date

1819 Jan y 12 Parl Reform Bill
1819 Jan y 12

Parl Reform Bill

Dialogue V

Preliminary View

Evils & Remed

Remedies

Corruptibility

Annuality

10

1

52

{33}

 This last under Miselection

Anti-Reformist. Well, you have got your set of Representatives all of them according

to you chosen by the most proper set of persons /Electors/, and the body of which

according to you the assembly composed of them will form a third part, is the

Parliament, the two other parts being, still according to you, the House of Lords and

the Monarch. Things being thus, still there will be a mass of patronage immense /more

or less vast/ in quantity and value and that patronage, all or most of it in the

hands of the Monarch, as at present.

Reformist. Assuredly that would be the case, at any rate at the outset, and for a

considerable length of time, ultimately what parts of it will of necessity remain in

these same royal hands, I am not of myself disposed at present to enquire, nor do I

suppose that you have any particular wish I should.

Anti-Reformist. Certainly not: its being so in /at/ the outset is quite sufficient

for me. In every human breast self regarding interest /affection is predominant/ in

one or other of its shapes – or in all of them put together is predominant. It

predominates over social or sympathetic affection in all its degree of extent and in

particular in that degree of extent in which it is coextensive with the country or

say the political state to which a man belongs. Well then, let the social or

sympathetic affection, the social affection having the interest of the mans country

for its object say what it may, there is the Monarch with his everlasting sinister

interest in his breast /bosom/, and his inexhaustible purse in his hand, with not

money only but power and factitious dignity, both sweetened with ease ad libitum, and

occasionally /upon occasion/ with vengeance ever ready to buy over your

Representatives to the support of that same sinister, and these same Representatives,

according to you, ever ready to be bought.
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  • Title: [1818 Sept. 29. Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Sept. 29.

    Parl. Reform Bill

    + VIII or VII

    Reasons 3 o

    '.2. Electors Who

    Universality

    1. Probity

    {14}

    18

    {28 No human breast has there ever been in which at times[?] sympathetic affection in some degree has not had place: no human breast in which taking the whole of life together, self-regarding affection has not been predominant. For a time under some particular excitation in this or that human breast sympathetic affection has to such a degree been predominant as to have produced sacrifice of self-regarding interest in the shape of sacrifice of life. But the nearer to self the objects, and the less the number of them, the greater the intensity of them: as the objects become distinct and more and more numerous, as the field in which they are included becomes wider and wider, the intensity of the affection dominates, till at last in all but a very few the affection has no resistance but in name.}

    Of this universal and immutable /unchangeable/ predominance, note the equally unchangeable consequences in regard to forms of government.

    In the situation of Monarch there will be a constant and constantly predominant propensity, propensity and endeavour to sacrifice to self-regarding interest, and to social interest upon the largest scale, that is to say universal interest.

    2. In the situation of member of an aristocratical governing body there will in like manner be on /in/ the part /breast/ of every member a constant and constantly predominant propensity to sacrifice to the self-regarding interest of the individual, and thence to the collective interest of the whole body social interest on the largest scale.

    3. In the situation of Member of a Democratical assembly of Representatives chosen and seated upon the principle of virtually universal suffrage there will in like manner be on the part /breast/ of every Member a propensity to sacrifice to the self regarding interest of the individual and thence to the collective interest of the Assembly whole body social interest on the largest scale.
  • Title: [1819 Jan y Parl. Reform Bill]
    Description: 1819 Jan y

    Parl. Reform Bill

    Dialogue

    Preliminary View

    Corruptibility

    Annuality

    11

    2

    53

    {34}

    Anti-Reformist continued. But /let then/ suppose them thus bought – how, after all

    your pains to secure the most apt Election what after all have you but Miselection.

    For being thus corrupt after they are bought, what they were before they were bought

    is matter of indifference.

    Reformist. Monarch ready to buy. Representatives ready to be bought. Very well.

    Readiness of this sort, readiness, on both sides, as perfect as you please. But here

    then, comes in our remedy, annuality of election on the part of the whole body of

    Electors speedy removal /cutting off/ of the corrupt and offending number.

    Anti-Reformist. Oh yes: when the mischief is done, then are you ready with your

    preventive remedy. When the needless millions have been voted, and the act passed,

    then are you ready to turn out those by whom they have been voted. Then, in come

    another set, who being bought, vote and are turned out: and so things go on after

    your reform as according to you they do now without it.

    Reformist. {Smart enough: but rather too lively.}
  • Title: [1818 Dec r. 15 Parl Reform Bill]
    Description: 1818 Dec r. 15

    Parl Reform Bill

    Dialogue

    Preliminary View

    1

    5

    Anti / Non/-Reformist Well now then for your proof from theory.

    Reformist. My proof from theory is shortly this: that whereas in every human breast

    self-regarding affection is stronger than social affection, the /to/ sacrifice of

    every others interest to his own, in so far /opposition/ as any competition and

    incompatibility has place, is the endeavour of every /a/ man in power the endeavour,

    and to the extent of that power the practice, and that accordingly in so far as the

    whole power of a state is in the hands of a few, the sacrifice /habitual and constant

    sacrifice/ of the interest of the subject many to the interest of those same ruling

    few is a necessary consequence: and that if by misrule any thing be meant,

    proportioned to the amount of such sacrifice is the degree of misrule – the extent to

    which it is carried.

    Anti / Non/-Reformist. In every human breast self-regarding

    interest stronger than social? – Is not this a very uncomfortable picture /account/

    of the state /compass[?]/ of the human mind? of the condition of human nature?

    Reformist. Were it ever so uncomfortable an one that would be no reason for

    forbearing to bring it /hold it up/ to view, supposing it a true one – Upon

    examination of the /a patient’s/ constitution of a patient, suppose it the opinion of

    his medical adviser that it were a weakly one, requiring precautions /much care/ to

    keep it together, would that be a reason for concealing from him the truth for

    telling /assuring/ him that it was strong one, and that he might accordingly do with

    it whatever he liked?