date

1819 Oct. 5 Parl. Reform Bill
1819 Oct. 5

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

§. 5

§. 8

Art. Secresy

4

4

4

On the occasion Where arrangements are required /understood to require/ to be taken for preventing any part of the standing army from being present at an Election the understanding is – that in case a vote were given in a direction displeasing to the Monarch or some servant of his the voter might materially be put to death or otherwise corporally injured: otherwise but for this supposition the freedom of Election could not be disturbed by such a cause. {But that /the cause of the prohibition/ which is thus universally regarded as unconstitutional /inconsistent with the Constitution/, and capable of giving to an Election the character of a Miselection is the substitution of another /a different/ persons wish to that of the voter, not the degree of injury by which that effect is produced /circumstance of its having for its cause an injury offered to the person of the/: {for} if injury to the voter were the cause, the prohibition would not extend to the case of bribery: for by a gift given to a man no injury is done to him /in gift surely there is no injury/.}

This therefore /Such then on the part of the ruling few/ has always been ostensibly the object /an object aimed at in appearance/ – namely to preserve the breasts of the voters from the influence of will on will, in whichever /whatever/ shape endeavoured to be exercised. Had this been really the object the object aimed at in reality influence acting by /endeavour for preserving them against influence operating in the way of/ intimidation would have been more anxious than endeavours for preserving them from influence operating in the way of corruption: for fear of evil operates with much more effect than hope of good. The anxiety /endeavour/ would not have applied itself exclusively to intimidation issuing from the crown /throne/: it would have extended itself to intimidation issuing from any source whatever.

By secresy of suffrage, combined with other arrangements here provided, Miselection by /from/ reason of influence acting by corruption may, it will be seen be effectually /sufficiently/ excluded: may now and might have been at all times. But by secresy of suffrage alone, Miselection by reason of influence acting by intimidation may now, and at all times might have been excluded to /in/ a much more perfect degree excluded.
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    Description: 1818 May 10 ┴

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    IV. Offences tending to produce Miselection by violation of the freedom of suffrage

    to produce {Wrong Election} /Miselection/ are /{are as follows, viz.} Election

    Corruption, and Election Terrorism.

    1. Where /Election Corruption is – where/ for the purpose of engaging a voter or any

    other person on the supposition[?] of his having an influence on the mind of a Voter

    to forbear delivering his vote, or to deliver a vote in a manner otherwise than he

    would otherwise have voted, any person causes or endeavours to cause such voter to

    believe, that by means of himself or any other person some benefit /good/, whether in

    the shape of pecuniary gain money or any other shape, which would not otherwise

    accrue to him will, in the event of his not voting or voting in a certain manner,

    accrue to and be received by such voter, or some individual {or individuals} {in

    whose property he takes an interest} connected with him by any special[?] tie of

    /bond of self-regarding/ interest or sympathy.

    2. Where /Election Terrorism is – where/ for the like person any person causes or

    contributes or endeavours to cause such voter to believe that by the like means as

    above, evil in the shape of pecuniary loss or in any other shape, will in the event

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  • Title: [1819 Oct. 5 Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1819 Oct. 5

    Parl. Reform Bill

    Reasons

    § 5

    § 8

    Art. Secresy

    6

    6

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    Thus then against Miselection so far as producable by influence of the intimidative kind, it is the nature of secresy of suffrage to afford a compleatly effectual remedy: against Miselection do far as producible by the only remaining mode of influencing will a remedy wanting little of being compleatly effectual nothing at all when conjoined with those others which are here[?] provided /and which/ some of which /them/ are already in use.

    While the open mode leaves the door open to Miselection as produced by sinister influences in both shapes, acting in both shapes throughout the whole field of Election with unchecked force. It thereby is continually productive of Miselection to an amount /such an amount/ which baffles all calculation. to which no calculation can apply itself.

    Only this much is incontestable, namely that the amount is such as of itself to give to the Constitution a character quite different from anything that it is said to be and in profession intended to be.
  • Title: [1819 Oct. 8. Parl. Reform Bill.]
    Description: 1819 Oct. 8.

    Parl. Reform Bill.

    Reasons

    §.5

    §.8

    Art Secresy of suffrage

    II Oppression or Conclusion

    3

    Never does a man lose an election /the loss of an Election take place/, but the seductive influence of the adversary is the cause: the seductive influence, partly in the corruptive, partly in the intimidative shape: but more particularly the intimidative that being the more tragical[?] shape, by which the image of men’s antipathies and through antipathies sympathies are most stirred.

    Well them will you have both excluded at once? will you have the secret substituted to the open mode? Oh no – not so: for then would the influence of property would be removed /excluded/ altogether: the influence of property the legitimate influence: for all influence howsoever irresistibly intimidative: all intimidative influence which is the influence of property is legitimate. Issuing from this source is Intimidative influence absolutely bad? Oh no: it is bad or good according as it is applied. Applied in favour /support/ of the Tories /a Tory/ – oh yes says a Whig it is bad indeed: applied in favour /support/ of a Whig is it then bad? Oh no, nothing can be better: it is employed /operates/ in favour of men of probity, and the only men who are so. Whatever is most bad if acted against us and ours, is most good if acted in support of us and ours. /is most good./ We are the salt of the earth. Not measures but mine are to be regarded. We are the only men: the only men who deserve the name. This is one grand maxim: this is one creed.

    See Fox’s History. : and Earl Greys speech in his motion on the State of Nation June 1810.

    Suffrage open or secret: say which you will have? This question – this is the spear of Ithuriel. At the touch of it, with not less agony than the most outrageous Tory, the Parliamentary Whig writhes.