JB_128_066.xml

Title: [8 Oct r 1809 + §.3 Parl y Reform]

Description: 8 Oct r 1809 + §.3

Parl y Reform

1 o

B. I. Necessity

Ch. Occasional inadequate

§. Burke

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 To be inserted either in P t I. Necessity, or in P t III. Plan?

Ch. 17. Occasional interposition on the part of the people inadequate

§.3. Burke—Occasional interposition alone advocated by him

Meantimes this occasional interposition, in how small a degree soever it answers the

purpose of the people answers in the best possible degree the purpose of party men of

that set of Court dependents whose interest in the good things /loaves and fishes/

for the time happens to be in the state not of possession but expectancy.

When the voice of the people has reached to a certain pitch of loudness, the strings

of administration will they know be crushed and a new set of performers /themselves/

be summoned upon the stage.

But when once mounted upon the stage and fairly seated, is it their interest—can it

be any desire of theirs to hear any thing more of the voice of the people? /So long

as they continue there/ That voice can never more make itself heard but to their

prejudice.

Such as is /hath been/ their interest, such of course hath /has/ been their

language. A grumbling, a disturbance, a riot, a tumult—a sedition—any thing of this

sort—any thing /expression of popular affection/ which in its nature can not but be

occasional they have no objection to: on the contrary it is what they wish for—and

which in so far as it can be promoted in a whole show[?]—by words which whether

spoken or written will be sufficiently guarded they use their endeavours /are used/

to promote.

Propose to them the only useful mode of interposition, constant, constantly

efficacious and therefore as constantly quiet—in that they behold unsurmountable

difficulties. Then comes a cloud /torrent/ of words, the object of which is to make

plain things seem mysterious, and easy things impracticable.

JB_128_069.xml

Title: [8 Oct r 1809 + §.4 Parl y Reform]

Description: 8 Oct r 1809 + §.4

Parl y Reform

B. I. Necessity

Ch. Occasional inadequate

§. Tumultuous petition Act

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 Add people may express their sentiments to one another otherwise than by petitioning. 13 C.2. St.1. c.5. Blackst. IV. 11. p. 147.

§. Check opposed to popular interposition by the tumultuary petitioning Act 13. C.”.

St.1. c.5.

Another reason why the faculty /liberty/ of occasional interposition to the purpose

in question is not adequate to /with reference to/ that purpose /adequate/, is that

there exists /no such liberty/ not properly speaking any such liberty.

The only peaceable and quiet way /mode/ in which the people if they had the liberty,

could legally make known their sentiments, or at least address them to the powers

that be—to the only powers, from which /by whom/ in the regular course of government,

redress and relief can be administered—is by what is called petitioning—and petitioning is of the number of those operations which with

any weight or chance of producing or contributing to produce the desired effect, they

are not allowed to do without a licence.

Immediately after the restoration of Charles the 2 d a law was

passed for regulating this business. The principle of it is this. If you the people

conceive yourselves wronged by we that are in power, complain and welcome: but before

you are allowed to complain of the wrong you must wait till, without application made

to them, the authors of it /the wrong/ have given you leave.

The City of London excepted Two sets of persons and two only are authorized to grant

this leave. Grand Juries, persons chosen /named/ by Sheriffs who themselves have been

nominated by the King /continue in office but a year/: and Justices of the Peace,

three in number at the least, who have been nominated by the King, and who at any

time are liable to be dismissed by him without reason assigned and at pleasure.

Without an allowance in one or other of these modes not so many as one and twenty

names shall be signed to any one such address /petition/ /instrument/ (a)

(a) But from Blackstone it should seem as if any number of such

petitions might be presented each with as many as 20 names.

JB_128_059.xml

Title: [8 Oct r 1809 Parl y Reform]

Description: 8 Oct r 1809

Parl y Reform

B. I. Necessity

Ch. Occasional inadequate

§.2. Changes, inadequate

9

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If their will were with any degree of regularity and constancy their will were

called forth into exercise, then and then only it would be worth their while {to

qualify themselves for the task} to put and keep their minds /understandings/ in a

state of fitness for the task. There and then the art of exercising their will in

relation to this part of their business /executing this part of their business/ with

advantage to themselves would occupy a regular part of their attention would

constitute a part of their study, would occupy an adequate part of their social

intercourse: would form even a part of their education at the dawn of manhood.

At present /As it is/ /In the present state of things/ it is but once in a course of

years that any such call upon the people for the exercise of their judicial faculties

has place. What is the consequence? That of the documents of the body of evidence

bearing upon the question scarce a hundredth part meets their eyes: and when it does

it finds their judgment inert /awkward/ and impotent /feeble/ for want of exercise.

Their affections as hath just been seen are in that state in which they are most apt

to delude /draw astray/ /pervert / their judgment, and their judgment is in that

state in which it is most apt /liable/ /exposed/ to be perverted.

[In margin:] the thread of events has not been carried on /wound up/ regularly in

their minds /a man’s mind/: