date

[129b-527] 13 Feb. 1817 {Inserendum
[129b-527]

13 Feb. 1817 {Inserendum}

Plan Cat

2 o

Introd

§. Secrecy of suffrage

Ballots[?]

D. of Richmond

{8}

8

Superseded

but consultable

Men ought to do so and so: therefore they will do so and so: men – viz. not only here and there a pickt man but all men or at the least the major part of them. Men ought to do so and so: therefore /ergo/ so they will. That upon a mind such as the Duke of Richmonds – and as to the strength of it see /behold/ it in what he says on every other part – that upon a mind such as the Duke of Richmonds logic such as this should – though it were but for a moment pass for any thing more than it is worth.

Men ought to do what they ought to do, ergo so they will. Well but if the consequent of this syllogism is true, then in the first place reform in every shape and in that of the Duke of Richmonds plan in particular is needless.

Men ought to do what they ought to do ergo so they will. Well then among other applications of this pregnant proposition one is that be he who he may so will the Monarch: here then not only Parliamentary reform but Parliament itself is useless.

Of the Duke of Richmonds plan in addition to the two sound bases is this rotten one this maxim which can not be mentioned without shame viz that men in general will be ready to sacrifice upon the altar of the universal interest each man – and that to an indefinite extent his own individual interest; the most uncultivated mind as well as the most highly cultivated

Well here comes another maxim between which and that of the high-born veteran in office the reader will have to take his choice. Men in general can not reasonably be depended upon for sacrificing upon the altar of universal interest any the smallest particle of their respective individual interest. But order matters in such sort that in the breast the greater number individuals the regard for the universal interest shall find no individual or other narrower interest to oppose it, than in the breast of the majority, upon those terms conduct may with reason be expected to be determined by this social and salutary[?] regard.
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    They ought? the subject many – they /the men of low degree/ ought to sacrifice themselves? Say rather he ought not – the man of the ruling few – ought not thus to call for – thus to compel – the sacrifice.
  • Title: [[129b-484] 21 Feb. 1817 C Plan]
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    21 Feb. 1817 C

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    III Woodfull – Fox p. 317

    In the state of interests may be found /behold/ the only clue /explanation/ to a phaenomenon which otherwise might remain inexplicable. Look to the tories look to the Whigs terrorism was to both a sheet anchor: to secrecy of suffrage the only remedy against it but that a most incontestably effectual one they had /felt/ a sort of instant aversion /horror/: finding it forced upon his attention from somebody without /persons without, persons whose goodwill /with whom/ he saw a necessity of endeavouring to keep on terms of concord/ the Duke of Richmond found it […?]able to forbear the mention of it. /impracticable to pass this proposed arrangement altogether without notice./ Well – mention it /take it hand/ he does, but exactly as a man would handle /take in hand/ a burning coal just shot out of the fire /a man takes it in hand to save the carpet from the blaze/: away with it he can not bear the truth of it. Something in the guise of a reason he was forced to give – but how irrelevant how weak an one: out of the mouth of weak man a weaker surely must come. The Duke of Richmond throws it down and sets his feet upon it. Charles Fox shuts his eyes against it. What? is it for a moment to be believed that to the hand of Charles Fox to such a mind as Charles Fox’s it could ever have been absent? To Charles Fox, cousin[?] to and familiar with the Duke of Richmond the plan of the Duke of Richmond with the notice[?] taken by him in it of secrecy of suffrage and the negative put upon it the irrational the groundless and almost pretenceless negative

    To the author of the rejected East India Bill could it have been out of mind that there was such a house as the East India House? could it have been out of mind – the mode in which in assemblies of Proprietors the votes are collected in that House? that that mode was Ballot, and that by that mode the professedly intended secresy was actually and constantly accomplished? that secresy, and thence that freedom of suffrage in the supposed impracticableness of which he found the only argum consideration which prevented his acceding to the principle of universal suffrage?
  • Title: [1819 May 25 A. Defence of Ballot]
    Description: 1819 May 25 A.

    Defence of Ballot – III. against B

    Objection 1. Ought ergo will

    1

    After all this argumentation /mass of argument/ In a mass of argument thus celebrated, /In all this/ /the fruit of so much labour /industry/ and that labour /industry/ produced /set to work/ by so strong an interest/ one thing there is that gives /affords/ me real satisfaction: This is /and this/ the not seeing any use made of the two objections neither of which /which neither of them/ ever presented themselves to my eyes or ears without bringing with it real uneasiness: uneasiness produced certainly /assuredly/ not by the idea /sense/ /perception/ of this strength, but by the idea of their /view of their extreme/ weakness

    Considering the pertinacity with which I have seen them clung to by those men from whom I should have expected better things, and from whom on other subjects belonging to the field of reform I have seen and heard so much better things, I am almost ashamed to mention them.

    1. One consists in this argument. Men ought to give out /forth/ their votes in the finest[?] manner: therefore so they will. Men ought not to go afraid to make their votes known: therefore they will not.

    Oh rare logic! all men ought always to do what they ought: therefore so they always will.

    Oh rare logic! If this /it/ be indeed conclusive, what a land is this we live in? what a race /species is this we belong to? The conclusion is it a just /legitimate/ one? Reformists may save their labour This logic will do every thing. Try it upon both Houses, what is /comes to/ the same thing try it upon Ministers who ever they are: or to go to the root and do every thing at a stroke, try it upon the Monarch, whoever he is. If this reasoning be legitimate, all Parliamentary reform, reform in every shape is needless. Try it upon the whole race, Utopia is realised. {Try it /Apply it/ upon all sinners, from sinners they become /start up/ saints: original sin is wasted away.}

    This logic is no dream: at this moment my eyes have it in black and white: my ears have over and over again been assaulted /grated/ by it. +

    In a letter /present letter to myself/ I see this passage: I would not for a good deal though he were to command me I would for a good deal betray the author’s name.

    ☞ Quere 25 May 1819 whether to add a denial of the antecedent?

    + ☞ Quote Northmoors[?] letter