JB_129_021.xml

Title: [14 Nov r 1809 Parl Reform Plan – Articles]

Description: 14 Nov r 1809

Parl Reform Plan – Articles

I Members

Art. 2. Let No Member occupying a situation which renders him dependent on the Crown

as per test except as exceptant[?] possession Vote:

Art. 3. From their incapacities[?] let military commissions in the land and

sea-service, as per list be excepted.

Art. 4. In each one of principal civil official departments, as per list, let an

officer or officers be under an obligation of paying attendance in the House,

possessing at the same time a general right of making motions and determining

speeches on the same footing as a Member of the House, subject however at all times

to any such conditions restrictions and modifications as the House may at any time

think fit to impose.

II Attractions.[?]

Art. 5.

For securing on the part of every Member a general habit of attendance let such means

as promise to be most effectual be employed.

II. Qualifications & Disqualifications

Art. 14[?] If the right of voting in Elections for Members be vested as hereinafter

proposed, net no qualification be exacted, other than the absence of certain

particular efficient causes of disqualification, as per list.

III. Responsibility to public opinion

Art. 6.

Art. 6. For taking down and publishing in the most correct and compleat and prompt

manner, the speeches of Members and all other the transactions of the House let the

most effectual means that in other cases are in use or that can be devised be

constantly employed.

IV Duration in Office

Art. 7. Let the Election of Members take place every year, viz. in every /each/

Electoral district on the first day of the year, power being reserved to the King to

dissolve the Parliament at any other time as at present

II. Electors.

V. Mode of voting

Art. 8.Home Voters. On the election of a Member let the votes in general viz. those

of home voters be delivered in the secret mode: for example

by ballot:

V: Mode of voting

Art. 9. Let the vote of each out-voter be delivered /emitted/ in the epistolary mode:

viz. either by an instrument signed by him, and transmitted to the returning officer

by the post, (with proper precautions to prevent suppression) or by an appointment

made by a like instrument) of a proxy in the person of a house-voter by whom the vote

shall together with his own be delivered in the secret mode.

VI. Qualification

Art. 10. Let the qualification of an Elector consist universally in the payment of so

much money for the last preceding half year to some direct and permanent tax such as

the assessed taxes the evidence of the right {being of the documentary kind, and} consisting of a printed instrument provided for the

purpose, with blanks to be filled up and the instrument signed by the collector by

whom the tax is received, and let the instrument be printed in the same paper with

that on which the receipt is given for the amount of the taxes.

VI. Qualification

Art. 11. Let the amount of the qualification money be the same as that which has been

fixed in the case of Jurymen: but without require[?] to the nature of the source from

whence the income is derived: i.e. whether from landed property in the shape of

freehold, d o in the shape of copyhold or leasehold, government

annuities, or profit of trade, and so forth.

VII. Electoral Districts

Art. 12. For the fixation of the number of seats in the House and the assemblage of

voters to be allowed to each seat, let each kingdom be divided into Electoral

Districts: taking for the basis of the division, not extent of territory but

population: and to correspond with /make provision for/ the changes to which

population is exposed, let a fresh division be made every 100, 50, or 25 years.

JB_129_024.xml

Title: [8 Oct. 1810 Parl. Reform Plan. Ch]

Description: 8 Oct. 1810

Parl. Reform Plan. Ch.1. Qualifications

8 Oct. r 1810

{1. Disqualifications none but such as would obstruct the proceedings by annoying the

assembled Members. }

{2. Primary internal qualifications the only d o ultimately

material.

{3. For the possession of these on the part of a majority their[?] free choice of

Electors is sufficient security}

{4. Want of qualification, even primary, no inconvenience in any instance unless in

that instance existing on the part of a majority}

{5. Interest adverse to that of the majority of the people no objection unless it had

place in the case of a majority of the members as under the system of corrupt

influence at[?] now lies.}

{6. If it were an objection it ought to shut out Scotch & Irish Members.}

{7. Therefore it applies not to Catholics, Jews, Mahomedans &c.}

8. An interest not extensive enough to prevail by votes can only prevail by arguments

8. To acknowledge of any such interest that it is likely to prevail by arguments is

to acknowledge that it is in the right.

