date

1820. Octr. 19 Spanish liberticide measures
1820. Octr. 19 Spanish liberticide measures 16 Letter 2. Public discussion 16

Confined to a single spot or to a small number spots in the whole territory of

the state – confined to a single portion of time – to a single day in the year

or to a small number of days – confined to days of casually occurrence and not

capable of being fixt to the purpose of ensuring preparation and attendance such

meetings would be contributory in no better than but a precarious and inadequate

degree to the conjunct purpose of instruction and excitation. For the same cause

/reason that/ this state of preparation for eventual resistance is necessary in

/on the part of/ any one /place/ portion of the population it is necessary in

/on the part of/ every other, for the same cause /reason/ that it is necessary

at any one portion of time it is necessary at every other.

To the exclusion of despotism a perpetual state of preparation for eventual

resistance is therefore necessary; and to this perpetual state of preparation

for eventual resistance not only a state of general appropriate instruction and

excitation, but a universal and perpetual faculty of concert on the part of the

people is necessary.

{In a word To this state of preparation jealousy – perpetual and unrelenting

jealousy – is necessary: a jealousy by the absence of which one of two things –

either an absolute ignorance of the nature of man, or a desire that the

government should be despotic, and the real happiness of the subject many made a

compleat sacrifice of to the real or imaginary happiness of the ruling few is

conclusively evidenced.
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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]
    Description: 1820. Octr 19

    Spanish liberticide measures

    14

    Letter 2. Public Discussion

    14

    It is upon this principle alone that the /what/ change distinguished in England by the name of the Revolution ever was or ever could or can be justified. It is upon this principle alone that the late change (by whatever name called /call it Revolution or whatever else/) in Spain can be justified. No such past change can therefore be justified but upon that principle of eventual resistance by which all future Revolutions in case of like exigency are justified. It is therefore of the essence of every government that is not despotic, to foresee, and not only tolerate but cherish, a disposition to eventual resistance. For this purpose two instruments are necessary to be kept in activity /operation/ – instruction and excitation: instruction that the people may be in possession of apt and adequate notions relative to the demand and means for /of/ such eventual resistance: excitation that a disposition may be kept on foot, ready at all times upon the intervention of an adequate occasion to be converted into act. Now Of this instruction and this dispostion is the use confined to the opposing to misrule when arrived at an intolerable altitude /screwed up to an intolerable height/ that sweeping remedy which is applied by a Revolutionary change. For the disposition can not be kept alive, without manifesting on the part of the people a force of such a magnitude as to operate as a check to each instance of attempted or meditated misrule, and that to a greater or less degree serve for the prevention of it.
  • Title: [1820. Octr 18 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820. Octr 18 Spanish liberticide measures 11 Letter 2. Public Discussion 11

    Mr Gorelli makes no distinction. He will neither have excitation nor

    instruction: wherever he sees free discussion there he sees an enemy.

    Had the provision /his means of safety/ been temporary, some excuse might have

    made of it: but so far as words go it is everlasting. In one single town A

    danger whatever may have been amount of it had place for a few days: no actual

    mischief, as far I can understand, was the result of it. If so The mischief was

    after all but ideal. For remedy against a danger thus blown over – for this it

    is that Mr Goreli organizes a danger designed to last as long as the

    Constitution lasts, and designed for I can not see what less is designed to

    destroy it.

    A guard – a military guard – under the command of the President of the Cortes

    for the time being – had this been his means of safety – necessary or not

    necessary – I should have seen no danger in it. On the particular occasion in

    question, one regiment, the regiment of | | offered (I see it said) its

    services. Let these services be accepted and as above perpetual. I have no fear

    from them. Neither the Nation /people/, nor the King with all the remaining

    /other/ regiments, regulars and militia likewise, could have much to fear from

    this one regiment under such command, nor from many such regiments put together.

    Here then would be certain and everlasting force, provided against imagined and

    apprehended force, and that but contingent and should it have place, but

    momentary. Would not be sufficient.