132-095.xml

Title: [[copyist’s hand] nd [wm 1818]]

Description: [copyist’s hand]

nd [wm 1818]

To Erskine

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Letter III. Peoples alledged errors: in particular as to influence

After exhibiting to view, as above, the alledged Merits of the Whigs, your Lordship proceeds to bring to view certain errors – “great errors” which (your Lordship says) “have been entertained to their prejudice”

Error 1. (p. 17.) that ... the whole body of these Whigs ... should be represented as an unprincipled faction. Persons of course chargeable with this error those by whom such Representations have been made.

Error II. – that they should thus be “ publickly represented.”

Error III. Error. 3. (p. 17.) Merely because they espoused the pretensions “of an unblemished Gentleman, of a suitable rank in the world, and duly qualified to sit in Parliament for Westminster:” the error here alluded to being doubtless that of suffering these considerations to operate on their minds, as presenting the sole cause of the making of that same erroneous representation.

4. Error 4. Publickly representing M r Perry, Editor of the Morning Chronicle, as the corrupt tool of a corrupt faction” – that “he was publickly represented” &c. says your Lordship.

5. Error 5. Considering certain influences as unjust and illegal (p. 19:) “influences” (says your Lordship) being considered as unjust and illegal”. – Well – and what influence? Answer influence which, according to the definition which your Lordship immediately proceeds to give of them, are influences which, in all free and popular Elections, must from the very nature of human affairs, perpetually exist.

6. Error 6. (an error peculiar to Sir Francis Burdett.) “provoking the hostility on widening the breach, with a large body of men, possessing property and influence of various descriptions.

In regard to each of these alledged errors I must now take leave to submitt to your Lordship a few words of observations.

1. Alledged Error 1. Representing “the whole body of the Whigs as an ‘ unprincipled faction.

Observations. On this occasion, the error, if any, consists in the use of these two last words. Paw-paw words I should be inclined to call them, could I be assured that by the late Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain neither these words, nor any corresponding ones, were ever used. The words themselves nor at any rate not used by him against the people: for the people being too low to be capable of having principles, they are too low to be charged with want of principles:

and

132-070.xml

Title: [1819 March 15 Lett III + + To Erskine]

Description: 1819 March 15 Lett III + +

To Erskine

III Peoples Error

§ 1. Letter

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Letter III. People’s alledged errors: in particular as to influence

After exhibiting to view, as above, the alledged merits of the Whigs, Your Lordship proceeds to bring to view certain errors – “great errors” – which (Your Lordship says) “have been entertained to their prejudice”.

Error I (p. 17.) “that ... the whole body of these Whigs ... should be represented as an unprincipled faction ...” – Persons of course chargeable with this error those by whom such representations have been made.

Error II: – that they should thus be “ publickly represented.”

Error III. Error 3 (p. 17.) merely because they espoused the pretensions “of an unblemished Gentleman, of a suitable rank in the world, and duly qualified to sit in parliament for Westminster” ... the error here alluded to being doubtless that of suffering these considerations to operate on their minds, as presenting the sole cause of the making of that same erroneous representation.

4. Error 4: publickly representing M r Parry, Editor “of the Morning Chronicle as the corrupt tool of a corrupt faction: ...” that “he was publickly represented” &c says Your Lordship.

5. Error 5. Considering certain influences “as unjust and illegal” (p. 19): “influences” (says Your Lordship) “being considered as unjust and illegal” ... Well and what influence? Answer. – influences which, according to the definition which Your Lordship immediately proceeds to give of them, are “influences which, in all free and popular elections, must from the very nature of human affairs perpetually exist.” [+]

6. Error 6 (an error peculiar to Francis Burdett) ... “provoking the hostility, or widening the breach, with a large body of men, possessing property and influence of various descriptions.” [++]

[+] p. 19

[++] p. 21

132-072.xml

Title: [1819 March 15 + To Erskine]

Description: 1819 March 15 +

To Erskine

IV. Peoples Errors

§.2. Error I

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As for my own part, it is without interest in the matter that I speak, not being conscious of having, on any occasion, applied to the subject in question, either jointly or severally, either of these two stimulative and considering their effects on a Noble and Learned peer, I can not but add these so happily stimulative and prolific, words. So little use have I for them, that, for a mere pepper-corn consideration, added to the hope of recommending myself to your Lordship’s favour, I would enter into a bond with an efficient penalty, never to apply them to the subject in question: no nor to any other. Instead of the word faction, which, in so far as it differs from the word party, means a bad party – it is a word that I am not at all in the habit of applying in any case. It is one of the thousand words, which contain in their bowels a fallacy of the sort of that called begging the question: and having a {little} /small/ smattering of logic, coupled no slight distaste for rhetoric, choosing always rather to tire men than deceive them, it is much my habit and always my endeavour, to avoid using any such words. In the particular case here in question, for every purpose of mine the word party in quite sufficient. This I hope Your Lordship will indulge me in the use of: otherwise, as I know of no equivalent word, I must quit the field of politics altogether; and weak as it is, there will then be so much the less matter for your Lordships “system of defence” to operate upon.