date

2 Jan y 1810 + Parl y. Reform
2 Jan y 1810 +

Parl y. Reform

{Influence}

Ch.2.

'.1.

1

1

Ch.2. Of Influence - what proper, what sinister.

Dialogue.

'.1.

Objector. In this there is /seems to be/ something plausible at least but in the mean time /after and from all this/, what are we to think of influence?

In the case /station/ of Member of Parliament - in the station of parliamentary Elector in neither of these stations is there any room, understand any legitimate and proper room - for the exercise of influence?

Author. O yes: room, aye /yes/ and legitimate and proper room - room for legitimate and proper and due influence, in abundance.

For this purpose however, a distinction must at the very outset marked out /brought to view/: and by the help of this distinction, in what cases influence may rightly be termed legitimate and proper, in what others illegitimate and improper, not to mention as yet /here/ certain other epithets which there may be occasion for will be rendered manifest beyond dispute.

The influence of which the impropriety has already been brought to view is the influence of will over or on will. whatsoever influence is exercised on the will of one man considered as acting in either of those stations - in the exercise of either of those public trusts - by the will of any other individual /person/, whether in the like station or in any other. Influence thus exercising itself may as the convenience of discourse requires, be designated by any one of a variety of epithets, viz. illegitimate, improper, as above, sinister, undue, not to speak as yet of corrupt or corruption, of which presently
Similar Items
  • Title: [5 Nov r 1812 Church Ch. Causes of]
    Description: 5 Nov r 1812

    Church Ch. Causes of Abuse &c

    Circumstances by which the mischievousness of sinister influence is determined

    depends

    1. / {2} 1/ Strength of influences assurance[?] of having the

    key[?] independently of the influence – gain in life? pain of disappointment or

    privation?

    2. / 3/ / 4/ Facility with which it may be

    taken away.

    2. + / {1} 3/ Need or no need of

    application to set the influence a working.

    3. + / 5/ Strength of the check, if any,

    opposed to the influence by the Military[?] sanctions

    4. + / 2/ Urgency of the need if any

    which the influence has of the good King[?].

    5. + (or 1) / 6/ Importance i.e.

    mischievousness of the branch of trust to which the influence is applicable and on

    the occasion in question applied.

    6. or 7 The extent to which the influence is applicable in the

    case of a single influence – i.e. the number of breaches of trust to the production

    of which it is in his instance applicable.

    7. or 3 / 8/ As to the […?] of the instrument of corruption the

    extent to which it is applicable, as measured by the number of the public trustees in

    the impudent trusts in question

    8. / 9/ Number of the persons capable of being effectually

    influenced by the same article[?] at the same time. To do this it must be in

    expectancy and contingency }

    Influence (sinister) of property

    1. on Electors

    2. on rival would be Candidates Gallice Aspirant. No at

    once[?] just object of execration than the empty headed […?]-proud bully by whom all

    men[?] of merit were driven out of the field – Thus[?] the tyrant of the County. A

    Bonaparte in miniature.

    32

    5. Of a bribe the effect may as probably be /operates/ to oppose as encrease the

    sinister influence of the Crown: of sinister influence by office and contract the

    effect it amounts to go in augmentation /advancement/ of the influence of the Crown:

    the acts influence corpus[?] deli[?]

    §.1. + Causes (psychological) of abuse and imperfection 1.

    p.1.

    §.2. + Interest – shapes of which in the bosom of a ruler it

    is susceptible 2. p.

    §.3. + Rulers Interest what legitimate – what illegitimate 3.

    4. 5. p.

    §.4. Sinister interest of the King and the ruling few – directions in which it

    operates

    §.5. Influence, what legitimate, what illegitimate 6. 7. 8.

    §.5. + Influence its direction – what legitimate, what

    illegitimate 10. 11 p.

    §.6. + Influence – its instruments – what legitimate what

    illegitimate 9.

    {§.7. Ruling trustees […?] irresponsible, who – 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. exercised on them

    respectively what influence is legitimate, what illegitimate. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.}

    §.8. Instruments of influence what. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.

    {§.9. Modes in which influence is expressible. 24. 25. 26. 27.}

    §.10. + Mischief of illegitimate influence – its measure. 32.

    §.11. + Dependence legitimate and illegitimate: d o 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.

    §.12. + Independence legitimate and illegitimate.

    §.13. + Influence of property, legitimate and illegitimate.

    38. 39.

    §.14. Bribery – the least noxious mode /modification/ of illegitimate influence. 28.

    29. 30. 31.

    Any influence of the Crown : whence d

    o

    of King and d

    o

    of Monarchy[?] is indistinguishable.
  • Title: [2 Jan y 1810 Parl y Reform]
    Description: 2 Jan y 1810

    Parl y Reform

    Ch.14 Electors

    '.4. Borough settling

    15

    3

    3

    Little character. Good heavens, how unfortunate! Could I have thought it! {Oh that I had been a hundred miles distance!} Oh yes, sure enough: The Devil created those colchicums, at that very instant, for that very purpose. I will write to Linnæus this very instant to blot out the whole tribe of them. That I should have been such a Marplot! Yet who could have thought it? I shall never see a colchicum again without bestowing a curse upon it. - Oh the cursed colchicums!

    This scene /The conversation/ is reported with a degree of fidelity such as in lives and memory is not often exemplified /equalled/, and which in all circumstances in the least material can /could/ not be exceeded.

    Had it not been for the colchicums, the living might have been obtained - who knows but it might?, the borough settled, and the breast /bosom/ /case[?]/ of the great character eased of /freed from/ all disturbance. Now upon what sort of footing would it have been settled? the illegitimate or the "legitimate"? upon the footing of any illegitimate or upon the footing of the " legitimate rights of influence"? Not the illegitimate assuredly: for in the shape of " dry and sordid

    gain" where would any thing have been to be sure in /throughout/ the whole business? In the first place the expecting youth, the man of future /[...?]/ contingent piety, would have received the Holy Ghost. Nothing " dry" or " sordid" here[?]. After the Holy Ghost he would have received the benefice: nothing dry or sordid in the benefice. Last of all /Lastly/ he would have received the tithes: and now indeed, now, afar[?], and in virtue of the godliness comes the " gain": true the gain: but still nothing " dry" (it is to be hoped) or " sordid" in it.
  • Title: [21 Jan y. 1810 Parl y. Reform]
    Description: 21 Jan y. 1810

    Parl y. Reform

    Influence

    Ch.2.

    '.1.

    8

    8

    Objector. Good. So far so good /Agreed/ But if you admitt of influence, what do you get by limiting it to that sort of influence which is exercised {by understanding} over understanding? why not as well admitt of that sort which is exercised by will on will? By the influence exercised on it by understanding is not understanding continually liable to be misled and in consequence conduct misdirected in consequence? But if conduct be misdirected, what matters it whether it be by understanding or by will that is misdirected.

    Author. Doubtless the one you have been mentioning is a cause of misconduct as well as the other. But in my turn give me leave to put the question is it not better to have but one cause of misconduct than to have two?

    Now then in between the two causes of misconduct in the case in question the matter stands thus. {Misconduct so far as it has for its cause a deceptitious /an improper/ /a misleading/ influence exercised on understanding by understanding it is in this case impossible to prevent or diminish by any legal arrangements: misconduct so far as in this same case it has for its cause influence exercised by will over will it is not impossible to diminish at least by legal arrangements.}