JB_162_227.xml

Title: [[clxii. 227] 1821 Jany. 6 Rid]

Description: [clxii. 227]

1821 Jany. 6

Rid Yourselves

'. Preliminary distinctions

But for these distinctions I should at every turn be asserting what to your knowledge could not be true, and what anybody could show not to be true.

'. Preliminary distinctions and explanations - State of interests with reference to this question.

So much for the past: I come now to the present and the future.

People of Spain! Under the same set of rulers union between your Ultramarian kinsmen and you would to you be the most oppressive and intolerable of all burthens: such is my opinion: rid yourselves of it as soon as possible: such is my advice.

Without reserve - without disguise - the grounds of that opinion shall now be laid before you: the judgement will be yours.

Forgive me - but at the very outset I must beg your attention to those essential distinctions in so far as any one of them remains unheeded, perceptions will remain confused, judgement erroneous and delusive. But for these distinctions, no clear result would be found obtainable: falsehood in some proportion or other, would be mixt up, and be seen to be so in every truth I could advance.

1. Distinction the first - distinction between your interests the interests of you the inhabitants of Spain - of the peninsula as you call it considered in the aggregate on the one part and the interests of the inhabitants on those countries that without being included in Spain were deputed in the person[?], exercise dominion over Spain of Ultramaria as you call those countries, taken in the aggregate on the other part of which Ultramaria that part of America called Spanish America forms by far the principal part.

2. Distinction the second - In Spain itself - in the peninsula - distinction in the first place between the universal interest, and the two particular interests of which taken in the aggregate it is confused - the distinction between the interests of the rulers and otherwise influential few on the one hand, and the interests of the subject many on the other. This distinction of course applies to Ultramaria as well as to Spain itself.

JB_162_234.xml

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

Description: [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

JB_162_228.xml

Title: [[clxii. 228] 1821 Jany. 6 Rid]

Description: [clxii. 228]

1821 Jany. 6

Rid Yourselves

'. Preliminary distinctions

5. Distinction the fifth. On the part of Ultramaria and its several component parts distinction between momentary or temporary submission /acquiescence/ on the one hand, and ultimate and settled submission /acquiescence/ on the other.

8. Distinction between what the framers of your Constitutional Code found it necessary to make as if they had in view as if they took for the object of their endeavour, and what they found it necessary to take in reality for the object of endeavour: in other words distinction between their apparent or professed and their real views.

6. As the union could not be regarded as maintainable without an armed force for both elements every province of /to all parts of/ Ultramaria sent out from Spain and continually recruited from Spain, by this circumstance not to speak of others were it the only one the union between Spain and Ultramaria would as it all along has been the dominion of the rulers of Spain over Ultramaria. Hence comes

6 distinction the sixth - Distinction between the expence of maintaining the dominion in case of submission; and the expence of regaining or attempting /endeavouring/ to regain it. This of course has its seperate application to every one of the at present refactory provinces.

7. Distinction the seventh. In the case of each province distinction between the expence of maintaining the dominion over it on the supposition of voluntary submission, and the expence of maintaining it after resistance surmounted. This distinction too has its application to every one of the provinces. The province which is submissive today may be refactory tomorrow.