1
results found in
23 ms
Page 1
of 1
13 Aug 1809 +
Parl y. Reform
B.III Duration
Ch. 6. 4. Inconsistency
1
Why not a fixt term with continual[?] person[?] [...?]?
Ch. or '. Objection the 4th. The proposal is inconsistent with its own principles: transgression committed dismissal should be immediate.
Answer - No: and such an arrangement would be not only needless, and /but moreover/ mischievous as also /and even/ less efficient with reference /in relation/ to the end in view.
1. It would be less efficient. {What is every body's /man's/ business is no man's business: what may be done at any time is done at no time.}
Apparent in particular time in every year for the renewal of the Elections: - of powers conferred by the Electors on their deputies, once a year the attention of the Electors /these authors /principals/ of the/ is by this means unavoidably turned to the conduct of their deputies /trustees/: once a year they have the faculty and invitation given them to express their opinion, to pronounce their approbation or disapprobation in relation to their /that/ conduct: and this judgment not only is the power /faculty/ of exercising it confirmed /secured/, but the certainty of its being exercised established. If the member of the expiring year have /has in the course of the year/ done nothing to render /that has rendered/ him, in the eyes of any leading person in the body of his electors, unworthy of his trust, and at the same time no rival candidate presents /offers/ himself, his re-election will follow of course: and each re-election will be a fresh certificate in his favour.
In the opposite case, according to the accidental varieties in the characters and situations of the leading persons in the different electoral districts, the attention of the electors would in some districts and at some times not be turned with sufficient frequency /not frequently enough/ to the conduct of their deputies, in other districts and at other times too often. /too frequently./
Similar Items
-
Title: [[131a-030] [mainly in copyist’s hand]Description: [131a-030] [mainly in copyist’s hand] 1818 Dec. 20 Parl. Reform Bill Reasons Annuality 2 2 From Smiths Comp. View continued Tab. I. Legislation. South Carolina. “Term of Duration” “Senate for 4 Years, with a biennial rotation of one half. Representatives biennually. Copy this Note Note (cc) p.22. “South Carolina and Tennessee are the only States in the Union, whose most numerous branch is elected for so long a term as two years: in all the rest, it is annually elected, except in Connecticut and Rhode Island, where elections are semi-annual. On Connecticut some remarks have already been made. The biennual seems preferable to the annual term. The former is short enough to secure responsibility, the latter diminishes that firmness and independence, so essential in a legislator. Surely, a man, who has his property, his connections, and every thing dear to him at stake, will (with the responsibility arising from a biennial election) feel ties strong enough to attach him to the public good; at least, let there be one Session out of two where he may act, unawed by the terrors of public disgrace. If a sufficient time intervene after the Session, he may have opportunities to convince his Constituents, in the cool moments of reflection, of the rectitude and propriety of his conduct: but where the Election immediately succeeds the Session, and the passions of the Constituents are industriously inflamed by the interested partizans of aspiring Competitors, and their judgments surprised by uncandid misrepresentations, the Member unvindicated has but a poor chance of re-election. These apprehensions too often lead well-disposed men, over-fond of popularity and place, to sacrifice their own honest sentiments to the current opinions and prejudices of the day, or to the wild caprices of the influential demagogues of their election districts. At the same time, it is to be understood, that too remote a term of election ought to be avoided, least leading characters, possessed of talents and ambition, might pursue measures injurious to the State, unrestrained by the public voice, which ought always to have its due influence on the constituted authorities. The constitution of South Carolina, by the biennial Elections of the Representatives, and by the quartennial and rotatory Election of the Senate, is happily calculated, in this respect, to combine a sufficient independence of the Member, with a proper responsibility, and the public security. See Federalist N o 52 &c[?]
-
Title: [+ 1818 Oct. 21 Reasons §.1 Art 4 Parl]Description: + 1818 Oct. 21 Reasons §.1 Art 4 Parl Reform Bill Reasons §.1 Seats and Districts Art 4 Seat one only 10 2 2. Avoidance of nullity of the Electors’ influence, in every District in which the two Members take opposite sides. {Question 2. Seats – why no more than one to a District? Reasons 1. If while the whole number of seats being as at present not less than 658, two seats were in all instances as at present in most instances allotted to a /an Election/ District, the number 668 already but too large would be swelled to 1336. 2. If while one set of Districts filled each of them but one seat, another set districts not twice as populous as those of the former filled each of them two seats, here would be inequality, and no use in it or reason for it.} Under the existing system, though with the exception of the City of London no more than two seats are in any instance filled by one District, considerable is the inconvenience produced even by this lowest degree of plurality. When, in one and the same district, the two seats are filled by two Members, who, in respect of the general scheme of government, are, with relation to one another, guided by opposite opinions or moved by opposite interests, they in so far nullify one another: the district which they represent is without influence: with two such Representatives it is no better served than if it had none. Even under the proposed Reform, but for the arrangement here proposed, the case would in this respect be the same. 3. Securing the freedom of Election against partition-treaties between rival Candidates. 2. Under the existing system two proposed Members, who, if the district had but one seat would enter into competition, and thus allow to the several Electors the faculty of giving their votes to the worthiest, enter into a compact with one another, and by terrorism, in one or more of its shapes, exclude competitors, share the two seats between them, and thus for that time deprive the whole body of the Electors of the faculty of giving /exercise of their franchise/. Under the proposed system, no such terrorism could have place: not but that by combination, after every thing that could be done, emulation and competition might, in cases in which they would have been useful, be incidentally excluded. But the instances would be comparatively rare.
-
Title: [1821. April 2 d. Rid Yourselves]Description: 1821. April 2 d. Rid Yourselves Ultram. Deput. none. Here are a set of Fathers who can not come into existence till 12 of their offspring have come into the world to give it to them All this while, in the province in question, the supposition that, in the province in question, a provincial deputation is in existence. But, in that same province, any such deputation - can it at the time in question be in existence? The affirmative is more than I know how to satisfy myself of. Looking to Art. 328, I see that of the individuals who, for the formation of this body, are to be elected, the election is to be made by the District Electors (por los electores de partido) But this District - this partido - what is it? These Electors - who are they? how have they become such? Go on and point out whether this partido is the same District that is to contain the 70,000 souls - and see whether these Electors do not derive their origin from the Parish meetings - and, if so, whether they can have existence until all the stages for the Election of Deputies to the Cortes have been formed, see whether Stages of Election can be formed - for the Election of Members of the Provincial Deputations before they have been formed for the Election of Deputies to the Cortes.
1
results found.
Page 1
of 1