date

18 June 1811 Parl. Reform On
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/.
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    1. Mischief the same as Borough-holding

    2. Instrument - expence of elections

    3. Remedy, putting and end to that expence

    '. Pocket Counties How the peace of a County is preserved.

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    Two persons, of opposite parties, whether originally so, or constituting themselves to for the purpose, join their interests and exertions for the purpose of seating themselves and one another in the two seats which every English County affords.

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    Such, in M r S.C.’s view of them are his opposition: a body of men who the service they render /he sees rendered/ consisting more in profession than in action, do not in his estimation appear to stand quite so high as their high charactered and consequential rivals.

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    The holders of those offices to which the greatest share of power is attached, are stiled Members of Administration, and in the aggregate are called the Ministry: and that all punishment in case of abuse of the powers of office may be plainly impossible, are holders likewise of seats.

    Those who without being holders of offices are holders of seats, being of course desirous of Offices coalesce naturally into a party, called in the aggregate the Opposition, and from a name which had been given to the Opposition in former days, the Whigs.

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