date

1818 March 28 Parl. Ref. Bill
1818 March 28

Parl. Ref. Bill

Reasons

III Electors. Who

Reading Qualification

Reasons

5

5

Books in any number, so he have had but money enough to buy or credit to borrow them to come at all times, he can at every moment have at his command: of men competent to the giving him appropriate information, it is only by accident, at intervals more or less long and for and during portions of time at the utmost not long, that he can in any sense to any such [...?] he can have at his command.

Between the man who can read and the man who can not read the difference is that between man in a civilized and man in a savage /savage/ state. To say in this country that in respect of the matters in question, the man who can not read is in the same state or in no better a state than the savage being in a country in which there are none /no man/ but savages such as himself would not be true. For Why? because in this country means of information means of fixing a derived judgment by converse with men who can and do read not altogether without his reach ever in the practice of having recourse to him foreign to his habits: still however, [...?] [...?] that ever precarious faculty his condition is scarcely in this respect better than that of a savage.

Apply for example these observations for example, in so unhappily considerable a proportion to the inhabitants of Ireland, and even of Wales.
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  • Title: [1818 March 28 Parl. Ref. Bill]
    Description: 1818 March 28

    Parl. Ref. Bill

    Reasons

    III Electors Who

    Reading Qualification

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    4

    4

    But on this as on most political questions, certainties not being within his grasp, man is reduced /subjected/ to the necessity of acting upon probabilities: upon ground of no firmer texture. How /And/ so it is that when for securing the attainment and possession of the great and good government all the means of security that are at the time in question within reach have actually been provided, still, so long as any ulterior ones[?] can be indicated which though not at present /as yet/ within reach afford a pretence of being by appropriate exertions sooner or later brought within reach, still so long as any hope of this hand[?], precedence the undeniable dictates /[...?]/ of precedence, press /urge/ with considerable force the necessity of calling forth their exertions.

    Now as to the existence of the advantages which in this respect a man who possesses the faculty or reading possesses over him who is not in possession of that important faculty - of the existence or of the vast magnitude of these advantages surely no reasonable doubt can ever be entertained {by any man}. A derived judgment, yes: but that sort of judgment, makeshift as it is, be allowed to suffice, suffice without the addition of a self-formed one.. Still in respect of the formation though it be of nothing better than a derived judgment how prodigious is the advantage which the reading man has over him who is unable to read! Within the reach of the reading man lie the very best means of information which the whole [...?] affords: within the reach of the non-reading man lie no other sources of information than what the conversation of a set of men whose means of information are /will for the most part/ as to all matters of detail not much more correct or ample than his own.

    That which by such means may have been placed within his reach is information of the general character /reputation/ possessed already in relation to the several points of appropriate aptitude, by the respective Candidates. That which by these same means can not be placed within his reach is after the Candidate of desire has borne his part in the management of the public business, the propriety /aptitude/, absolute and comparative, of the part acted for him in relation to the several particular questions that have come under his cognizance. /[...?] measures in relation to which he has had to operate./
  • Title: [1818 March 28 Parl. Ref. Bill]
    Description: 1818 March 28

    Parl. Ref. Bill

    Reasons

    III. Electors Who

    Reading Qualification

    Reasons

    8

    7. If by the radical and invariable constitution of human nature the great bulk of the people in ever large political community placed and fixed in such a state, as to be incapable of forming in relation to the universal interest, and their respective shares in it any conception more nearly approaching to an adequate one than that which in this country they possess at present, with what hope - to what purpose does he ever speak in Parliament? and by what considerations can he justify himself in the endeavour to place ultimately in their hands so large a proportion, not to say the whole of the process of government?
  • Title: [1818 March 30 Parl. Ref. Bill]
    Description: 1818 March 30

    Parl. Ref. Bill

    Reasons

    III. Electors - Who

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    5

    For excluding as compleatly as may be all these inconveniences inconvenience in all these shapes, the ruling principle is not to present to the official person any evidence but such but of that sort of which the genuiness and sufficiency may be ascertained by a momentary glance the correspondence for example between two documents which to be genuine must be duplicates of each other, each of them occupying but an instant[?], and that so moderate in the discussion as by a practiced eye to be comprehended by a momentary glance.

    Upon /Under/ this same principle, another expedient is to committ to the person /individual/ in question the choice of the Judges of the person by whom in quality /acting in the character/ of Judges, the validity of the title is to be pronounced.

    Not many are the /great is the number/ cases in which consistently with any tolerable chance for justice, any such choice could be allowed. Of the numbers of them small as it is, this however happens to be one. Why? because so circumstanced is this particular case, that in the event of false decision /judgment/, conviction and punishment may be made sure. That the individual in question is /should be/ able to read, is able to read and write as the case may be this is all that is desired. But in relation a man who is not able suppose it declared by the person in question that he is able, let him but be called upon to do that which he has thus been declared to be able to do, by the supposition he will be unable: by his inability thus proved, the falshood, the guilt the delinquency of those by whom he was declared to be able is thus proved.

    Out of spite and malice it may be said /will it be said?/ it may happen that a man shall in case of a judicial inquiry, learn upon his benefaction, and though in truth able counterfeit an inability by /on/ the demonstration or declaration of which they may be convicted. This is always possible: but such business is never probable: and his ability being supposed, scarcely can it happen but that by this or that individual who would testify to that effect, the ability of his will have been manifested by acts.