130_047.xml

Title: [31 Dec r 1810/9/ Parl y. Reform]

Description: 31 Dec r 1810/9/

Parl y. Reform

Ch.11. III

Abbot

17

16

I come now then to the mischief, independently of the scandal: of that scandal which, unquestionably, in his situation, M r Speaker could not, supposing it mentioned by him appear to consider in any other light than that of a mischief, but which for the reason just mentioned to me whom[?] am not bound by any such ties, appears not a mischief but a good.

Supposing no public auction, there will notwithstanding be naturally more or less of competition: for an advertisement of a seat to sell being put in, if it happens to it to find two purchasers /customers/ to answer it it is the sellers fault if there be not more or less of a competition between those two customers. It is by no means in all cases a clear point that a commodity be it what it may will obtain a higher price when disposed of by /put up to/ public auction than when disposed of by private contract. On some occasions the one mode being looked upon by the seller as the one most advantageous to him, obtains the preference: on some occasions the other: some times recourse is had to both.

To the eyes of M r Speaker some how or other, on some account or other, the difference between the two modes has presented itself as prodigious: and what I should expect to find is that in his expectation the mode by public auction would be most /the one most/ productive.

For my own part if it be asked me which of the two modes is /would/ in my opinion be likely to be most productive? I could do no otherwise than fix upon the mode by auction as that most productive mode.

For the purpose of the argument then at least let this be agreed on: viz. that the mode by auction will be the most productive. If so, then if independently of the scandal, any excess[?] of mischief be attached to the mode by auction as compared with the mode by private contract, it is in an expected excess of price that this excess of mischief must be to be looked for, in his mode of stating the account. /calculation./

130_045.xml

Title: [31 Dec r 1809 Parl y. Reform]

Description: 31 Dec r 1809

Parl y. Reform

Abbot

or 15

15

14

In my view of the matter as so often stated, this circumstance, if indeed it be a mischief is of all the mischiefs /ill effects/ resulting from the actual composition of Parliament one of the least mischievous. In my eyes The grand mischief of mischiefs is the state of habitual dependence /state of dependence and high[?] obsequiousness/ on the sinister will of the King and his regent in which in a number sufficient on all ordinary occasions to constitute a majority and thus exercise the power of the House, are holden: in comparison of this state of things, the practice in question - being a practice which contributes not in any perceptible way any more to encrease than to decrease the extent of that general dependence does not present itself to my view as mischievous.

130_048.xml

Title: [31 Dec r 1810 Parl y. Reform]

Description: 31 Dec r 1810

Parl y. Reform

Abbot

18

17

1[?] Requires a richer man to buy it.

Say for example, average price of a seat when sold by private contract,,4,000: d o of d o when sold by public auction, ,5,000. Difference ,1,000. In this ,1,000 then it is that we are to look for the excess of mischiefs.

For my own part I can not see any. In this case the purchaser /buyer/ gives more for the seat than in the other: ceteres paribus he must be a richer man to obtain /buy/ it. But in this superiority of wealth where is the mischief? None at any rate can there be in M r Speaker's eyes. "That the possessions of property may, and must, and ought to have a predominating influence in the election of Members to serve[?] in the House, I think (says he) is equally clear." And immediately before this property is taken for the theme[?] of his panegyric /his respect for property stands expressed in the following terms/. "That the influence of property in maintaining civil order is of the highest importance, no man living can doubt: it is the firmest cement to all the relations of social life, it gives stability to the state, and prosperity to the Empire.

To be sure[?] the extra thousand pound which has been given for the seat, he /the Member/ who has given it is not the richer for, but the less rich. But every man is the best judge of his own affairs: and forasmuch as to the particular person in question we can not have any just ground for imputing want of thrift, he has a right to call upon us for /to admitt/ the conclusion viz. that as he has given this odd /five/ thousand pound he can afford it: afford it, yea /yes/and still better than the man that would not have given for it more than the five thousand pound.