date

1818 March 29 Parl. Ref. Bill
1818 March 29

Parl. Ref. Bill

Reasons

II. Electors Who

Reading Qualification

Reasons

10

From a summing up made with careful industry the number of persons convicted within the year of criminal offences in England within a given period has been stated+ as being more than ten times as great /greater/ in England as in Scotland. In some eyes the difference (and how prodigious /vast/ a difference it is!) is produced by the difference between the religion of the Established Church of Scotland and the religion of the Established Church of England: in others by the greater number of those who are able to read in Scotland as compared with the number of persons thus gifted in England: in some eyes partly to the one cause partly to the other. But in every eye in which the indisputable advantage on the side of Scotland in respect of morality as thus demonstrated has for its cause the greater extent superior magnitude of the extent in which this faculty is possessed, the b importance of the collateral mind are thus proposed to be derived from the proposed political institution /arrangement/ can not but be acknowledged /recognized/ to be of no mean importance.

The art and faculty of reading is the basis of and indispensable inlet to every other considerable branch of art and science. The greater the number of those who are in possession of it, the greater the number of those by each of whom the [...?] means of obtaining a chance for giving ulterior advancement of /to/ art and science by transcendent talents and genius is obtained. To one /except to him/ to whom every prospect of new discoveries in art and science, and of new degrees of perfection in the practice of what is already discovered is an object of indifference, can this collateral use of the proposed institution be a matter of indifference.

[Marginal note:] Church of Englands n[?] examined p.
Similar Items
  • Title: [1818 March 29 Parl. Ref. Bill]
    Description: 1818 March 29

    Parl. Ref. Bill

    Reasons

    II Electors Who

    Reading Qualification

    Reasons

    9

    {2}. Of /From[?]/ those who, in so far as the faculty of reading will, /would,/ under the proposed system of reform, be applied to the purpose of forming their respective opinions, in relation to proposed Candidates for seats and possession of seats, and thence in relation to public measures in general, had rather this faculty should not be possessed, - even of these there will be not a few, in whose eyes the possession of it would be a most beneficial endowment, in so far as it should come to be applied to the reading of the Bible. At no inconsiderable expence, by the munificence of pious charity, are copies of the Bible distributed either gratuitously or at an under price. But by any /no/ such donation, can any the smallest good effect, either in the way of [...?] of party[?], or in any other way ever be produced, but in proportion as the subject of it finds its way to cope by which this faculty is possessed. neither by this, nor by any other means could any addition be made to the number of persons capable /able/ to read, but an equal addition would be made to the number of persons capable of reading the Bible:- capable of making their profit of the boon so zealously pressed into every hand that can be prevailed as /upon/ to receive it.

    Thus by universal suffrage thus modified, there is not only good government, but increase in the same proportion good religion served and promoted: not only present but future universal interest: not temporal only but everlasting happiness.

    {3}. Are there any persons in whose eyes no clear benefit net profit is likely to be derived either by reading for the purpose of voting at Parliamentary Elections or by reading the Bible? still among those persons there may be some in whose eyes such net profit might and would be derived from the faculty of reading, on the supposition that it would be applied to this or that other purpose. In all such eyes the collateral benefit that would be produced by the proposed institution in question, by the extent /extension/ that would thus be given to the faculty of reading could not but be placed to the account of advantage, and operate as a reason {pleading} in support of it.
  • Title: [1818 March 29 Parl. Ref. Bill]
    Description: 1818 March 29

    Parl. Ref. Bill

    Reasons

    II. Electors Who

    7

    7

    Deplorable indeed would be the inconsistency, if in the eyes of any parliamentary man whose strength is in his eloquence, the idea of a reading people - not to speak of aversion - should be an object even of indifference.

    On what ground could he place /build/ his objection?

    1. Is it that in this case intellectual aptitude is an object of indifference?

    2. Is it that by these means of appropriate information which nothing but the faculty of reading can lay open to him the degree /question/ of appropriate aptitude which he is capable of acquiring is lessened?

    3 Whatsoever may be the impressiveness of his eloquence, is it in the House that, as matters stand at present he can entertain any so much as the faintest hope of making any such impression as he would wish?

    4 Though to the House in form, is it not to the people - to the people alone in design and hoped for effect that what on any subject on the present is ever said by him is addressed?

    5 Except by speeches spoken or said to be spoken by him in the House or if not else by books and pamphlets written by him, has he any means of conveying /communicating/ to the great body of the people on /in relation to/ this or any other subject his opinions or his wishes his wishes his opinions or his arguments /reasons/?

    6. The extent of the communications which in this way it may thus be his desire to make is it not diminished by every diminution, encreased by every encrease, in the number of the persons capable of reading what it has been thought good by him to speak or write?
  • Title: [[129b-386] 23 Jan 1817 Plan]
    Description: [129b-386]

    23 Jan 1817

    Plan Cat

    1 o & 2 o

    Postscript

    II. Extension of suffrage

    Reading

    Proposed qualification for voting reading

    2

    12

    Besides its direct use as above besides its direct use on /by/ which depends /is circulated/ its title to a plan here besides this its direct use, a provision /an arrangement/ to this effect comes recommended by two collateral circumstances uses /several important considerations/.

    1. The blind excepted the exclusion the retraction is no other than what it depends upon /is in the power of/ every man to exempt himself from: if by the time he has that[?], by this time next year it will always have been in his power to remove the bar.

    2. It will contribute, and in the most powerful manner to accelerate the accomplishment of that scheme /system/ of universal instruction, which though assuredly without any particular bar to this particular use, has been the object of so much attention and the subject of so much praise.

    The power and the accomplishment will give support and assistance to each other: will in the eyes of all men they will give value and assistance /fire[?]/ to each other: the possession of the power will be a premium for /an inducement to/ the acquisition: of the accomplishment /endowment/ a recompense for the labour of attaining it: by /from/ the accomplishment when acquired the value of the power and the gratification attendant on the exercise of it will receive prodigious encrease.

    The sensible gratification of the moment being the most formidable enemy to probity as well as to self-regarding prudence, every thing that comes into competition with it is thus far useful. The art of reading Even in its humblest form the art of reading is an inlet[?] to every thing that can come into competition with the gratification of sense.

    Whatsoever money is expended in the purchase of this intellectual food /nourishment of the mind/ will not be expended in the purchase of the instruments /matter/ of intoxication: whatsoever time is occupied in reading will not be spent in drunkenness.

    Simple as the institution is Of this simple and efficient institution, the effects in a moral will not be less salutary and less incontestable than in a political point of view.