date

20 Aug 1809 Parl y Reform Corruption
20 Aug 1809

Parl y Reform

Corruption

Members

6

4

{Foolish therefore would be in the extreme, if it were sincere the conduct of that Member who on the /under the/ influence of the above suggested habitual depravity of Minister /the agents under such a system/ should resolve /determine/ with himself to engage and persevere in any such blind and all-comprehensive opposition.

But of the system of corruption one of the effects is to beget and keep alive a system of indiscriminate opposition still more profligate if possible than the system of indiscriminate subservience. The adherents of the Minister vote in favour of every measure of his how and of every part and circumstance of his, how bad soever merely because it is by him that it has been brought forward, while The opponents of the Minister vote against every measure of his and against every part of such measure how good and necessary soever, for the opposite reason, viz. for the purpose of taking every chance for causing his power and influence to be regarded as being in the wane, and so depriving him of the free part /unbound/ of his adherents, till at last he be left unprovided with the number and proportion regarded by him as necessary, to secure him in the possession of his place.}
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  • Title: [20 Aug 1809 Parl y Reform Corruption]
    Description: 20 Aug 1809

    Parl y Reform

    Corruption

    '.2. Members

    4

    2

    As matters stand at present and in a word so long as the situation of party and judge are united in the persons of such a number of the Members as is supposed to exercise the power of the whole, the Minister may be considered as keeping a sort of shop constantly open for the reception of all such Members as are disposed to come in and sell themselves.

    Every Minister as such, may be without injustice - and in this state of things ought to be in reason, considered as the Keeper of a House of ill fame: all Members /every member/ whose vote constitutes a regular appendage to that of the Minister may be as above and ought to be considered on the footing /in the character/ of a particular species of prostitute, as one who stands engaged on every occasion to devote to the use and good pleasure of the Minister - not his body indeed, for which the Minister has no use - but the nobler part of him - being all the part for which the Minister can find a use - viz. his mind.

    In this same state of things, Antecedently to the examination of its merits, every measure proposed by such a Minister may {and ought to be} in like manner considered without [...?] considered as a bad measure: as a measure having for its object and its motion end in view the in some shape or other the separate and sinister interest of the advisers open or secret of the Crown. In other words every ministerial measure is prima facie a bad one, or has something bad in it.

    {And the same observation may be extended and with equal justice to every instance in which opposition is made by the Minister to any measure brought forward from any other quarter.}
  • Title: [20 Aug 1809 Parl y Reform Corruption]
    Description: 20 Aug 1809

    Parl y Reform

    Corruption

    Members

    7

    5

    Indisputable it is that if a measure or any part of a measure be in itself a good one it is not in the power either of a Minister by bringing it forward, or if an adherent /a dependent/ of the Minister by supporting it to convert it into a bad one.

    Equally indisputable it is, that of the measures brought forward by every minister and supported of course by his dependents and other adherents a very large proportion probably by far the largest would have been brought forward by the Minister and supported by those same dependents had it happened to them to be in a state of the most perfect independence.

    Once more it is but now and then /here and there/ that the occasion, the incitement for carrying a bad measure, or a bad part of a necessary measure present themselves.

    But what is sufficient, quite sufficient, to denominate the system of government a corrupt one - and in consequence to ground a persuasion that under such a government no promising opportunity of sacrificing the public /general/ interest to the separate and sinister interest of the members of the government, all or some or all of them, and their adherents is the contemplation of the existence of that sort of connection between the Minister and his adherents in the situation /character/ of persons to be judged, and so large a proportion of the Members of the House of Commons in the situation and character of Judges.
  • Title: [25 Dec r 1809 Parl y Ref m]
    Description: 25 Dec r 1809

    Parl y Ref m

    Ch. Parl. Corrupt Member[?]

    ' 3.1. Corruptor King

    2 Dependents mind

    6

    2

     Insert statement of the corresponding habits of indiscriminate support viz. abuse in Administration, and d o opposition when in Opposition. Shew that both are modifications of corrupt dependence and undue and mischievous obsequiousness.

    But neither can the moral part of his frame be stated as altogether pure.

    Taking the whole parliament through, Many are the /On some/ occasions on which the course taken by the Minister will appear to him to be exactly right: of all courses that on that occasion could have been /be/ taken the one which in the highest degree is most subservient to the public interest.

    But it will be very extraordinary indeed if there be not also occasions, and those in no inconsiderable number on which the course taken by the Minister will not appear to him exactly in that light: instead of the best, it may appear the worst possible, or the impropriety of it may present itself as standing at any intermediate degree of the scale.

    Had he been In a state of independence actuated at the same time by a sense of duty, according to the nature of each objectionable measure he could either have opposed it in toto, or proposed amendments to it.

    In his state of dependence, taking the measure as he finds it, according to the degree of his dependence, he either supports it as it stands, defends /supports/ it - viz by speech as well as vote, or by vote only; or absenting himself, forbears to oppose it: forbears to oppose that which in his own opinion /view of the matter/ ought to be defeated, and ought therefore to be opposed.