date

1820 Oct. 18 Spanish liberticide measures
1820 Oct. 18 Spanish liberticide measures 6 Letter 2. Public Discussion 6

From select meetings under a Constitution such as the Spanish no just ground for

the apprehending danger can have place, unless on the supposition for the

production of the corresponding mischief secresy be /is/ employed. Under the

veil of secresy mischief may in great variety be produced mischief the

production of which by open meetings would be hopeless. A plan of separate

assassination might be organized: so likewise a plan of military operations to

any extent, by direction suddenly given to a body already prepared and disposed

and equipped for the purpose.

In this case exclude secresy you exclude danger. Why? because secresy being

excluded no mischievous enterprize can be formed but those to whom it would be

mischievous have the warning of it have the information of it, /the intended

evil/ and means thereby given to them of taking measures for their defence /the

prevention of it/.

{As the danger i.e. the more or less probable mischief is in the two cases

different so is the good.

In the case of the open /an open/ meeting, the principal shape in which it has

place is that of excitation /its chief use is excitation: in the case of a

select meeting, instruction.

In the case of the select meeting, the principal shape in which it has place is

instruction. mutual instruction.

Of an open meeting the chief use is excitation: of a select meeting,

instruction.}
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  • Title: [1820. Octr 19 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820. Octr 19 Spanish liberticide measures 15 Letter 2. Public Discussion 15

    To the keeping up this disposition to eventual resistance partly by instruction

    partly by excitation, the unrestrained communication of all ideas belonging to

    the field of government is necessary. It is therefore the characteristic of an

    undespotic government to give not only toleration but favour to such

    unrestrained communication: and this with a view not only to instruction but

    excitation: for without correspondent excitation all the instruction imaginable

    would not be productive of any effect. Instruction applies to the understanding;

    excitation to the will: both must be in a suitable state or no effect can be

    produced.

    In /Of/ popular meetings various sorts or modifications might in this view be

    distinguished: instruction and excitation can not in any case be altogether

    separated: of every such meeting it is the tendency to be in some degree or

    other conducive /contributory/ to both those effects: some however are in a

    greater degree /more particularly/ conducive to the one of these two instruments

    of political security, others to the other.

    A meeting in an open space /and unlimited space such as an unenclosed field/ is

    more particularly conducive /suitable/ to excitation than to instruction: a

    meeting within a limited space such as a room public or private is more

    conducive /suitable/ to instruction than to excitation.

    A meeting open to all /once for all/ without distinction, or even to all who at

    each time pay a small sum for admittance, is more suitable to the purpose of

    excitation than to that of instruction: a meeting held as one of a fixt and

    permanent series of meetings is more suitable to the purpose of instruction than

    excitation. A select meeting or meeting of a Society with which in addition to

    those by whom it was first formed none are admitted but by election is more

    suitable to the purpose of instruction than of excitation: in regard to

    excitation it is more suitable to the purpose of maintaining a constant and

    ordinary degree, than any such extraordinary degree as on extraordinary

    occasions may become necessary to the proposed end.
  • Title: [1820 Octr. 19 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820 Octr. 19 Spanish liberticide measures 17 Letter 2. Public Discussion 17

    Mr Goreli makes no distinctions: at one crush he suppresses and for ever all

    free meetings of the people howsoever modified. Mr Goreli acts consistently –

    the government his endeavours are employed to organize and support is a despotic

    one: he will have no eventual faculty of resistance no possibility of resistance

    to misrule be it ever so consummate no relief to misery from misrule be it ever

    so excruciating: he will have no free communication of ideas on political

    subjects he will have no instruction no excitation no concert between man and

    man any where for any such purpose.

    Mr Goreli acts consistently; consistently with his principles in regard to

    government: whether with any that he avows I know not: assuredly with the

    principles he acts upon: assuredly consistently with the attainment of the

    object towards which this measure of his tends, the establishment of despotism:

    principles directly the reverse /the direct reverse/ of those which the

    Constitutional Code has set up, and to the giving effect to which the system of

    representation ordained by it is directed.

    Mr Goreli has not yet proposed a law abolishing the whole system of Election

    meetings. He need not: should this proposed law of his be established and be

    productive of its declaredly intended effect, they will be of no use to the

    people of whom those meetings if held will be composed, and whose interests they

    were intended to support and serve: in those meetings there will be neither

    excitation nor instruction: and to the production of any good effect both are

    necessary: at the meeting itself there will be no time for any thing like

    adequate instruction: indeed by the Constitutional Code itself (Article | |) all

    such use of the time appointed for Election is prohibited: at the time of such

    meeting there can not be any such instruction: and it is Mr Goreli’s care that

    there shall not be any at any other time.
  • Title: [1820 Oct. 18 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820 Oct. 18 Spanish liberticide measures 5 Letter 2 Public Discussion 5

     These Sheets Nos 5 6. 7. 8. 9. 10 were not employed in terminis in the Letter

    sent.

    On this part of the field of thought and action as on every other, whatsoever

    law is made finds the gound covered with the mark of liberty. With the exception

    of those by which coercion is taken away or modified, no can have place but

    coercion is among the effects of it. But coercion is itself an evil: it

    therefore ought not to be imposed without /on any other supposition than that of

    its being pregnant with/ some more than equivalent good.

    In the case here in question, the good if any in contemplation /that is arrived

    at/ is the exclusion of some /an/ extensive political danger.

    Now in the two cases in question the complexion of the danger is somewhat

    different.

    From an open meeting the danger in the only shape in which it can be apprehended

    is that of mischief – mischief to persons or properties on the spot from some

    sudden enterprize. From such a source, how extensive so ever the mischief may be

    no permanent source of mischief can be apprehended.