date

1818 Dec. 23 Parl. Reform Bill
1818 Dec. 23

Parl. Reform Bill

Dialogue

II. Election Evils

26

7

Anti-Reformist. Though as was natural enough you have given to your /these same[?]/

uncharacteristic evils of yours the last place, do in the first place have the

goodness to tell me what they are /name them/. I wish to know what they are, that I

may see at once what it is you thus propose to put aside.

Reformist. They are neither more nor less than Offences offences /evils/ of all

sorts by which individuals as such are liable to be made sufferers: evils by injuries

to person, d o by d o to property, d o by d o to reputation. I might add perhaps

/possibly have added/ evils by injuries to condition in life: but these will so

rarely come in question, that we may /to save perplexity it may be better to/ lay

this out of the question, which may be done with very little inconvenience /little if

any loss/.

Anti Reformist. A most formidable truce this! Why, have we already all the contents

of Pandoras box. Pray in mercy, release me /my conception/ by the mention of a few

particulars.

Reformist – that I can do in a trice. You know what Election riots are: you know

what Election lies are. As to riots, if you wish to vary the phrase, call them

tumults, disturbances, disorders, annoyances fightings […?] breaches of the peace

nuisances – what you

Anti Reformist. Alack a day, we all know them but too well.

Reformist. Well then, there is not a mischief imaginable either to person or

property that is not liable to be produced by an Election riot: by a riot in any

case, and therefore in that case. Then /So/ again as to reputation there is not that

mischief to reputation that is not liable to be produced by an Election lie. You know

M r Hunt[?] /the two Soccas[?]/. You remember the arm he fights

with /they fight with/ in addition to the arm of flesh. For person and property

gentlemen have /he has/ the arm of flesh; for reputation, the tongue and the hand

that holds the pen
Similar Items
  • Title: [1818 Dec. r 25. Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec. r 25.

    Parl. Reform Bill

    Dialogue II

    Election Evils

    Summary Recapitulation

    44

    25

    as well as if I had done it myself.

    Anti-Reformist. Well, if you will have it so, hear me then say my lesson.

    Reformist. With pleasure.

    Anti-Reformist. By Election evils we mean all such evils as are liable to be

    produced by or in a word to have place by reason of the sort of Election by which the

    seats in the Commons House of Parliament are filled.

    These evils are called / appropriate or/ unappropriate {or

    appropriate}

    The unappropriate are either riots or lies.

    Riots are offences by which mischief is done either to person or property.

    By Election lies mischief is liable /apt/ to be done in various ways /shapes/ to

    individuals alone, to the public alone, or to both together

    The shape in which by Election lies mischief is most apt to be done to individuals,

    is that of mischief to reputation: to the reputation of the proposed Members

    principally, but incidentally to any persons who are or happen to be considered as

    their respective partizans.

    The shape in which by Election lies mischief is most apt to be done to the public,

    is that in which they are contributory or threaten to be contributory to

    Mis-election, Non-election or Null-election: of which further on.

    Whether by an Election lie mischief is done /is done or not done: and if done

    whether/ to an individual or individuals alone, to the public alone, or to both

    together is matter of accident.
  • Title: [1818 April 29 + Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 April 29 +

    Parl. Reform Bill

    Dialogue

    Prefat

    Evils and Remedies

    1 o

    2

    2

    The first thing to be considered is – the evils what are the evils – the evils of

    all sorts – the existence /production/ /presence/ of which is incident to the

    Election process.

    These may in the first place be distinguished into the characteristic evils, and

    those which are not characteristic.

    Those which are characteristic are those which spring out of the process itself

    insomuch that were it not for the process they could not have place.

    Those which are not characteristic are those which require no such process in the

    character of cause or instrument for the production of them: being such as though

    liable to have place /take place/ and to be produced in the course of the process are

    but /moreover/ too apt to have place where no such process has place.

    Take for example, riots, tumults, and by whatsoever names disorder in this shape is

    wont /apt/ to be called: species of misbehaviour which when analyzed will be found to

    be resolvable into various offences belonging to the classes denominated Offences

    against person and Offences against the property to which may incidentally be added

    Offences against the reputation of determinate individuals.

    Uncharacteristic as they are, offences of this description must not, on the present

    occasion, pass wholly unregarded: since among the measures requisite to be employed

    for the exclusion or removal of evil in all its shape, evil in these shapes will

    along with the rest present its claim to notice.
  • Title: [1818 Dec. 23 Parl Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec. 23

    Parl Reform Bill

    Dialogue

    Preliminary View

    Evils and Remedies

    1 Evils

    27

    8

    Anti-Reformist. True. There are Election lies by which reputation is affected. But

    there are lies by which nobody’s reputation is affected.

    Reformist So there are. But these you will see will find their place among the

    characteristic Election evils. +

    Anti-Reformist. Well then these evils. How is that you get rid of them? clear your

    days of them?

    Reformist. That question will be more easily answered when the list of evils has

    been gone through with. As in Medicine, so in legislation. First come the

    descriptions of the disorders – then the remedies for curing them, then the remedies

    for preventing them: first, as medical men say the Nosology, then the Therapeutics,

    then the Prophylactics.

    +  Here or further on Note the injury done to morality by lies in the way of

    example: the […?]. Judicial &c d o.