date

1822 March 26 Thoughts on Economy
1822 March 26

Thoughts on Economy as applied to Office

M.P.s concurring in rejection of Bill for subjecting Land[?] Estates

to Simple Contract Debts. Clerical Sinecures. Refer to Parl. Cat. Set. Attendance.

. Apply to existing misrule, in the case of all concerned in it the

fictions of the Original Contract and Abdication.

Those who apply the fiction of the Original Contract and the fiction

of constructive abdication grounded upon it to the race of Stuarts why do not they

apply it to every other race of Monarchs: and not only to every race of Monarchs but

to every set of functionaries who by concurring with the Monarch in an ever

encreasing course of depredation, oppression and corruption concurr in pushing to its

consummation the sinister sacrifice the sacrifice of the interest and happiness of

the greatest number to their own particular and sinister interest. If an original

contract must be feigned with such stipulations as are regarded necessary to afford

security against misrule inserted in it - why for instance should not the engagement

to abstain from the practice of swindling be one of them: swindling namely obtaining

money on false pretences on pretence of performing this or that function which is or

is supposed to be beneficial

If male-fides be a necessary ingredient to

constructive

abdication, in what instance can it have been more

flagrant?
Similar Items
  • Title: [[129b-603] 6 July 1815 {Parl]
    Description: [129b-603]

    6 July 1815

    {Parl. Reform} Plan Cat {or Influence or Necessity}

    Introd

    § Absentation

    Abdication

    21

    21

    Attendance – Original Contract, Political power or Trust

    Non-Attendance on the part of the great Majority of the Members.

    According to the principles recognized and enforced by English Lawyers – as constantly and universally as any of their principles – as any constitutional principle which it would be in the power of any of them to name – misconduct in this single shape would be sufficient to prove the whole frame of government as carried on at present, and perhaps ever since the Restoration, an usurpation, and every act done by and under it a void act.

    Taken by itself No such extravagant proposition is here meant to be maintained: constructive forfeiture, nullity – all the use made of either of these words is irreconciliable if any thing be irreconciliable with the plainest /fundamental/ and most incontestable principle of utility and rational justice.

    All that is /on this occasion is/ meant to be maintained is –

    1. That any order of things of which an habitual state of non-attendance on the part of the majority of the Members has been, and can not but continue to be the result, is incompatible with good government, and with those principles on which the elogiums so lavishly bestowed on the excellence of the system of government carried on upon the footing on which it stands at present is grounded.
  • Title: [1822 Sept. 28 Tripoli. Securities against]
    Description: 1822 Sept. 28 Tripoli. Securities against Misrule

    In the case of a Charter, if it be regarded as really obligatory, there is but

    one party on whom any obligation attaches: in the case of a Contract, there are

    two parties: the people forming one of them. If then the Contract form be the

    form employed, consistency would seem to require that there should on the

    occasion of the solemnity by /from/ which it appears to derive its sanction,

    there should be something done by and on the part of the people:- thanks to the

    Sovereign for his entering into his part in it - thanks with acclamations:-

    Thanks the Sovereign,- to God - to the Prophet - to every body - nothing of this

    sort need be grudged. But on their part, if any thing, what more can be done

    with safety and advantage? Promise to obey him and all his descendants to the

    end of time? this would be too much: too much even although on the part of those

    potentates the condition of their performing their part of the Contract were

    attached to the promise on the part of the people. For - what if another form of

    government should come to be regarded as in a greater degree contributory to the

    greatest happiness of the greatest number? Promise to obey his descendants so

    long as the Contract were on their part kept inviolate, and so long as Monarchy

    continued to be the form of government? This is exactly what seems desirable:

    but unfortunately, the more desirable on the one part, the less likely to be

    acceded to on the other.

    In the case of England, the Whig Monarchists who brought about the Revolution in

    the time of James 2d saw the advantage attached as above to the Contract form;

    and in their arguments, employed it accordingly. Their contract however - the

    Original contract they called it - a mere fiction: and of its being a mere

    fiction an evil consequence was - that, on each occasion, the terms of it

    remaining to be feigned, they made them whatsoever seemed to them most

    advantageous to their own particular interests. But, in the case here in

    question, there would be no fiction, and there being two contracting parties to

    this contract, the terms of it might, by mutual consent of both parties, be

    changed at any time. So long as the terms were kept by the Monarch, the people

    would not be likely to feel much inclination to change: but, supposing them at

    any time infringed by him, it would be for them to make themselves amends, and

    provide for that purpose whatsoever security seemed to them most efficient: for

    example the change from the mixt Monarchy to a Representative Democracy: and for

    the bringing about such change, the Constitution here in question would prepare

    them, by giving them power in every shape:
  • Title: [[clviii. 342] 1822 June 14.]
    Description: [clviii. 342]

    1822 June 14.

    Economy etc.

    23. or 6. As to intercourse for the conveyance of Office appointed voting functionary's pocket, intercourse by words or other general instruments of discourse, is no more necessary between the one and the other than between Barrow Woman and Cat.

    24. or 7. Hence for loading a nation with 600 millions of Debt, and 100,000 soldiers in 30 years no more appropriate aptitude, moral, intellectual or active is necessary on the part of English Statesmen than is possessed by all Cats meat barrow women and all cats.

    25. or 1. On what Functionaries the corruption operates, and to whose prejudice, depends on the form of Government.

    26. or 2. Case 1. Absolute Monarchy. End of Government, Monarch's greatest happiness: people's happiness no object of regard. Of people, no delegates, Agents, and Trustees Here, sole sinister sacrifice do. of Monarchs interest.

    27. or 3. Note here difference between Monarchy and Republic.

    In both cases, ,5. Corruptors bribe. Suppose received by an Exciseman or other Tax-gathering functionary: loss to revenue ,100. Under a Republic, interest sacrificed is the people's interest: under Monarchy, the Monarch's: unless the defalcation is made up for by more taxes

    28. or 4. As to the position that the people do not form in a Monarchy any object of regard, the very fact that the government is a Monarchy suffices for demonstration of it.