date

1822 July 4 Constitut Code Rationale
1822 July 4

Constitut Code Rationale

Supreme Constitutive

Why in all

There seems not therefore any the smallest probability, that in the situation in question, and by means of the instrument and source of power in question, it should ever enter into the head of any man to accomplish by means of a majority of votes any /the acquisition of any/ power of depredation and oppression - any power of misrule any such power as that of carrying on government in the manner in which it is carried on elsewhere.

But if it could not in the situation of President, much less could it in any other situation. Much less could it in the situation for example of Governor in any one of those same United States For in comparison of the power of the President of all its States the power of Governor in that State in which he has most power is next to nothing /inconsiderable/.

By Colonel Burr, who had been Vice President, and if he is to be believed, had the option of being President, the Representative Democracy of the United States was to have been changed /improved/ into an absolute Monarchy; absolute Monarch, Colonel Burr. Changed /Improved/ Yes: but how? by free Votes? by the free Votes of those by whom he had been freely made President? Oh, no: in how so great a degree so ever conducive to the greatest happiness of the greatest number, by any such means the change was hopeless even in that breast in which the desire was strongest, and as the endeavour proved not altogether without hope /far from hopeless/: Oh no, to the throne of the Anglo-American United States the road he had pitched upon passed through the throne of Mexico. In his view, Mexicans were sheep, his own country men, lions First he was to have been Emperor of Mexico. On the backs of the sheep he was to have been brought home to subdue and tame the lions
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  • Title: [1822 July 4 Constitut. Code Rationale]
    Description: 1822 July 4

    Constitut. Code Rationale

    Supreme Constitutive

    Why in all

    Thus it is that the existence, not only of gratification, but even of desire itself, depends /may depend/ upon a union with power. In France Washington /a Franklyn[?]/ might have been no more than a Bonaparte: in the Anglo-American United States Bonaparte might have been a Washington in France, a Washington might have been no more than a Bonaparte. In the breast of Washington, he being a man, it can not have been but that the desire of depredation or oppression or both to be exercised on the large scale must every now and then /at times/ have had place, and been more or less troublesome. Why? because the power of affording to a greater or lesser extent gratification to such desire could not have been wholly unaccompanied by hope. But, of by [...?] the greater number of those by whose suffrages Washington was located in the situation which gave him the power of being what he became, take any one at random, no probability of his having ever been actuated or even troubled by any such desire will be found in his instance. Why? because in his breast there can not have been any hope of being able to gratify /gratifying/ it
  • Title: [1822 July 4 Constitut. Code]
    Description: 1822 July 4

    Constitut. Code

    In a representative Democracy, the Anglo-American United States for example, suppose a man partly by political situation, partly by individual frame of mind, seconded /partly/ by political situation /Office/ placed in a situation, capable of inspiring him with the hope /expectation/, and through the expectation with the effectual desire of putting himself in possession of some new mass of power, by means of which, at the expence of the greatest number of the members of the community, some great plan of depredation or oppression, or both might, for his benefit, be accomplished /carried into effect/. Take for example, the President: and let the desired mass of power pregnant with the faculty of exercising depredation and oppression in a manner gratifying to the oppressor be the acquisition of the power given by the Constitutional Code to the President to be exercised by him over a territory subject to the United States, and not as yet admitted to a share in the Supreme Operative power over the whole, by sending Representatives of its own to the Supreme Operative Assembly the Congress. Suppose him having /possessing/ the support of a party, each individual toiling to be a sharer with him in the expected benefit. By no such party under the existing Constitution could any such effect be produced, without its constituting a majority in the Supreme Operative body - the Congress, and that majority continuing /persevering/ to join with him the head in this same pursuit, and that for a length of time including in which several Elections would be But an enterprize of this sort could not be carried into effect nor present any means conducive to the purpose, other than that of a war - a war of aggression begun and continued and ended for that purpose. But of this war, all the Electors in the United States to the number of perhaps more than a million would have to share in the expence: while in the benefit if any /supposing it attended with any/ a very small proportion of that number could have any expectation of being sharers. By concurring in the Election of a Representative if any such there were disposed to concurr in the prosecution of this all-comprehensive /so extensively/ pernicious scheme each Elector would be concurring in the /a/ sacrifice of his own share in the universal interest: and this without any tolerably well grounded prospect of advancing /promoting/ to any thing like an equal amount, if to any amount any such supposed share of his in the particular and sinister interest.
  • Title: [1819 Apr. 19 To Erskine 3 3]
    Description: 1819 Apr. 19

    To Erskine 3

    3 Matchless Constitution

    No Theory

    Lord Milton

    "I reverence the democracy". Oh yes, the democracy he thus tramples upon, and forces to elect him or be ruined. "I reverence the King". Oh yes, in shew and demonstration, every man to /by/ whom the name and power of King is possessed: to every such man whatsoever be his conduct equal reverence. As his Lordship does so do all other Lordships and all other Honourables /Right Honourables/, and after them the corruptest and silly part of the people, and that it is that makes Kings so selfish and so silly as they are, because be they ever so much so /and govern ever so badly/ they are regarded with equal reverence. And /whereas/ Behold there are differences between them and a President for example of the United States. If during the few[?] years for which he serves uses or is thought to use his power badly or less well than what another would have done in his place he loses his place he is President no longer: and that is the reason why while we have /Europe has/ such mischievous and such idiot Kings America has no mischievous or idiot Presidents. Idiot? no nor any but those who are the very ablest men and [...?] the State affords is at east are amongst the ablest and honestest and in the eyes of the greatest number of those whose affairs they manage are the very ablest.

    His Lordship reverence the King? So much the worse. His Lordship reverence the Democracy? as the rider reverences the jaded beast he rides on. King. Democracy - No: let him look in the glass, [...?] his Lordship may see the man whom his Lordship reverences the Lordship? yes and in many others /[...?]des/ as can not help it.

    Now what is Yorkshire the better for being so represented? Yorkshire a County the population of which equals that of the whole of his Majestys German kingdom. Were I a Yorkshire man, how much rather would I not be represented at all than so represented. I should at any rate escape being so insulted.

    Mistake me not my Lord. By honest speaking of these Presidents I do not mean that if they had the power that Kings have they would not deal by those their fellow Citizens as Kings do by their subjects. But they have no such power: and therefore knowing it would be no purpose, they neither attempt ever to treat their fellow-citizens in any such manner, or so much as think of it