date

28 Sep. 1809 Parl y Reform
28 Sep. 1809

Parl y Reform

B.I. Necessity

Tests

14

Religion the sole sanction that can bear[?] upon it.

Unless it be thus that the absurdity of the thing professed to be believed be so palpable, that all who profess to believe it will from that circumstantial evidence be concluded mendacious.

As to the degree of probability between the one and the other result, this is a topic /subject/ which can not {so} well be considered till /entered upon as/ some particular eventual burthen and consequently some particular occasion by which the eventual imposition of it is introduced be brought to view.

Mean time for argument sake, let it be supposed that the opposite forces are in such manner ballanced that the number of those who submitt to the burthen and the number of those who submitt to committ the act of are in each given space of time equal.

On this supposition here are two results produced all along together: viz the exclusion of reputedly-unfit /presumedly-unfit/ persons from the situation in question; and the production of so many acts of mendacity, and thence of so many liars, which liars notwithstanding their being such, gave admission into the situation for which even if they were not /had they not been/ liars their unfitness /being unfit/ is presumed: and the number of the persons who, notwithstanding their assumed unfitness, and their having been thus first converted into liars are admitted into the situation, {having first been converted into liars,} is by the supposition equal to the number of non-liars, whose aversion to lying whose respect for truth, having been proved by the test, are by means of it extended from the situation, and thence subjected to the burthen to which by the being extended from the benefit in question a man is subjected.
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  • Title: [28 Sep. 1809 Parl y Reform]
    Description: 28 Sep. 1809

    Parl y Reform

    B.I. Necessity

    Tests

    15

    Is mendacity a vice? is veracity a virtue? If to both these questions the answer be in the affirmative, then observe the consequence.

    Here is an institution by which in as many instances as those in which the object of it is attained, vice is rewarded, virtue punished.

    Being a vice, has mendacity in any degree any such effect as that of rendering a man the less fit for the situation in question - the situation into which he thus gains entrance? If so, then {moreover} here is /we have/ moreover one institution of which in as many instances as those in which the object of it is attained, viz by the exclusion of persons reputedly unfit it not only fails in respect of that object viz. by giving admission to persons thus reputed unfit, but it renders them more unfit than they /otherwise/ would be otherwise.

    In fine, on this supposition so far at least as the [...?] result alone is considered an institution of this description, a /the[?]/ probationary test has no better title to the appellation of an instrument for the exclusion of unfit persons from the situation in question than it has for the appellation of an instrument for the remuneration and encouragement of vice, and for the punishment and discouragement of virtue.

    By the word for it may be objected, intimation is given not only of the tendency of the institution, but of the design and intention on the part of the authors.

    True. - but in the instance of the institution, if the tendency of it be as above, is it natural or credible that the design and intention of the authors and /or of the supporters/ should be materially different? in such a tendency, in such a result is there any thing mysterious, any thing that might not reasonably be expected? any thing, to any degree, diverging from the ordinary course of human nature /nature/ for[?] the universally known institution /character of the species/ of the human frame /character/, that a result to this effect should not have presented itself to view in the character of a probable one?
  • Title: [28 Sep. 1809 Parl y Reform]
    Description: 28 Sep. 1809

    Parl y Reform

    B.I. Necessity

    Tests

    13

    1. In respect to /of/ the main purpose the efficiency of the customary[?] list is altogether precarious and inconsiderable.

    It is without influence on every man /person who for the sake of the advantage /benefit/ to the obtainment /enjoyment/ of which the taking of /submitting to take/ the test is necessary, or rather for the sake of avoiding /exempting himself/ the disadvantage /burthen/, to the avoidance of which the taking of the test is necessary, submitts to either a declaration, of the falsity of which, if /it being false/, it is out of the power of any human being ever to fasten[?] the imputation, or so much as the suspicion, for the purpose of either punishment, {or so much as blame} /or of blame/ for the purpose of blame, or so much even as the suspicion in any the slightest degree /shade/. unless in so far as by any subsequent intimation given by himself it should ever happen to himself to be imprudent enough to furnish evidence against himself.

    Under these circumstances as often as the decision which he /a man/ is thus called upon to declare his assent to it or any part of it contains any thing which is not true[?] which result is the most probable? - that to save himself from the burthen he will committ the falshood? or that to save himself from committing the falshood he will 'submitt to the burthen?

    The inconvenience, whatsoever it be, apprehended from the commission of the falshood being the same in all cases, what /whatever/ variation there is in the proportion between the mendacity-prompting /-exciting/ and the mendacity-restraining forces will have the variation as the magnitude of the burthen for its cause.

    But taking mankind in general, thus much may be asserted and with confidence, viz not only in general terms that the mendacity-exciting power of the burthen must be very slight indeed if it does not overballance the mendacity-restraining force opposed to it, but also in particular, taking the amount of the burthen at the smallest quantity that is any where to be found exemplified, the instances in which it does not overpower the mendacity-restraining force will be /can not but be/ extremely rare.
  • Title: [20 Sep 1809 Parl y Reform 2]
    Description: 20 Sep 1809

    Parl y Reform

    2 o

    Ch.1. Elections Voting

    10

    6

    The voter's inclination (it may be said) might be having in favour of the unfit candidate: and at /yet by/ the same time the /by/ fear of public opinion, by the [...?] apprehended in the event of his being known to give his vote in favour of so unfit a man, he may under the system of publicity be engaged to resist this inclination and give his vote in favour of the fit candidate.

    But by the supposition the number of Electors is very considerable /extream[?]/: say for example, and to fix conception, not less than two thousand. and unless under the /some/ expectation of success, which can not be unless the majority say at the least 1000 be on the side on which his inclination bade him to vote, he will not give his vote at all which ever of the two be the mode in use. But if under the open mode his expectation be that he shall have /of his having/ a thousand persons at least on his side, his situation can scarcely be said to be that /of that sort/, in which the public opinion will according to his conception pass condemnation on the part he takes in the giving of his vote; of his co-electors he expects by the supposition the /a/ majority to the amount of this large number to give him support and countenance not only /merely/ by their secret opinions, but by the opinions publicly[?] declared by their votes. With this number on his side /to give him /for his/ support and countenance/, it will not be easy /very natural/ for him to expect to find the least to take [...?] by the community at large: and even if he does /should he even/ entertain any such expectation /apprehension/, assured of such support and /sympathy and/ countenance from those that are near him, the apprehension of the disapprobation of those that are at a distance will scarcely give him much trouble.