JB_034_165.xml

Title: [[034-165v] 1821. June 12. Codification]

Description: [034-165v]

1821. June 12.

Codification Offer

'.5. Draughtsman single

1. Separate aptitude

the other hand all manifestations and degrees of extraordinary good desert, will be not only placed full in view, but be placed to the account of that individual, and him alone, to whose account they respectively belong: in the case of divers draughtsmen, no item, either on the side of ill-desert, or on the side of extraordinary good desert, will, in any distinct manner be placed to the account of any body.

To all instruments of despotism - to all corruptionists - to all whose endeavour or desire it is to sacrifice or see sacrificed to this or that particular interest or cluster of interests, the greatest happiness of the greatest number - in a word to evil-doers and evil-wishers of all classes, this system of concealment, and thence of equalization, by which evil desert and good desert are by one and the same implement kept out of sight, is in the highest degree, and in a double account, convenient: for, while the authors of evil are themselves concealed from the eye of public opinion, they are at the same time secured against all apprehension of any such unfavourable contrast, as would be presented to public view, by the spectacle of any such merits, as might otherwise be manifested, by the well-disposed, or less badly disposed among their colleagues: by the well-disposed, supposing always the system such as to afford admittance to any individuals, to whom an epithet of so favourable a character could with propriety be applied.

In this case, from plurality as opposed to unity, two distinguishable sorts of bad effects, (it may have been observed,) have been brought to view. The one is produced by the want of restraint as applied to ill-desert, combined with the want of encouragement to extra good desert: The other consists in the multiplication given to the number of the persons in question: in the number of the persons who are at once able and disposed to join their forces for the completion of any sinister sacrifice, the temptation and opportunity for which may be found offered by a power so compleatly all-comprehensive.

JB_160_086V.xml

Title: [1821. April 14 Codification Offer]

Description: 1821. April 14

Codification Offer

'7 Foreigner why

If, in respect of intellectual aptitude and active talent, the advantage may be on the side of the foreigner, in respect of moral

appropriate aptitude it can not fail to be so.

Let there be but one draughtsman, and he a native, if his situation be an

independent one, the interest by which, in preference to the universal interest, his

conduct in the drawing up of the work - his conduct will, from first to last, be

guided and determined, will be his own particular interest. If his situation be a

subordinate one, his operations in it being subject to the direction of a superior or

superiors, those operations will, according to the relations that have place between

himself and such superior or superiors, and the respective dispositions and temper of

each, be determined, in so far as he feels himself at liberty, by his own interest,

and, as to the rest, by their respective interests: for the several quantities of the

sweets of government in his and their hands respectively - viz. money, power,

factitious dignity, incidental vengeance, together with ease, to whatsoever amount

may be compatible with the enjoyment of those other sweets, he will embrace every

occasion that presents itself as favourable for giving encrease: and at any rate for

securing them against decrease.

Let the Draught have now for its authors persons more than one, and with co-ordinate

authority: the members of a Board - a Commission - a Committee. Of plurality of

members as compared with unity, the mischievous effects, in public offices in

general, and in this office in particular, have already been brought to view. {See

'.4. Draughtsman single.}

JB_024_424v.xml

Title: [1821. April 13. Codification Offer. '.5.]

Description: 1821. April 13. Codification Offer. '.5. Draughtsman single III Hand single.

But, besides being a screen, this same implement serves as a sort of framework,

the several pieces or timbers of which, afford to one another mutual support:

each one, having his own separate supports and connections, brings them into the

common stock, and gives the benefit of them to the rest. In this way is formed a

well-compacted body:- a phalanx, alike well-formed for active operation and for

defensive resistance: for effecting mischief, and for braving and excluding

punishment.

Thus armed, partly be concealment, partly by force, they will feel themselves

placed out of the reach of the castigatory and restrictive influence of public

opinion: in effect and practice they will be independent of the controuling

power of that indispensable guardian of public virtue. Thus will they be

independent, each of them, of all those on whom it is conducive to the greatest

happiness of the greatest number that they should be conducive.

On the other hand, of his colleagues, or any of them, no one of them will be

altogether independent. The practical consequence is obvious. No one of them

will be able to obtain every thing he wishes; no one of them but will be able to

obtain more or less of what he wishes. Some sacrifice must be made, some

sacrifice will be received, by every one of them. The sort of sacrifice that

every one will be ready to make, is - the sacrifice of every interest and

prejudice, that is neither particularly his own, nor that of any particular

connection of his: in which case is the universal interest. A sacrifice that no

one of them will be ready to make, is - that of his own particular interest, or

prejudices, or that of any interest or prejudice particularly connected with

them. But, in return for the sacrifices thus made, and without repugnance,

namely the sacrifice of all foreign and unregarded interests and prejudices, to

which will be added, not without reluctance, and in proportion to necessity

only, more or less of the particular interest and prejudices of each member, as

above,- in return for these sacrifices each of them will obtain, to a greater or

less extent, the object of his wishes: advancement of his particular and

sinister interest, deference paid to his own particular prejudices, and to his

inbred intellectual weaknesses.