date

1819 Apr. 4 To Erskine 6 IV Whig Demerits
1819 Apr. 4

To Erskine 6 IV Whig Demerits

Fallacies

1 Glorious Revolution

They would this insinuate - with the contrary so full as[?] [...?] knowledge - they could this insinuate that we - the people and in particular such of the people of Westminster as with [...?]ly are 'Revolutionists' - that we want a Revolution: while the truth is, as is so well known to them that we want not any thing that ever has been, is with any propriety be designated by any such name as /the name of/ Revolution: and thus the only thing /change/ which when applied to this country has ever born that name is the change which we regard with disgust, because it would not answer /serve/ but counteract our purpose - and which /for the abovementioned reasons/ they have regarded and may at all times be justly considered regarding with complacency, because it would answer their purpose:

They would this cause it to be believed that it is among our wishes that "the people at large" should be "called upon to act for themselves, as of the whole frame of the Government had been dissolved"; whereas so far from its being our wish to see the whole frame of the Government, antient or modern, dissolved, a result by which we ourselves should together with our adversaries be involved in one complet and common ruin, it is not part of our wish that the people at large should ever be called upon to act for themselves. In regard to Government our wish is that the people [...?] should act for themselves: but that they should always to wit in the House of Commons have their Agents to act for them: only /but/ that these Agents should be thus our deputies or delegates call them which you please - Agents appointed by their alledged principals and constituents - not

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  • Title: [1819 Apr. 4. To Erskine 5 III. Whig]
    Description: 1819 Apr. 4.

    To Erskine 5 III. Whig demerits

    Fallacies

    1 Glorious Revolution

    They would proceed to give us to understand /assure us/ that though /when/ our ancestors at that period, were well aware of the full-right of the people, to have resettled the whole frame of their Constitution", "they were enough" - and it was the result of their wisdom - to leave every thing untouched, which in principle and effect had not failed, and to provide only for the emergency of a vacant, or forfeited throne, by adhering as closely to antient inheritance as the security of the Constitution would admitt". Of their wisdom, yes: for of that sort of wisdom by /with/ which men have been said to be wise in their own generation - the existence of this sort of wisdom there can be no doubt in the instance /situation/ of those our wise ancestors, than in that of their no less wise successors.

    Proceeding to insinuate and steal a misrepresentation upon misrepresentation - delusion upon delusion, they would proceed to assure as that "An alledged defect in this great work, so often in the mouths of Revolution, the sober-minded Whigs of England consider as decisively characteristic of its wisdom. "The people (they would instances) The people at large were not called upon to act for themselves as of the whole frame of the antient Government had been dissolved; but write "(they would say) were sent to the Convention Parliament to supply the single defect which (says your Lordship this in Statute) had taken place"
  • Title: [1819 Apr. 4 To Erskine 9 IV Whig Demerits]
    Description: 1819 Apr. 4

    To Erskine 9 IV Whig Demerits

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    1 Glorious Revolution

    This is among those things which they would endeavour to cause to be believed, knowing as they do, knowing what /as/ I have shewn, and has no one has attempted or will attempt to deny that under the constitution as it is, they in the hands of the supreme power no such tie as obligation but[?] places that all pretence of obligation is hypocrisy and [...?], and that under the [...?] of a mixt government it is an unresponsible despotism that reigns: that reigns and must continue to reign untill parliamentary reform you radical reform shall been established

    They will proceed to observe that The Revolution was /p. 4/ happily not effected by an indignant and enraged multitude. They will thus endeavour to cause it to be believed that it is our desire not only that a Revolution should be effected but that it is by the hands of an endignant and enraged multitude that we wish to see it effected.

    They will proceed to observe that it was slowly proposed "that same Revolution of 1688 by the most virtuous and best enlightened classes of the people", they would thus endeavour to cause it to be believed in the first place that at that time in those same classes there existed a general and adequate disposition to sacrifice their own particular interests to the interests of the greatest number of its whole people, and this for the sake /purpose/ of causing it to be believed that at this day in those same classes the same self-sacrificing principle has place: 1 state of things which in both instances and in every instance would be incompatible with the very existence of the species.
  • Title: [1819 Apr. 5 To Erskine 10 III. Whig]
    Description: 1819 Apr. 5

    To Erskine 10 III. Whig demerits

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    1. Glorious Revolution

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