Logical View

{1. Connection between Qualifications and disqualifications – external and factitious

& determinate elements of[?] […?] […?]

2. Sole use of both, securing the pecuniary internal qualifications.

General impropriety

3. Effect of /of any/ such legal disqualifications counteracting free choice it

affirms[?] that the elector will /may/ make a bad choice: bad in the respect in

question.

Particular propriety}

{4. Like cases where such counteraction[?] can be justifiable}

{2 The instance of bad choice liable to be immense enough to compose an efficient

majority of unfit persons. Placemen Kings dependents}

{1. A single person capable of doing a mischief which the majority could not prevent

or remedy. […?]manship & Womanhood.}

5. Opulence a false security for all elements of aptitude. viz. Probity:

intelligence: intent for action ( disposition to action

belongs to probity)

Harm of independence: compleat, not producible by opulence: as against constituents

not desirable.

6. Particular judgement of Electors (if free and numerous) a better test /proof/ of

relative aptitude than any of these general spots, of

inaptitude.

7. For special causes, produced or discovered since […?] expectation may be reasonable: presumption, ha this been known, he would not

have been elected: - but subject to re-election.

§.1 + Qualification & disqualif. their object real

& pretended

§.2. + Qualifications required at present.

§.3. + Disqualifications established at present

§.4. + To require a qualification is to establish a

disqualification

§.5. + Effect of disqualification with reference to the

rights of Electors

§.6. + Proper and improper causes of disqualification -

principles

§.7. Proper causes

1. […?]ness as on physical account

§.8. – 2. Womanhood

§.9. Office-holding (civil) […?] included

§.10. Improper courses.

1 […?] a moral

§.11.2 Sincerity

§.12.3. Want of opulence

§.13.4. Furnishing goods a labour for public service

§.14. Alienage.

§.15. Independence – here for a sign /mark/ of aptitude.

Qualifications and disqualifications […?] […?] in shares when the

people would prefer than[?] it becomes 17

th

[?] […?] under the proposed reading[?]

17 Nov r 1809

Parl y Ref m. B. Plan. Ch. 1.

Art. 1. Qualifications

§.2. Primary & 2 dary.

1.

Qualifications, primary /internal/ & secondary /exterior/ - p.1.

2.

Primary, probity and intelligence, and active talent p.1.

3

Secondary conduce[?] to primary. p.1.

4.

Power and will concurring, effect follows. p.1 –

5.

Power & will to fulfill this official duty concurring fulfillment follows.

p.1.

6.

On degree of (appropriate) intelligence depends power of

fulfillment as to this duty.

7.

On d o of probity, will as to d o. p 2

8

Hence all secondary qualifications are referable to probity & intelligence,

and active talent as the primary d o to which they are

subservient. p.2.

{ Next after this part

§. on Independence.

{ 9 or 1.

Secondary qualifications positive and negative.

10 or 2.

Positive fitting a man for the situation p.3

11 or 3.

Negative consisting in the absence of such as w d unfit him. p.3.

12 or 4 –

A negative qualification is the absence of a disqualification

13 or 5.

Between qualifications and disqualifications the line of distinction is variable

& depends on the accidental structure of language }

§.3. Probity first

14 or 6

Interest being such as to engage a man in a course of conduct opposite to probity,

intelligence tends but to unfit him p4

§.2/3/. {Primary &} 2 dary.

§.3. Probity first

15 or 7

Hence though both are indispensable probity with reference to the majority requires

for the […?] of it the greatest care. p4

16 or 8

In a trustee, probity (relative) consists in subservience

to relative interest of his principal.

17 or 9

If greatest happiness of greatest number be the end of government – a member is

trustee for his constituents & the people: immediately for his constituents ultimately for the

people for whom his constituents are themselves trustees. p5.

