date

[129b-510] 2[?] April 1817
[129b-510]

2[?] April 1817

2 o

Introd

§ Interests adverse

Look to interests

25

8

6

Omitt in praesente?

But /Meantime/ whatsoever in the breast of a real friend of the people may be opinion /sentiments/ entertained respecting the quantum of public spirit having place in the breasts of the political party in question – in what degree so ever /in that opinion/ it may happen to that quantum to present itself as minute and unfit to be depended upon presenting no assured basis of dependence, by no such estimate should he ever be prevented from the endeavour to turn to the account of the universal interest whatsoever dispositions afford in that quarter a /any sort of/ promise of leading to measures such as shall on any occasion be conducive to that effect to the advancement of that sacred interest. The only essential object is – that good be done: for all places and all times and all occasions suppose the quantity of good done to be a given quantity by what means through what motives good bad or indifferent it were done would be a matter of indifference.

By an occasional junction between two parties the most opposed to each other, many a good measure has been carried, many a bad one prevented or retarded. In former days when the reins of power have been in the hands of the Whigs, many a corrupt job /measure/ of theirs has with more or less effect found itself opposed by a junction quoad hoc between Republicans and Tories: by a concert, probably no: for to co operation to operation towards the same end, concert howsoever subservient, is never, in so far as depends upon men voting, necessary.
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    Be the cause what it may, the purer and more generous the character of the leaders, so much the better for the cause: so much the greater the probability of ultimate success, and in the mean time so much the purer the satisfaction of all those who are engaged in the support of it. Pernicious however and deplorable, howsoever natural and common, would be the error, if by any such consideration as that of want of probity on the part of any one or more of those who are engaged in the support of it, any slackness were to take place in the exertions made by others towards the same end any slackness /failure/ in the disposition to give /afford to/ them, in so far as they are operating towards that same end as firm and zealous a support as could be afforded to those whose dispositions, characters, and suppose[?] dispositions and motives were of the most laudable and amiable nature. Though it be from so many, spare not instruction[?] so it be good instruction[?] says the pretty verse of /from the pen of/ the antient Roman: no, nor service in any other shape, so it be a useful one, says the logic applied to one[?] lending its assistance to the politics of a maturer and more experienced age. The cause being so good, and the demand for service in it so great, I reject not says Junius somewhere a simile from M r Burke, or a […?] from Colonel Barré. Not more enlarged and generous were these Orators in their affections than the men to whom their oratory was opposed: in the instance of the latter I can give this assurance on the ground of closer inspection than in that of the former:
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    A principle of delusion by which it /the admission of it/ finds itself constantly opposed is the vulgar division of motives into good and bad motives: a species of logic under which the motive corresponding to self-regarding interest is stationed in and set at the head of the list of bad motives: as if with any sort of propriety, to a species of motive on the general predominance of which over all others put together the whole species is continually and universally and continually /essentially/ dependent for its existence could with any tolerable degree of propriety could without keeping the whole system of moral ideas in a state of perpetual confusion, any such epithet as bad could be kept attached.

    Bad, yes: in so far as productive of bad that is mischievous actions, and thence of the correspondent bad intentions so beyond all doubt may this species of motive. But so may be so continually is every other sort of motive whatsoever: so that /hence/ by no such consideration can the attaching to that species of motive the epithet bad be justified.
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    Of this confusion and this delusion what is the consequence? Bad metaphysics? bad logic? bad theory? nothing more. Alas no: a great deal more: bad practice bad politics, bad judicature, bad practice. By Persecution, by oppression by injustice support given /perpetual given/ to misrule and tyranny.

    Good motives – the motives by which my conduct and the conduct of those who act with me is directed: bad motives the motives by which with few or no exceptions the deportment and discourse conduct of those by whom on every /each/ or any occasion my will my conduct my proceedings are opposed. At all times on all occasions such is the language of all parties When the party /it/ is out of power, the bad metaphysics the error in theory is in practice comparatively innoxious, is comparatively barren as to the generation of bad practice. But let /set/ /plant but/ the individual in question in any situation which is clothed with coercive or afflictive power then it is that from the loins of it[?] bad practice issues in abundance. In the seat of legislation it produces Reports manufactured without evidence and against evidence to form grounds for punishing and destroying men /the punishment and destruction of men/ without evidence: in the seat of judicature it produces for the support of corruption in the /in a/ seat stiled the bench of justice a pretence for transferring to the author of a just accusation the punishment which in so far as the word due can be applied to any such subject as punishment would if justice were the object be applied to the Judge by whom this theory about good and bad motives is applied to practice.