laws therefore, and conftitution of thefe kingdoms, know no fuch state as that of a perpetual ftanding foldier, bred up to no other profeffion than that of war and it was not till the reign of Henry the VIIth, that the kings of England had fo much as a guard about their perfons*".

If the chief magiftrate in a free state, by whatever name he happens to be called, count, duke, prince, king, or imperator, should have it in his power to in

• Blackstone, vol. i. p. 408.

crease