date

1818 Dec. 25 Parl Reform Bill
1818 Dec. 25

Parl Reform Bill

Dialogue

Preliminary View

Evils & Remedies

Evils

38

19

Anti-Reformist. That by /thus[?] in/ being excluded, individuals may feel or at least

fancy themselves to be sufferers, how much so ever the public may be a gainer by the

exclusion, this is what I can conceive without much difficulty. Also, how by

admission given to those who ought not to have been admitted, the public may be a

sufferer: this is sufficiently obvious: but who the individuals can be who in this

case are /become/sufferers, this is not quite so obvious, upon your scheme of virtual

universality I mean.

Reformist. The greater the number of voters, the less the influence and value of each

vote. In the case of New Sarum or Gatton, it would be obvious enough: and if instead

of one or two the numbers were 4000 the harm would be the same in kind differing only

in degree.
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    Anti-Reformist. Come then, set to work your exhaustion-pump: give us /produce/ your

    divisions: if they suit my taste /I like them/ they please me/ I will call them

    logical ones: if they do not suit my taste /I dont like them/ /they displease me/ I

    will call them metaphysical. Let us both be at liberty you produce what you please: I

    give what name to it I please.

    Reformist. Agreed: First then, these Election evils I divide them into

    characteristic and uncharacteristic or not characteristic.

    Anti-Reformist. What do you here mean by characteristic?

    Reformist. I mean such evils as have are not only liable to have place on the

    occasion of the sort /mode/ of Election in question, but could not have place without

    it.

    Anti-Reformist. Then by your uncharacteristic evils you mean such evils as are

    liable to have place on the occasion in question, but are moreover liable to have

    place on other occasions. {Well, your characteristic Election evils what are they.}

    {Reformist. Before I tell you what they are I must divide them in the first place

    into hurtful | | the mischief of which falls upon men in their public capacity alone,

    such the /injurious to the public alone, evils hurtful to individuals only and evils

    hurtful to the public and to individuals, both at the same time/. }

    Reformist. Exactly so. It is a real satisfaction /comfort/ to me, to see you thus

    beforehand /going before/ with me.
  • Title: [1818 Dec. r 25. Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec. r 25.

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    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 Dec. 22 Parl Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec. 22

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    Inserendum?

    Miselection[?]

    Non[?]

    Mill[?]

    { Anti Reformist. We are still in the clouds. I hope it won’t be long before you

    land us on solid /plain/ ground: if it is I shall begin /be apt/ to cry out

    Metaphysist[?]!

    Reformist. I cry you mercy /Have patience/: One division more and then you will know

    whereabouts you are. Those hurtful evils which are hurtful to the public alone

    whether they are or are not so /without being so/ to individuals, I divide them in

    the first place into such as are as they may be called ultimate or consummate and

    such as are but introductory or unconsummate. By such as I stile consummate, hurt

    /harm/ is already done as soon as they take place: by such as I stile unconsummate

    they being but /or merely/ introductory no harm is yet done nor will be unless they

    are productive of or followed by such as I stile consummate. }