date

9 Jan y 1810 Parl y. Reform
9 Jan y 1810

Parl y. Reform

Ch.17.

'.4. Disreputableness

35

14

As to the remaining one of our /the/ species of parliamentary corruption which the station of Electors furnishes, that species which to the eye of a plain man would not /might scarce/ be distinguishable from the former, in the scientific eyes of our Right Honorable Commissioner it is /stands/ so clearly distinguished that in his whole system one of them is retained /occupies an indisputable place/, the other is indisputably /decidedly/ thrown out. No dry and sordid matter to be seen or heard /perceptible/ striving in it, therefore no place for it in the black book, no place for it in the scale of disreputableness.

On the contrary for this item, in the system of our Right Honorable Commissioner[?] a place must somewhere be found for it in some book or scale of honour.

For in this [...?] we see at one time the result of the influence of the "possessions of property", those possessions which not only may and must but ought to have in the election of members to serve in this House a predominating influence.

At another time the result of the operation of these virtuous and generous motives /principles/ the motives of friendship and affection.
Similar Items
  • Title: [8 Jan y 1810 Parl y Reform]
    Description: 8 Jan y 1810

    Parl y Reform

    Ch.17

    '.4. Disreputableness

    27

    6

    How wide the difference is between the two scales, viz. that of mischievousness according to my humble conception of it and that of disreputableness will framed upon the principle laid down or pursued by the Right Honorable Gentleman now appear /appear already/ not only from the difference in the places occupied in the two scales by the same cases {of corruption} but even from the difference in respect of the number of the degrees.

    For so far as concerns the situation of Members here already, here at the second degree it will be seen, under the scale of disreputableness. For no one of the three other articles can any place be found in it.

    First as to the case which on the scale of mischievousness constituted the highest degree, viz. the case of habitual Court dependence alias Ministerial dependence alias diet' which is as much as to say corrupt dependence. For this case in the black book of our Right Honourable censor morum I can not after the most careful scrutiny find any thing like a place any where.

    His scale of honour or say reputableness supposing him to have constructed any such scale, is the sort of scale in which, as far as the evidence goes indications afforded by this document extend, the place for this case would /might rather/ be to be looked for, "In the election of Members to serve in this House" a proposition plainly /indisputably/ implied in this document /instruction/ if not directly asserted /declared/ is that "the virtuous and generous motives of friendship and affection" ought to have in conjunction with "the possessions of property" ... "a predominating influence.
  • Title: [8 Jan y 1810 Parl y Reform]
    Description: 8 Jan y 1810

    Parl y Reform

    Ch.17.

    '.2. Disreputableness

    26

    5

    2. Next to the above case on the scale of disreputableness would come beyond dispute that other by which the abhorrence of the Right Honorable Gentleman for the dry and sordid matter was actually called forth, viz the sale /"the public sale"/ of seals the " traffic" in seals.

     Transcribe here the expressions of reprobation?
  • Title: [9 Jan y 1810 Parl y Reform]
    Description: 9 Jan y 1810

    Parl y Reform

    Ch.17

    '.4. Disreputableness

    30

    9

    Strange indeed it would be, if that one of our five species of corruption which manifests itself in the shape of Court and Ministerial dependence should find a place in any scale /black book/ of disreputableness or unbecomingness constructed by the Right Honourable Speaker /Gentleman/ /M r Speaker/, when the blackest place in his black book is so incontrovertibly allotted to /assigned to/ those persons, whose professions {in /to/ the sincerity of which the charity of the Right Honourable Gentleman strives with so much energy to give evidence} whose exertions have no other /for their principal at {least} if not sole/ object than the extirpation of corruption in these very shapes.

    That of "the entire system of our parliamentary representation" constituted as it is at present, Court and Ministerial dependence to no inconsiderable extent is the result will not be disputed /denied/ by the /our/ Right Honorable Censor unless it be his meaning also be denied that it is in the nature of benefits unbounded in their amount and revocable at pleasure, to be productive /creative/ of dependence, which should any one deny he will thereby also deny that any such situation as dependence /a dependent one/ is any where to be found. Now this is the system which, as no man either can deny or can wish to be thought to deny persons not inconsiderable either in number or in reputation, are labouring to subvert: and this, not only one[?] as the Right Honourable Gentleman truly observes "in truth and fact", but in profession likewise.