date

19 November 1821 Codification Proposal
19 November 1821

Codification Proposal

J.B. to People

The answer is - to the production of this determination several considerations have contributed

1. Though by favour of the encouragement already rendered if life and faculties continue, the wish will be accomplished /sooner or later be executed/ yet without such encouragement as a /nothing but/ definitive acceptance from the competent authority in some one political state at least can afford, the work to be ------- but not to be executed if executed at all either so promptly or so well. -- --- and seemly(?) the current of the blood runs slow: something is necessary, something from without, to quicken it. Be the wish what it may, a proposal is some drain --- the work itself: and between proposal and --- --- ---- --- it ---- been so ---- as in the primary(?) instance.

2. From the Constituted authorities of /competent authority in/ different states in instances more than one should acceptance come, in fresh ----- would by every such acceptance be applied, in fresh supply of vigour and energy bestowed /furnished/ and it will be seen that supposing the work to ------- expectation(?) the greater the number of governments the laws of which have this one common basis the greater will be the benefit from such a bond of union be to each.

3. Of acceptance, from any government a natural consequence is the familiarity the author with such documents as may serve to render him so much the better informed of /acquainted with/ their appropriate circumstances by which with reference to the work in question the condition of the country is distinguished from that of other civilised states: and the more particular the information of the sort received, the more particular may be the provision made for it in the arrangements of the /contained in any/ proposed code.

For case of application made of the proposed work to the local circumstances of Spain great for example is the assistance that would be afforded by a document which the author has before him, namely the authoritative(?) proposed Penal Code.
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    Description: 15 November 1821

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    It is not as yet /at this ----/, nor in the nature of the case it be altogether ---- whether

    It is a matter of some uncertainty whether if acceptance should not be /shall not have been/ given to this offer by the competent authority in any nation, the proposed work will be undertaken /entered upon/. If without such acceptance it be undertaken /entered upon/, the country /nation/ the particular circumstances /character/ of which will be kept in view will naturally be that in which he was born and bred and with the condition of what he is most particularly acquainted. If by competent authority of /in/ any other country (for his own is now altogether out of the question) if by the competent authority in any other country acceptance be given, thereupon a distinction and correspondent decision which will require to all along be made. In so far as the several arrangements that present themselves under the several heads appear to be /present themselves as being/ ---- uppermost to the circumstances of all countries by the rulers of --- the sort of opinion in question ---- to be professed the matter proposed for every expression to those several /----/ arrangements will be given to the very words: in so far as the circumstances in which such accepting country is placed present themselves as calling for any priority(?) in the proposed arrangements, instructions to the legislator for the drawing up such arrangements as may appear suitable to the case will be given in place of the arrangement: unless on the occasion in question the nature of the case should be thought to be specifically understood to warrant the giving expression to this or that arrangement in the --- words by which it is --------- the object may be accomplished.

    Should it happen to this offer /proposal/ to find acceptance any where, it will rest with with the authority by which the acceptance is given, to supply the author with such documents as shall be thought requisite.

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    Description: 1821 Nov. 17

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    Codification Proposal from Jeremy Bentham to all Nations professing liberal

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  • Title: [19 November 1821 Codification Proposal]
    Description: 19 November 1821

    Codification Proposal

    J.B. to People

    Proposals, from the same hand in the main to the same effect as the present one have --- for above these --- been not only forwarded to divers Governments, but ----- ---- put into general circulation. These /Those/ being already in existence a question that will naturally occurr /present itself/ is from what causes and to what end can they in this way be renewed(?) /could the substance //--------// of them come to be repeated/. For affording satisfaction to any such question, a few words it has been thought may be of use.

    By ---- of the acceptance /notice/ which in that same publication is shown to have been the ---- ---- of the Proposals therein contained though compleat /effective/ acceptance failed to be the result a certain degree of encouragement was afforded: the documents in /by/ which that ------ stands expressed form so many testimonials in favour of the proposal itself and the individual by which it was made. Still ---- the force of the encouragement was not found sufficient to engage him to enter upon the work. The particular offer /--- --- ---/ at that time made to different constituted authorities ---- ---- followed by the like offers more or less ---- made to other(?). At length by all these encouragements taken together a sort of stimulus(?) has been produced sufficient /such as/ to produce a determination to enter upon the work.

    Such being the case in question at present to be answered is - why instead of the work itself, /retard the execution of the work itself, by drawing up more --- and/ --- --- for the second time a set of proposals for the writing of it?