date

1819 May 12 + II Lett 6. Whigs Anti
1819 May 12 + II

Lett 6. Whigs Anti-Reform

20

1. Who[?] trust[?] Parl[?] […?]

2. Pennsylvania[?] Cl.[?]

These are the fears with which they ply the […?] part of the people, as bad servants in families ply the children of the family with tales of ghosts

From first to last what /the argument/ they rely upon as towards all those who are not partakers in the sinister interest is the supposed or pretended danger: danger of confusion and anarchy and so forth.

Now what /that which/ to all of them is most perfectly known can not at any time be otherwise than full in their view is the proof afforded by experience and observation of their own – experience of matter of fact the most extreme and most notorious /known to them is – that there is no such danger/.

1 First there is the case of Ireland. Of Ireland in 1782 the time of the emancipation of the Irish Parliament /Legislature/ from the intention[?] in the hands of the English Ministry /tyranny of the English Administration/. Fourscore thousand Irish Volunteers with arms in their /all armed and trained/ – That was the force /instrument/ that did /accomplished/ the work. Here was the exemplification of the of /state of things so warmly recommended to/ Earl Grey then M r Grey. “The resolutions of the people acting upon the prudence of the House, – and that point they could only accomplish” (continued he) by meeting in bodies as recommended by the Minister (Pitt) in 1782. by Pitt who A o 1794 being Minister tried to put men to death in force of law lest they should engage others to pursue his own recommendation and meet in bodies.

This is what twelve years after it was done viz A o 1794 was thus recommended by this same Earl Grey. Well might he thus recommend it. The point which it aimed at was accomplished[?]. Well and what was the price paid for the accomplishment /benefit/? Was it confusion? was it anarchy? On the contrary a state of peace and quiet and good order till then unknown: not known till then: the opposite state but too well known since: from the cessation of those meetings down to the day on which I write.

And the country where this effect so full in the teeth of the present pretended fear took place – what was it? Was it a country in which the public mind has more instinction in it than in Britain? No, unless it be in the United American States, no such country is to be found! Where then was it? Even in Ireland, a country which in this respect is continually spoken of as being the very antipodes of England.
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    Now my Lord as to my part in taking my chance for Lord Grey’s forgiveness for entertaining in reality this one of the opinions which when M r Grey he professed – as to my part I am much inclined to be of opinion, that “this House will never reform itself, or destroy the corruption by which it is upheld, by any other means than those of the resolutions of the people acting upon the prudence of the House, and that point they could only accomplish by meeting in bodies as recommended by the Minister (Pitt) in 1782.” [*]

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    [*] A o 1794