date

1818 Apr. 8 Parl. Reform Bill
1818 Apr. 8

Parl. Reform Bill

+ '.2

Reasons

'.II Electors Who

Vote-conferring Qualification

2. Intellectuality

Peoples sufficiency

Features of Misrule intelligible

8

1

 Go on to speak of the encrease.

[...?] by high-terms[?] of misrule [...?] Coke &c

Thus much for the possession of the power under the existing system.

As to those who would be so under the here proposed system, whatsoever portion of intellectual aptitude they at /were at/ any time possessed /in their possession, the whole of it would as above, in virtue of the appropriate probity, which is among the inherent attributes of this class, be applied the whole of it to the advancement of that which is in their eyes the universal interest.

To apply to /infuse into/ their minds such a portion of intellectual aptitude as would be sufficient to engage them to vote in conformity to the universal interest would not be difficult: while to infuse into the minds of the existing voters any such portions of intellectual aptitude as should be productive of that effect would be plainly impossible.

Against the receptions of the necessary instruction {In the minds of the existing voters} sinister interest and interest begotten prejudices would in the minds of the existing voters oppose an insuperable bar while in the minds of the proposed voters neither obstacle would have place.
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    {Now then} as matters stand at present it can not surely be /a position which assuredly could not/ seriously /be/ maintained by any person is - that so far as concerns mere appropriate intellectual aptitude merely appropriate probity out of the question the average intellectual aptitude under the proposed system would at this time be equal or nearly equal to the average intellectual aptitude as it stands under the existing system.

    But by this superiority in respect of appropriate intellectual aptitude are the possessors of power under the existing system rendered proportionably superior in respect of the aggregate of appropriate aptitude? - No: on the contrary they are by the whole amount of that partial superiority rendered inferior in respect of the aggregate /the aggregate account inferior/. Why? because /because if for want of appropriate probity/ what superiority they possess {or rather the whole amount of what they possess} in the shape of intellectual aptitude is applied to the giving to the measure of government a direction conducive to the universal interest is applied to the giving to them a direction opposite to the universal interest: to the giving to them a direction conducive to that aggregate of particular and sinister interest, to which the universal interest being opposite, is sacrificed - constantly and irremediably sacrificed.

    {Hence it is that {the burthen[?]} of taxation has been scrued /already been screwed/ up to that highest pitch above which no power that can be applied can force[?] it a pitch corresponding to the utmost ability in respect of payment on the part of those on whom the taxes are imposed.}
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    2. Secondly and lastly as to intellectual aptitude.

    {Here it is that the shoe most pinches: or rather it is in this point it is and no other that the shoe pinches.} On this point must necessarily bear whatsoever argument can in the shape of reason - of genuine reason pure of fallacy - be adduced in opposition to the plan here proposed {for the arrangement /distribution/ of the powers of government}.

    Suppose /Take/ for argument sake on the one hand the whole number of the persons on whom under the existing system the filling of the whole number of seats depends: taking for this purpose not the persons by whom the votes are given, but the persons by whose influence respectively the direction given to those same votes is determined: add together the portions or degrees of appropriate intellectual aptitude possessed by these several persons: this gives the sum of intellectual aptitude possessed by this class of persons: divide /taking/ the number which represents this sum divide it by the number of those same portions: the quotient gives the average degree of the aptitude of a person belonging to this class.

    This same operation perform /apply/ now to each of the class of persons who on the here proposed plan of virtually universal suffrage would be entitled to votes. Average intellectual aptitude of a voter under the existing system: average intellectual aptitude of a voter under the system of universal suffrage: these are the two quantities between which for the purpose[?] in question the comparison would be to be made.

    Note (a)

    On this point, taking for the purpose in question the persons by whom the direction was given to the votes and not (where there is a difference) the persons by whom the votes are given, is - it will not be disputed - not only the fair course, but the course by far the most favourable to the existing system, so far as concerns the pretensions to appropriate intellectual aptitude.
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    But if to the existing system this consideration affords no objection, how much stronger it may be asked is the objection which it affords against the proposed system?

    Oh no: no objection does it afford whatever. The more vast and unattainable the knowledge necessary to the governing these distant dependencies well, the less is th knowledge necessary to satisfy a man that at this distance they ought not to be governed at all. To depredation, oppression, tyranny, distance affords no bar whatever, nothing but facility: but to anything like a tolerable government but to any habit of government approaching to a tolerable one it presents a bar, and that in the very nature of things an insuperable one.

    Read Mill's British India, there the demonstration of this truth will meet you on every page.

    All Power, without /no/ obligation: such it has already been demonstrated is the universal principle of action under the existing system: no misery howsoever grievous no misery is there which the ruling few are not at all times content to produce or to suffer on the part of the subject many rather than submitt to the trouble necessary to the endeavour to put an end to it. No portion of the universal interest which they are not content to sacrifice at all times to sacrifice to any the most minute portion of personal interest: to the interest of the public - to the interest of their own case. For note well, that without any the smallest sacrifice in the shape of care, there is /exists/ not any power how enormous so ever that may not be exercised.