131-445.xml

Title: [[mainly in copyist’s hand] 1818 July]

Description: [mainly in copyist’s hand]

1818 July 14

Parl Ref Bill

Reasons

Mode of voting

secret why

Canvassing

2

14

Insincerity forsooth! The insincerity, which by bare possibility may have place in this case – compare it with the insincerity which to so boundless an amount is sure to have place in so far as canvassing has place.

Among the advantages attached to the proposed system of Election Management and in particular to the proposed mode of voting may surely be numbered the prospect it holds out for putting an end to that at present inexhausted source of immorality and inconvenience in so many various shapes, the practice of canvassing.

Canvassing may be distinguished into two modes: the Itinerant and the Stationary: by the Stationary, understand the Penance of which the Hustings are the Theatre.

The vileness, the stupidity, the ignorance, the absurdity of the rabble, the populous, the mob or by what ever other name the subject many may preferably be denominated, by the Hon rbles and R t. Hon rbles on those few occasions on which they find themselves under the unhappy necessity of defining their exalted conceptions with an idea so pregnant with disgust – such are the beings to which under the existing system these same exalted personages – O shame! find themselves under the excruciating necessity of bowing their exalted necks – The acts and words of respect of affection /fondness, of worship, of self-abasement, of self-humiliation, of self-prostration at the feet of these Gods of their momentary Idolatry what voice can relate them, what imagination can conceive them.

JB_127_356.xml

Title: [1818 July 16 Parl. Ref. Bill]

Description: 1818 July 16

Parl. Ref. Bill

Reasons

II. Electors. Who

Universality

5

5

As to the proposed Parliamentary reform, not only does it give them no facility towards the effecting /working/ of this scheme of destruction, but it takes away from them facilities, of which so long as the system of Non-Reform continues, they are in possession: they are in possession of those facilities for sudden and violent resolution and operations which are afforded by the convocation of the lower orders in boundless multitudes[?], with a theme given for them on which all violent tongues are by the very nature of it invited to descant: they are under the impulse /sting/ /stimulus/ of those provocations /causes of irritation/, which the now unbounded system of misrule is continually affording /pouring forth[?]/: the mixture of misrepresentation and non-representation - of force and fraud, with all the bitter waters that art is continually flowing from it. Under the proposed system of Parliamentary Reform this mixture at any rate has not place. Under the proposed system canvassing in both forms in the itinerant form, and in particular in the stationary form, affording no promise of being of use would probably be every where discontinued and no where could it continue more than one day instead of the 15 now sometimes exemplified, not in that day, in more than one out of several polling districts in each if the votes would be collected for the Election District would be collected.

In this case not only would all the constituted authorities belonging to the administrative branch of Government be, as at present opposed to art & design, but all those who are either wise actually or whatsoever be the case in this respect supposed, would be looking to be the Representatives of the whole: and among them of course all the actual possession of that property of which it was the intention they should be despoiled: of all their property, and with it all the influence where as so really attached to it, and all that appropriate aptitude in all shapes probity, intellectual aptitude, and active talent[?] which is so gratuitously therefore[?] according to the supposition so necessarily[?], supposed to be attached to it.

131a-027.xml

Title: [[131a-027] [mainly in copyist’s hand]

Description: [131a-027]

[mainly in copyist’s hand]

1818 Dec r 20

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

Ballot

1

From “A Comparative View of the Constitution” of the United States by W. Smith of South Carolina LL.D. Philadelphia 1796, “printed by John Thompson, and sold by all the Booksellers in the United States

pp. 18, 19, 20.

It has often been a disputed point, whether there is greater safety in viva voce or ballot elections. In most of the States, the elections by the people are by ballot. Maryland and Virginia pursue the old english custom of polling; every voter there goes up to the hustings, or place of election, and declares aloud the candidate for whom he votes. It is remarkable, in the Constitution of Maryland, that all elections for the House of Delegates, and for the Electors of the Senators, are to be viva voce, but the Electors are to vote for the Senators by ballot. If the balloting was considered the mode the most free from influence or undue bias, then it ought to prevail in the Elections generally; and vice versa, if open votes were considered the safest, then the electors of the Senators should pursue that mode. The Governor and the Council are elected by the joint ballot of the two Houses, and the Senate supply vacancies in their own body by the same mode: the Senators of the United States are also chosen by ballot. By the Constitution of New York, elections are directed to be viva voce; but the framers of it, doubting the expediency of that mode, inserted the following clause in their Constitution: (See 6 th) “And when as an opinion hath long prevailed among divers of the good people of this State, that voting at elections by ballot, would tend more to preserve the liberty and equal freedom of the people, than voting viva voce: To the end, therefore, that a fair experiment be made, which of those two methods of voting is to be preferred:

“Be it ordained, that as soon as may be after the termination of the present war between the United States of America and Great Britain, an act, or acts, be passed by the legislature of this State, for causing all elections, thereafter to be held in this state, for Senators and representatives in Assembly, to be by ballot, and directing the manner in which the same shall be conducted. And whereas it is possible, that after all the case of the legislature, in framing the said Act, or acts, certain inconveniences and mischiefs, unforeseen at this day, may be found to attend the said Mode of electing by ballot:

“It is further ordained, that if, after a full and fair experiment shall be made of voting by ballot aforesaid, the same shall be found less condusive to the safety or interest of the State, than the method of vothing viva voce, it shall be lawful and constitutional for the legislature to abolish the same, provided two thirds of the Members present, in each House respectively, shall concur therein; And further, that during the continuance of the present war, and until the legislature of this State shall provide for the election of Senators and Representatives in Assembly, by ballot, the said Elections shall be made viva voce.”