18 or 10

To fulfill his duty the line of conduct he pursues must be such as in his own judgment is most subservient to that end:- viz –

whatsoever be the line pointed out by any other will. p.6.

1

+ 1. Alienage.

2

+ 2. Non-use

Disqualifications improper convicted

8

+ 2. Criminality of nos[?] specified by law

6

3. + Exclusion indirect by the King

7

4. Exclusion indirect by an individual other than the man himself

4

5. + Peerage or possession of a Membership of /in/ the House

of Lords.

3

6. + Priesthood.

5

7. + Judgeship.

10

8. + Heterodoxy.

11

9. + Sincerity.

9

10. Libelling

12 Royal family[?].

Statute[?] test of persons disqualified or once supposed to be so.

1 + Aliens and persons naturalized

+ 2. Minors

+ 3. Clergy.

* { 4 Heirs apparent of Peers

+ * { 5. Ambassadors or Foreign Ministers

+ * { 6. […?] Geo r[?] and attendants in

House of Lords.

+ 7. Peoples[?] of Returning Officials[?]

+ * 8. Sick.

+ * 9. Outlaws and in Executions[?]

+ 10 - {Accepting[?] Officers[?]}

11 {Members […?]ing for other places}

I

1

{§.1. Primary and secondary

I. 2

§.2. Secondary position and negative.

I 4

§.3. of primary probity more to be aimed at than intelligence. viz on the part of the

majority.

I 3

§.4. Why probity, rather than independence }

I 3

§.5 6 Probity to be aimed at in the aggregate rather than in

individuals separately considered.

See Attendance.

§.6. Parl. y probity whence[?] it consists: as towards King

independence: as towards peoples dependence.

I 7

§.7. Means of securing the maximum of both.

1 No vote to Placemen or Pensioners {or Contractors?}

2. Annual dismissibility by constituents

I 8

§.8. Unimportance of probity as against private advan[?]:

{ Ch. 2. Of special disqualifications

II

§.9. Disqualifications – unimportance of all but those which consist in

innoxiousness.

II

Ch.3. Of pecuniary qualifications or rather disqualifications

II

§.10. Pecuniary qualification – uselessness[?] and mischievousness of the requisition

of it.}

Persons disqualified or liable to be proposed to be disqualified

{I. Absque delicto

1. Females

2. Aliens

3. Peers

4. Priests }

II. Propter delictione

+ 1. Convicts of infamous crimes

2. Libellous convicts

+ 3. Dissenters in Religion

131-423.xml

Title: [1818 April 28 + §.10 Parl. Reform]

Description: 1818 April 28 + §.10

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

§.8 Election how

Mode of Voting

Reasons

1

1

☞ 12 Oct. 1819. Rewrite this with the text before you.

Question | | Why not admitt of the mode of voting by letter. (a)

Answer. 1. Because in this mode neither secrecy nor thence[?] freedom could be so effectually preserved.

2. Because the timely ascertainment of the number of persons entitled to vote in the several districts, and thence the necessary provision for the receipt of their votes could not so well be made

3. Because if in this case the qualification by past residence were admitted and exacted, there would be but a small number of instances comparatively speaking, in which the demand for the reception /admission/ of this mode of voting would have place

4. Because if either to the exclusion of, or in conjunction with, the qualification by residence qualification by property or by payment of taxes were admitted, a door would be open to { inequality} and disorder /nullity/ by unexpected /and unprovided for/ inundation of votes, in numbers unexpected and unprovided for.

5. Because unless complication delay, vexation and expence in abundance were employed for the exclusion of the inconvenience /evil/, one and the same person might by voting letters sent to different districts, give instead of that single vote which alone is consistent with Equality of Representation, give in one and the same Election an indefinite /unlimited/ number of votes.

Note (a)

(a) In my Plan of Parliamentary in conjunction with the voting by ballot voting by letter was proposed. By a nearer /closer/ view taken of the subject as above after the mode of voting by ballot had been matured, the comparative impropriety of the mode of voting by letter was brought to light as above. See Plan pages 6. 7.