The compleat statesman, or, The political will and testament of that great minister of state, Cardinal Duke de Richilieu from whence Lewis the XIV ... has taken his measures and maxims of government : in two parts / done out of French.

CHAP. V. Punishment and Reward are two Points ab∣solutely necessary for the Conduct of States.

IT is a common but a very true saying, which has ever been in the Mouths and Minds of Men, that Punishments and Rewards are the two most considerable points for the Conduct of a Kingdom.

It is most certain, that tho' no other Principle be us'd in the Government of States, but that of being inflexible in Chastising those who act against them, and Religious in rewarding those who procure them any notable advantage. They cannot be Govern'd amiss, since all Men may be kept within the bounds of their Duty, either by Fear or Hope.

I place Punishment before Reward, because that if there were a necessity to be depriv'd of one of them, one might better dispense with the last than the first.

As good is to be imbrac'd for its own sake, there is no Reward due to those who perform it, taking it in the strictest Sence. But as there is no crime which does not violate that, to which Men are ob∣lig'd, there are none but what require the Punish∣ment which is due to disobedience, and that obliga∣tion is so strict, that in many occasions a fault can∣not be left unpunished, without committing a new one.

I speak of faults which affect the State, and are committed with premeditation, and not of many others, which happen by chance and by misfortune,

for which Princes may and ought to use Indulgence.

Tho' to Pardon in such cases is a laudable thing; not to Punish a considerable Fault, the impunity of which opens a door to Licenciousness, is a criminal omision.

Theologians allow it as well as Politicians, and all agree that on certain occasions in which the Prince would be to blame not to Pardon those who are intrusted with the Government of the Publick, they would also be inexcusable, if instead of a se∣vere Punishment, they should use Lenity.

Experience teaching those who have had a long practice of the World, that Men easily lose the re∣membrance of Favours, and that when they are loaden with them, the desire of increasing them of∣ten makes them Ambitious and Ingrateful together, shows us also that Punishment is a more certain way to keep Men within the bounds of their Duty; since they are not so soon forgotten, by reason that they make a stronger impression on the sences of most Men than Reason, which has but little power over many.

To be severe towards Private Men who make it their Pride to despise the Laws and Ordinances of a State, is to be kind to the Publick. And the grea∣test crime one can be guilty of against the Interest of the Publick, is to be indulgent towards those who violate them.

Among many Combinations, Factions and Se∣ditions that have been made in my time in this Kingdom, I have never observ'd that Impunity ever inclin'd any one naturally to correct his evil Incli∣nation. But on the contrary that they return'd to their old Vomit, and often with more success the se∣cond than the first time.

The Indulgency hitherto practis'd in this King∣dom has often reduc'd it to very great and very deplorable Exremities.

Faults not being Punish'd, every Man has made a Trade of his Place, and without regarding what he was oblig'd to do to discharge his Trust worthily, he only consider'd what he could do to get the more by it.

If the Ancients have been of opinion, that it was dangerous to live under a Prince, who will remit no∣thing of the Rigor of Right, they have also ob∣serv'd that it was more dangerous to live in a State in which Impunity opens a door to all sorts of Licenciousness.

Some Princes or Magistrates will be afraid of being faulty by too much Rigor, who would be accountable to God, and must needs be blam'd by all Wise Men, unless they exerted that, which is pre∣scrib'd by the Laws.

I have often represented it to your Majesty, and it is my humble Petition still that you would be pleas'd to remember it carefully, by reason that as there are Princes who want to be persuaded from Severity, to avoid Cruelty, to which they are naturally inclin'd, your Majesty wants to be diverted from a false Cle∣mency, more dangerous than Cruelty it self, since Impunity obliges to use a great deal in the end, which can only be prevented by Punishment.

The Rod which is the Emblem of Justice must never be useless; I own at the same time that it ought not be so much accompany'd with Rigor, as to be destitute of Goodness; but that last qualifi∣cation does not consist in the Indulgency which au∣thorizes disorders, which tho never so inconsiderable,

are often so prejudicial to the State, that they may prove it's ruin.

If any are so ill advis'd in this Kingdom as to condemn the severity which is necessary in States, because it has not been practis'd hitherto, let them only open their Eyes, and they will find that Im∣punity has been too common in it hitherto, and the only cause, that Order and Rule have not been ob∣serv'd, and that the Continuation of Disorders ob∣liges to have recourse to the utmost Extremities, to put a stop to them.

The only Source of all the Parties that have been form'd heretofore against Kings, has been their over much Indulgence. Finally, those who are acquain∣ted with our History, cannot be ignorant of this Truth, of which I produce a Testimony which is the less to be suspected, in this case, because it is ta∣ken from the Mouth of our Enemies, which almost in all other occasions would make it suspicious.

Cardinal Sapata a Man of good Sence, meeting Baraut and Bautru in the King his Master's Anti∣chamber, a quarter of an hour after their having receiv'd the News of the Duke de Montmorency's Exe∣cution, put this question to them; Which was the chief cause of that Duke's death? Bautru answer'd immediately according to his fiery temper, in Spa∣nish; Sus falsas. No, reply'd the Cardinal: Pero la Clemensia de lors Royes antepassados: which was as much as to say, that the Punishment of the said Duke was more to be imputed to the faults the King's Predecessors had committed, than to his own.

