JB_129_011.xml

Title: [26[?] Nov r 1809 Parl Reform Plan]

Description: 26[?] Nov r 1809

Parl Reform Plan Ch.10 Art 10[?] Qualification of Electors

Remedy […?]

1. To prevent corruption Electors in each district should be numerous: hence

qualifications should be such as are possessed by a great number

2. The more numerous the less the sollicitude about establishing grounds of

disqualification. No matter if Jews[?], foreigners, lunatics or even convicts are

included

3. Avoidance of litigation is more material than the exclusion of a few persons who

if they were capable of constituting a majority would need to be disqualified.

4. On all these accounts payment to direct taxes recommends itself as far superior to

any other qualification: because the title may with so little trouble and expence be

placed[?] altogether out of dispute.

5. To this purpose and on this occasion neither probity nor intelligence are of

considerable import not probity because no trusteeship, intelligence not because the

choice will be limited to a very few candidates no one of whom if in any considerable

degree notoriously improper would be likely to offer himself to public scrutiny

JB_127_182.xml

Title: [14 Aug 1809 Parl y Reform B. 1 Electors]

Description: 14 Aug 1809

Parl y Reform B. 1 Electors

Ch.1 Qualification

'.1

2

2

7(a) Less public social [...?] in America than England: because less culture: none but now employed in money-getting. Montesquieu's ideas of more value in a Republic, ideo.

Were this the case, in taking any measures for the securing of probity, the bargain there seems reason to think would be a disadvantageous one.

Take /Place/ the advance on both sides, and then see what would be the result. Take of probity in the utmost known quantity /were known to be exemplified/ with the least possible quantity of intelligence (a): the state would fall to pieces /all security would vanish presently/. Take of intelligence the utmost known quantity, with the least known quantity of probity, (b) the people will not be so happy as they {would be} under favour of a greater share of probity they would be, but the state will keep well together /at the worst keep together/, and individual security howsoever, cut down /pared away/ in this and that part, is in no danger of being destroyed.

On this occasion in speaking of probity what we should bear in mind as being to the purpose here in question as the seat of the probity is the collective body: not the individual members of it taken separately.

Take individuals separately, the lower you go, the less probity you might expect to find. The disposition here in question under the name of probity is the disposition to make sacrifice of his own interest to the interests of others: but a disposition of this sort is the effect /result/ of the highest culture, the endowment of the distinguished few. The disposition to procure one's own interest, with little or no regard to any other is what all mankind are born with, and possess /are actuated by or are possessed by/ in common with all other animals.

Note (a)

(a) Give to the word interest the most extensive sense of which it is susceptible, every man is on every occasion governed altogether by his own interest: and it is impossible he should not be. For in every instance it is by the prospect of some pain or some pleasure or of some combination of pain or pleasure or both together that mans conduct is determined: and this as much /not less/ when he is sacrificing his own life for his country or his friend he is sacrificing his own life, than when he is occupied in defending it: and to every species /modification/ of pain and pleasure corresponds a species of interest.

JB_129_024.xml

Title: [8 Oct. 1810 Parl. Reform Plan. Ch]

Description: 8 Oct. 1810

Parl. Reform Plan. Ch.1. Qualifications

8 Oct. r 1810

{1. Disqualifications none but such as would obstruct the proceedings by annoying the

assembled Members. }

{2. Primary internal qualifications the only d o ultimately

material.

{3. For the possession of these on the part of a majority their[?] free choice of

Electors is sufficient security}

{4. Want of qualification, even primary, no inconvenience in any instance unless in

that instance existing on the part of a majority}

{5. Interest adverse to that of the majority of the people no objection unless it had

place in the case of a majority of the members as under the system of corrupt

influence at[?] now lies.}

{6. If it were an objection it ought to shut out Scotch & Irish Members.}

{7. Therefore it applies not to Catholics, Jews, Mahomedans &c.}

8. An interest not extensive enough to prevail by votes can only prevail by arguments

8. To acknowledge of any such interest that it is likely to prevail by arguments is

to acknowledge that it is in the right.

Logical View

{1. Connection between Qualifications and disqualifications – external and factitious

& determinate elements of[?] […?] […?]

2. Sole use of both, securing the pecuniary internal qualifications.

General impropriety

3. Effect of /of any/ such legal disqualifications counteracting free choice it

affirms[?] that the elector will /may/ make a bad choice: bad in the respect in

question.

Particular propriety}

{4. Like cases where such counteraction[?] can be justifiable}

{2 The instance of bad choice liable to be immense enough to compose an efficient

majority of unfit persons. Placemen Kings dependents}

{1. A single person capable of doing a mischief which the majority could not prevent

or remedy. […?]manship & Womanhood.}

5. Opulence a false security for all elements of aptitude. viz. Probity:

intelligence: intent for action ( disposition to action

belongs to probity)

Harm of independence: compleat, not producible by opulence: as against constituents

not desirable.

6. Particular judgement of Electors (if free and numerous) a better test /proof/ of

relative aptitude than any of these general spots, of

inaptitude.

7. For special causes, produced or discovered since […?] expectation may be reasonable: presumption, ha this been known, he would not

have been elected: - but subject to re-election.

