The people had been told by their representatives in parliament that they were surrounded with dangers, and had been shewn none. They were, therefore, full of suspicion and prompt of belief. All this had a material tendency to impede freedom of discussion, for men would speak with reserve, or not speak at all, under the terror of calumny.

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "The people had been told by their representatives in parliament that they were surrounded with dangers, and had been shewn none. They were, therefore, full of suspicion and prompt of belief. All this had a material tendency to impede freedom of discussion, for men would speak with reserve, or not speak at all, under the terror of calumny." in the context of "Speech in the House of Commons (1 February 1793), quoted in The Speeches of the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, in the House of Commons. Vol. V (1815), p. 26" to mean that wisdom is timeless.