date

18 June 1811 Parl. Reform On
18 June 1811

Parl. Reform

On[?] S.C. N o 3

2

 Add here S.C.s indifference will prevent any warmth in the dispute

“Allowing copyholders to vote as well as freeholders”, - “buying up as many of the decayed boroughs as might be worth the expence” - such /these/ according to S.C.s account of them were all the changes comprized in M r Pitt’s reform plan: these at any rate are all that he approves of, with the exception /after the addition/ of one of his own which consists in raising the qualification, and that to such a degree as to deprive persons /men/ of the elective franchise in numbers /a number/ greater than the number of those to whom he would impart it.

Cui bono? of what use would all this be? What are the ends it aims at? how is it that in the character of a set of men it is conducive to /promises to/ that end.

But In the first place what are the ends it aims at? None at all that I can see, none are mentioned by S.C. none are mentioned: none at all can I find for it.

Placing in that supreme assembly /seat of government/ in the highest attainable degree in that seat of government the endowments necessary to good government these are the objects which in my Catechism I ventured to /took upon myself to/ bring to view in the character of ends. How far the arrangement which at the same time /on the same occasion/ I ventured to bring to view in the character of means promises to be conducive to these ends is a question on which your readers have already been invited to pronounce.
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  • Title: [18 June 1811 Parl. Reform On]
    Description: 18 June 1811

    Parl. Reform

    On S.C. N o 3

    8

    As to aims[?] it is the interest of each party to oppose the others one but so it is when in power, to organize new ones.

    As to the means, they consist the chief of them in the nullity of the influence of the people, the effect of the abuses in the Representation, and in the quantity of unnecessary warfare.

    As to those grand points Administration and Opposition - In and Outs - the interest is the same: line of conduct pursued is accordingly the same.

    Under the existing order of things, the country - with all that there in is is a possession of a certain set of Borough Holders and County-holders considered and disposed of, not as an object of trust but as a subject of property: the Borough seats and the County seats being divided between the two sides of the board, the ups and the downs - in proportion variable and varying indeed, but still /even/ in some proportion or other, so /thus/ divided.

    Propose to impair the value of this property, propose to restore it to the footing of a trust - to that footing on which even by the acknowledgement of S.C. himself it originally stood in former times - propose any thing of this tendency, peace is immediately established between these moderate and placable adversaries: peace with unity neverfailing union against the common enemy - the people. Make a stand is the cry on one side - make a stand is the echo on the other: within doors none but amicable rivals: it is without doors only that any real adversaries any permanent and unchangeable /perpetual and total/ opposition of interests is to be found /without doors stand the only and the real enemies: meaning by enemies not those who are disposed to be such, but such whose destiny /lot/ /fate/ is to be treated as such/.
  • Title: [18 June 1811 Parl. Reform On]
    Description: 18 June 1811

    Parl. Reform

    On S.C. N o 3

    3

    M r S.C. is so perfectly at his ease, that if between him and me any expence /disbursement/ be incurred in the article of thought, I fear it must lie the whole of it or thereabouts upon me. In support of /For the approbation bestowed by law upon/ this moderate plan the only reason I can find, is - that he is not averse to it. Upon this same moderate plan my disapprobation /disapproval/ is all I can find to /what I can not but/ bestow: but for the grounds and reasons of this disapprobation I am not a loss I have not far to caste.

    Expressed in the simplest terms My reason is that, if in any degree, it will not in any considerable degree put the House /the body in question/ in possession of the stock of endowments in question in any greater degree than at present.

    In favour of this reform plan of his, thus it is that I am unable to find any thing that seems destined to serve in the character of a reason. But what comes it must be confessed to about /nearly/ the same thing in favour of non-reform I have succeeded in glancing[?] a loose observation or two, the object of which as far as they can be said to have any, seems to be that of their arriving in that character.

    The case is, that the worthy gentleman, such is his good fortune is extremely /altogether/ well satisfied with things exactly as they are: and if they were but as he supposes them to be than[?] enough, he would have more reason to be satisfied with them, than as it seems to me /in my view of the matter/ he has at present.
  • Title: [18 June 1811 Parl. Reform On]
    Description: 18 June 1811

    Parl. Reform

    On S.C. N o 3

    4

    Speaking of the “658 men” in question they have, “all of them” he says, “the same personal interest as their constituents and the people at large in perceiving the British Constitution”.

    Thus it seems to S.C.: but this is exactly what I am unable as if it were practicable /possible/ I should be desirous to believe.

    As to /of/ their constituents and the people at large it is their interest that there should be no public money wasted - that there should be no fee[?] pensions or[?] a small amount none unmerited or unnecessary, no sinecures, no useless places, no overpaid places: no retribution in the shape of money when service equal in quantity and value is obtainable by retribution afforded in a less expensive shape: and where money avarice[?] forced from the people in the shape of taxes is the shape in which such retribution is afforded, that as little of it as is consistent with the sufficiencies[?] of the service, quantity and quality taken together, should be afforded /expended/: and to that end that there should be no unnecessary wars.