date

1818 Dec r 31 Parl Reform Bill
1818 Dec r 31

Parl Reform Bill

Dialogue III

{Preliminary View}

Evils & Remedies

Remedies

1 Miselection

1. Members

7

2

Anti-Reformist. Come then now for your remedy or remedies against Miselection. No

small quantity of work for you: how[?] even were that one head /evil/ the only one.

Reformist. Too true. Under the head of Miselection, have the goodness to remember, I

understand, the election of any person {for representation} who either absolutely or

comparatively /in comparison of any other that might have been add/ is deficient in

any degree /particular/ in the article /respect/ of appropriate aptitude.

Anti reformist. Then, in your account, the election of an Angel would be

miselection, supposing that by a different arrangement an Archangel might have been

had.

Reformist. Exactly so: {and the /in/ /by/ considering /placing/ the matter in[?] in

this simple point of view some trouble will /may/ be saved – and I am much mistaken

in you if it appears to you an incorrect one.}

[marginal note:] Inserendumne?

Anti Reformist. Well – this Archangel of yours, what course do you take for catching

him?

Reformist. A very simple one. For my Representatives, I take the greatest possible

number of persons to choose out /make choice/ of: for my Electors, the greatest

possible number of persons to concurr in making the choice.

{Anti Reformist. If either of these expedients /contrivances/ for catching your

Archangel can be made to hold water, the trouble you will have with that by which you

multiple persons eligible will be childs play in comparison of that which you will

have in thus multiplying your Electors.

Reformist. I acknowledge it. But it follows not that because in this case it will

take more words to make out the proof, it will be the less satisfactory when

made.}
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  • Title: [1818 Dec. r 31 Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec. r 31

    Parl. Reform Bill

    Dialogue

    Preliminary View

    Evils and Remedies

    Remedies

    Miselection

    Representatives situation

    12

    7

    Anti-Reformist. Providence /Foresight/ {I see} in plenty: I wish I could say /see/

    as much for delicacy. Providence /Foresight/ - I mean as employed against annoyance

    in a physical shape in the House. But your stock of remedies against Miselection, is

    it quite /already/ exhausted, am I to understand it is exhausted?

    Reformist. Not altogether. There are certain instruments force and fraud I mean by

    which (as you /we/ have seen Non-Election and Null Election are capable of being

    produced: by force and fraud, whether applied to the situation of Representative or

    to that of Elector. By those same instruments so may Mis-election. By a lying story,

    by confinement applied to the individual or by obstruction applied to the roads

    /avenues/, the Electors in any number may be prevented from giving their votes,

    proposed Members or persons who should have been proposed may be prevented from

    receiving or doing what was /would have been/ necessary to the receiving a /in/

    sufficient number of votes. Practices of this sort may be obviated partly by {such}

    penal arrangements such as those by which /defence[?] or

    provided against/ the same instruments to whatsoever other mischievous purposes they

    are applied, partly as you will see by precautionary arrangements in the face of

    which nothing of a penal character is visible.

    [marginal insertion:] By any /In /Of/ any such/ of these enormities the effect may be

    to put an exclusion upon some individual by whom the seat would otherwise have been

    filled, and in comparison of whom the one by whom it comes in consequence to be

    filled is unfit: and this being supposed, miselection is the effect.
  • Title: [1818 Dec r. 30 Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec r. 30

    Parl. Reform Bill

    Dialogue III

    {Preliminary View}

    Evils & Remedies

    Dialogue 2.

    II. Remedies

    1 Miselection

    1. Member

    1

    1

    Dialogue {2} /3/. On the remedies provided against the above evils.

    Evil 1 Miselection. Remedies appliing[?] to the situation of Proposed Member

    Anti-Reformist. Well, so much for your disorders for the disorders you have taken

    upon you to encounter. Now, for your remedies.

    Reformist. With pleasure. Having classed our disorders, we have thereby classed our

    remedies. Thus so much of our business is already dispatched /done/. Come I will not

    attempt to tax your memory any further. If it be not too much trouble, take this card

    in your hand this card. In it you will see the list of our Election Evils.

    Anti-Reformist. {Be it so.} I take it: take you my thanks for it. I shall call them

    in their order.

    Reformist. Do so. But first let me observe to you that with your leave on this

    occasion, and in the way of conversation, it will be advisable not to go into any

    minute explanation of particulars. These are given in the proposed draught itself: I

    mean that peculiar part of it which I have distinguished by the term /appellation/ of

    the rationale. In the rationale, attached to the leading word or words of each

    distinguishable claim, are the reasons by the consideration /contemplation/ of which

    the matter of that clause was determined. On this /This/ rationale, I hope you /a[?]/

    will do me the honour to cast an eye /honour by a glance/: this being presumed, were

    I /if/ at this time and in this way I were to attempt laying it before you in all its

    details, you would thus have double trouble.
  • Title: [1818 Dec r. 30 Parl Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec r. 30

    Parl Reform Bill

    Dialogue

    Prel

    Evils & Remedies

    Dial. 2. Remedies

    2

    2

    Anti-Reformist. As you please. Come then, card in hand, I proceed to call over once

    more your evils, and under the head /on the occasion/ of each evil to call for such

    general conception as in your judgment may for the present be sufficient of the

    nature of the remedy or remedies which your scheme provides for it.

    1. First then as to your Principal Election Evils: and amongst them those which

    apply more directly to the situation of representative: to wit 1. Miselection. 2.

    Non-Election and 3. Null Election: and in the first place Miselection: for that of

    itself will, I expect find you work enough.

    [marginal note:] 31 Dec r 1818. Postpone or discard what follows?

    Reformist. Indeed it will. But /Mean time/ in the first place before I present to

    you /bring to view/ any specific /particular/ remedy I must beg to remind you of my

    three leading words – my cabalistic words you may call them if you please universality, equality, annuality: virtual universality of suffrage, virtual

    equality of influence on the part of each such suffrage, and annuality of election,

    i.e. annual recurrence of the faculty of substituting to a less approved a more

    approved representative.

    In the next place {you must allow me to include} under the head of Miselection, you

    must allow me to include the election of ever so apt /good/ a representative, so long

    as by a different arrangement one still more apt might have been found

    /provided/.