In Crimes of State, it is absolutely necessary to banish Pity, and to despise the Complaints of per∣sons concern'd, and the discourse of an ignorant

Multitude, who sometimes blame what is most useful to them, and often absolutely necessary.

Christians ought to bury the remembrance of pri∣vate Injuries; but Magistrates are oblig'd not to forget those which concern the Publick; and indeed to leave themunpunish'd, is rather to begin them a∣new, than to pardon and remit them.

There are many whose ignorance is so stupid as to imagin that a new Prohibition is a sufficient re∣medy to any Evil, but they are so much in the wrong, that I may affirm with Truth, that new Laws are not so much a remedy for the disorders of States, as Testimonies of their Illness, and certain proofs of the weakness of the Government; by reason that had th' antient Laws been put in exe∣cution; there would be no necessity to revive them, nor to make others to prevent new disorders, which would no sooner have appear'd, but it would have been easy to punish the evil committed.

Ordinances and Laws are altogether useless unless thēy are put in execution, which is so absolutely necessary, that notwithstanding in the course of Common Affairs, Justice requires an authentick proof, it is not so with those which concern the State; in such cases, that which appears by pressing con∣jectures must sometimes be held as a sufficient con∣viction, seeing that the Factions and Conspiracies that are form'd against publick safety, are common∣ly carry'd on with so much Art and Secresy, that we have seldom any evident proof of them, but by the event, which is past remedy.

In those cases it is sometimes necessary to begin by Execution, whereas in all others, proving the Fact evidently either by Witnesses or undeniable Authorities ought to precede every thing.

Those Maxims seem to be dangerous, and in∣deed they are not altogether void of peril, but they will most certainly be found good, if not making use of the last, and extream remedies, in faults which will only be verify'd by conjectures, the course of them is barely prevented by innocent means, as the Banishment or Imprisonment of suspected persons.

The good Conscience, and the penetrat of a juditi∣ous Mind, who being learn'd in the course of Affairs, is able to know the future almost with as much certainty as the present, as well as a meaner capa∣city, by the very sight of things, will secure that Practice from ill consequences; and at the worst, the abuse that can be committed in it being only dangerous for private Persons, whose life will not be in danger this way, it ought not to be rejected, since their Interest is not to be compar'd to that of the Publick.

Yet it requires a great deal of Prudence not to make it an In-let to Tiranny, which will be avoided undoubtedly, if, as I have said, in doubtful cases, none but Innocent remedies are practis'd.

Punishment is so necessary in what relates to Publick Interest, that we are not so much as allow'd to commit faults of Indulgence in this kind, recom∣pensing a present evil, for a past good; that is to leave a crime unpunish'd, because the person that has committed it, has done good service on other occasions.

Nevertheless this has hitherto been often practis'd in this Kingdom, in which not only light faults have been forgotten, in consideration of important services; but the greatest Crimes abolish'd, by ser∣vices of no moment, which is altogether insuppor∣table.

Good and Evil are so different in their Nature, that they can never be put in Parallel one with another; they are Enemies, among which there is no Quarter to be given, nor Exchange to be made; if the one is worthy of Reward, the other deserves Punishment, and both ought to be us'd according to their Merit.

Altho' Conscience would allow the leaving of a signal Action unrewarded, and a notable Crime without Punishment, Reasons of State could not al∣low it.

Punishment and Rewards relate to the future more than to the time past; a Prince must be severe of necessity, to prevent the mischiefs that might be committed, in hopes of a Pardon, if he were known to be too Indulgent; and very kind to those that are of use to the Publick, to encourage them to con∣tinue their Endeavours, and every body to imitate them and follow their example.

There would be a great deal of pleasure in par∣doning Crimes, if the Impunity of the same had no ill consequence; and the necessities of the State would sometimes lawfully excuse a Prince from Re∣warding a Service, if in depriving him, who has done it, of his Reward, he did not at the same time de∣prive himself of the hopes of receiving others for the future.

Noble Souls taking as much pleasure in good, as they are loath to do harm, I quit the discourse of Punishments and Executions, to conclude this Chap∣ter agreeably, by Favours and Rewards; where∣upon I must needs observe, that there is this diffe∣rence between the Favours which are bestow'd as a Reward of Service; and those that have no other

foundation than the inclination of Kings, that these ought to be greatly moderated, whereas the others ought to have no other bounds than those of the Services they have done the Publick.

The Good of States does so absolutely require that their Princes should be Liberal, that when at any time it is come into my mind, that there are Men, who out of a natural propensity are not in∣clin'd to do good; I have always concluded, that this natural defect, blamable in all Men, is a far greater imperfection in Sovereigns, who being in a more peculiar manner the Image of their Creator, who by his Nature does good to all the World, cannot fail of imitating him in that point, without being an∣swerable for the same before him.

The Reason of it is, That it is his pleasure they should follow his example, and bestow their Favours handsomly; for those who oblige without that con∣dition, are like the Misers, who serve good Meat in their Treats, but so ill dress'd, that those who are invited to them, eat them without any pleasure, and without thinking themselves beholden to those that have been at the charge of it.

I would enlarge more upon this Subject, if I had not done it already in one of the preceding Chapters, representing the necessity of Princes be∣ing kind to those of their Council, who serve them faithfully.