date

[clxii. 234] 1821 Jany 22 Rid
[clxii. 234]

1821 Jany 22

Rid Yourselves

'. Prelimy. Distinctions

My friends, to deal plainly with you /come to the point at once/ the general result is this: proof will meet you as we advance.

To the interest of the subject many not only in Ultramaria but in Spain itself, all dominion over Ultramaria would be pernicious in every imaginable way /point of view/: pernicious to the interest of the subject many, thence to the universal interest.

On the other hand, in Spain the interest of the ruling few as such, the dominion /possession/ would /beneficial: beneficial in exact/ in proportion to the extent of it be beneficial: the possession; nay even the endeavour to retain or obtain that possession in this case may be, even /under an original certainty that the endeavour would/ should the endeavour be ultimately fruitless: for that there are those to whom /not only preparation for war but/ war itself the source of universal misery, produces profits - profits in that such as this their share in which may be greater than their share in the loss and misery, can be no secret to any one.

Even in Ultramaria itself, so effectually opposite every where are the interests of the ruling few to the interests of the subject many, this sinister interest will have its partakers, and so far as this community of sinister interest has place an alliance offensive and defensive, against the subject many in both countries will have /has/ place between the ruling few in both countries.

Nor is this the worst Every where the mischief produced to the universal interest by the sort of dominion in question to the universal interest in a pecuniary or financial shape is accompanied with a correspondent and proportionable mischief in a constitutional shape: the matter of wealth which in so far as being applied to this purpose, constitutes in respect of its passing out of the hands of the subject many the subject matter of waste, constitutes it passes /by passing/ into the hands of the ruling few the matter of profit, and by the eventual expectation of it by ruling few and a portion of the subject many together at the hands of the ruling few, it constitutes the matter of corruption: thus waste begets corruption and corruption waste, till the process of reciprocal generation is stopped at length stopped as now in England by that exhaustive check sooner or later can nowhere fail to take place
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  • Title: [[clxii. 230] 1821 Jany. 10]
    Description: [clxii. 230]

    1821 Jany. 10

    Rid Yourselves

    '. Prelimy. distinctions

    3. In Spain, in Ultramaria, as in every other country /community/ it is the interest of the whole community taken together that the expences of the community be as small as possible: thence more particularly so is it the interest of the subject many. But in Spain, and in Ultramaria, as in every other community, it is the interest of the ruling few that that same expence be as great as possible, in so far as they having a share in the profit derived out of that expence, the value of their share in this profit exceeds that of their share in that expence: it is the interest of the ruling few that the sum of that same expence be as great as possible. A sinister interest is every particular interest that stands opposed to the universal interest in which it is contained. In every instance in which the interest of the ruling few stands opposed to the universal interest it is therefore a sinister interest. In this instance it manifestly stands opposed to the universal interest. In this instance it is therefore manifestly a sinister interest.

    Subject to the precaution /this condition/ above spokeno of in regard to the expenditure of the ruling few as such in Spain, it is their interest that it be as great as possible. In regard to their /the/ expenditure in Ultramaria it is /remains/ the interest of the ruling few in Spain that of the expence of government in Ultramaria whatever part they have in the profit derived out of that expence be as great a posible: at the same time so is it the interest of the ruling few in Ultramaria that whatever part they have in that same profit be as great as possible. In so far as opposed to the universal interest, every particular interest is a sinister interest The ruling few in Spain have a sinister interest in the public expenditure made by this class as such in Spain, in proportion to the profit they derive out of it: and to this sinister interest, as far as may be, the universal interest will of course be sacrificed. The ruling few in Spain have in like manner a sinister interest in the public expenditure made by this class as such in Ultramaria, in proportion to the profit they derive from it: and to this sinister interest, as far as may be, the universal interset will of course be sacrificed. In like manner in proportion to the profit they derive from /have out of/ it the ruling few in Ultramaria have their sinister interest in the public expenditure of Ultramaria. Thus far then supposing the dominion of the ruling few in Spain maintained over Ultramaria, whether without resistance or repugnance on the part of Ultramarians, a community of sinister interest has place between the ruling few in Spain and the ruling few in Ultramaria: a community of sinister interest to which in so far as they agree the interest of the subject many and therefore the universal interest will of course, in so far as the power extends, be sacrificed.
  • Title: [[clxii. 231] 1821 Jany. 10]
    Description: [clxii. 231]

    1821 Jany. 10

    Rid Yourselves

    '. Prelimy. distinctions

    But of the sinister profit there derivable it is the interest of each class that of the ruling few in Spain on the one part, that of the ruling few in Ultramaria on the other, that its own share be a large, consequently that of its partner but competitor as small as possible. The greater the share possessed or expected out of the profit by the ruling few in Spain, the more strenuous /greater/ will be their exertions to retain or acquire it. But the greater their share the less the share of those of the same class /ruling few/ in Ultramaria, and thence the greater the probability that the disposition to submission produced on their part by their share in the sinister interest of their class will be surmounted by their share in the universal interest of Ultramaria, with the addition of that created by the irritation produced by the competition of those of the same class in the distant country, and the injustice and oppression which in their eyes will be seen attached to it.

    Here there is a sinister profit which in virtue of the opposition between interest and interest will be a bone of contention between the ruling few in one country and the ruling few in the other. Whether it be in the nature of the case /things/ that on this subject any cordial agreement should have place you will have to judge.

    If in the eyes of the ruling few in Ultramaria their share in the profit in the expenditure of Government in Ultramaria is greater than their share in the burthen produced by that expenditure, they may, by this community of sinister interest with the ruling few in Spain, be reasonably expected to join with them in the maintenance of that dominion in opposition to and to the sacrifice of the universal interest in both countries - in the opposite case, not.
  • Title: [[clxii. 240] 1821 Jany 6 Rid]
    Description: [clxii. 240]

    1821 Jany 6

    Rid Yourselves

    '. Creoles willing

    Preliminary Distinctions

    What I do not say is that man for man their interests are less an object of regard to me than yours are: I know no reason why they should be: what I do say is - that theirs are not the interests my regard for which gave occasion to the liberty I am thus taking with you.

    The connection which their interest has with yours is simply this - namely that in proportion to any aversion on their part to the union will be on your part the difficulty of maintaining it, and the expence of the endeavouring to maintain it.

    2. Another distinction which it is necessary for me to thus early to point out to you is a /the/ distinction between two other sets of interests: the two sets of interests into which the aggregate interest of you the people of Spain is divided: I mean the interests of the subject many, and those of the ruling or otherwise influential few. Special connection apart, the degree of my regard is I will confess, determined by the numeration table: if any one will furnish me with a fitter standard, I will be thankful for it.

    Now then /This promised/ what I am as well assured of as I am of my existence is that to the subject many - to the vast majority of you the union in question - all union with Ultramaria under the same government - and all endeavours at it would be productive of net mischief in vast quantity

    What I am at the same time sensible of is - /that to the interests of/ that to a considerable /no inconsiderable/ portion of the ruling few not only the maintenance of the union, but every endeavour however fruitless towards the maintenance of it would indeed be beneficial: but at the same time that this benefit would neither so extensive nor so net as it is natural it should appear to be: for in addition to this their seperate interest these distinguished few possess their part in the universal interest: in many instances what may happen is that what a man gains in respect of his seperate interest is more than outweighed by what he loses in respect of his share in the universal interest: but as of the two it is always the particular interest that is most distinctly perceived by him hence it is that where that interest which in the mans possession in common with the many is of the two the most valuable to him - it will often in his eyes be the less valuable, and no case of competition be accordingly sacrificed to that which he possesses in common with the many.