§.1 + Qualification & disqualif. their object real

& pretended

§.2. + Qualifications required at present.

§.3. + Disqualifications established at present

§.4. + To require a qualification is to establish a

disqualification

§.5. + Effect of disqualification with reference to the

rights of Electors

§.6. + Proper and improper causes of disqualification -

principles

§.7. Proper causes

1. […?]ness as on physical account

§.8. – 2. Womanhood

§.9. Office-holding (civil) […?] included

§.10. Improper courses.

1 […?] a moral

§.11.2 Sincerity

§.12.3. Want of opulence

§.13.4. Furnishing goods a labour for public service

§.14. Alienage.

§.15. Independence – here for a sign /mark/ of aptitude.

Qualifications and disqualifications […?] […?] in shares when the

people would prefer than[?] it becomes 17

th

[?] […?] under the proposed reading[?]

17 Nov r 1809

Parl y Ref m. B. Plan. Ch. 1.

Art. 1. Qualifications

§.2. Primary & 2 dary.

1.

Qualifications, primary /internal/ & secondary /exterior/ - p.1.

2.

Primary, probity and intelligence, and active talent p.1.

3

Secondary conduce[?] to primary. p.1.

4.

Power and will concurring, effect follows. p.1 –

5.

Power & will to fulfill this official duty concurring fulfillment follows.

p.1.

6.

On degree of (appropriate) intelligence depends power of

fulfillment as to this duty.

7.

On d o of probity, will as to d o. p 2

8

Hence all secondary qualifications are referable to probity & intelligence,

and active talent as the primary d o to which they are

subservient. p.2.

{ Next after this part

§. on Independence.

{ 9 or 1.

Secondary qualifications positive and negative.

10 or 2.

Positive fitting a man for the situation p.3

11 or 3.

Negative consisting in the absence of such as w d unfit him. p.3.

12 or 4 –

A negative qualification is the absence of a disqualification

13 or 5.

Between qualifications and disqualifications the line of distinction is variable

& depends on the accidental structure of language }

§.3. Probity first

14 or 6

Interest being such as to engage a man in a course of conduct opposite to probity,

intelligence tends but to unfit him p4

§.2/3/. {Primary &} 2 dary.

§.3. Probity first

15 or 7

Hence though both are indispensable probity with reference to the majority requires

for the […?] of it the greatest care. p4

16 or 8

In a trustee, probity (relative) consists in subservience

to relative interest of his principal.

17 or 9

If greatest happiness of greatest number be the end of government – a member is

trustee for his constituents & the people: immediately for his constituents ultimately for the

people for whom his constituents are themselves trustees. p5.

18 or 10

To fulfill his duty the line of conduct he pursues must be such as in his own judgment is most subservient to that end:- viz –

whatsoever be the line pointed out by any other will. p.6.

1

+ 1. Alienage.

2

+ 2. Non-use

Disqualifications improper convicted

8

+ 2. Criminality of nos[?] specified by law

6

3. + Exclusion indirect by the King

7

4. Exclusion indirect by an individual other than the man himself

4

5. + Peerage or possession of a Membership of /in/ the House

of Lords.

3

6. + Priesthood.

5

7. + Judgeship.

10

8. + Heterodoxy.

11

9. + Sincerity.

9

10. Libelling

12 Royal family[?].

Statute[?] test of persons disqualified or once supposed to be so.

1 + Aliens and persons naturalized

+ 2. Minors

+ 3. Clergy.

* { 4 Heirs apparent of Peers

+ * { 5. Ambassadors or Foreign Ministers

+ * { 6. […?] Geo r[?] and attendants in

House of Lords.

+ 7. Peoples[?] of Returning Officials[?]

+ * 8. Sick.

+ * 9. Outlaws and in Executions[?]

+ 10 - {Accepting[?] Officers[?]}

11 {Members […?]ing for other places}

I

1

{§.1. Primary and secondary

I. 2

§.2. Secondary position and negative.

I 4

§.3. of primary probity more to be aimed at than intelligence. viz on the part of the

majority.

I 3

§.4. Why probity, rather than independence }

I 3

§.5 6 Probity to be aimed at in the aggregate rather than in

individuals separately considered.

See Attendance.

§.6. Parl. y probity whence[?] it consists: as towards King

independence: as towards peoples dependence.

I 7

§.7. Means of securing the maximum of both.

1 No vote to Placemen or Pensioners {or Contractors?}

2. Annual dismissibility by constituents

I 8

§.8. Unimportance of probity as against private advan[?]:

{ Ch. 2. Of special disqualifications

II

§.9. Disqualifications – unimportance of all but those which consist in

innoxiousness.

II

Ch.3. Of pecuniary qualifications or rather disqualifications

II

§.10. Pecuniary qualification – uselessness[?] and mischievousness of the requisition

of it.}

Persons disqualified or liable to be proposed to be disqualified

{I. Absque delicto

1. Females

2. Aliens

3. Peers

4. Priests }

II. Propter delictione

+ 1. Convicts of infamous crimes

2. Libellous convicts

+ 3. Dissenters in Religion