date

[clxiv. 70] 1820 May 27 Emancipation
[clxiv. 70]

1820 May 27

Emancipation Spanish

Ult r.

.1. Introduction

So much for what your Representatives could be expected to do independently of all regard for the opinions, and wishes, and affections of their constituents.

But what I am not altogether without hopes of - what I am not altogether without hopes of, or the labour of this would be without a motive - is - that just at this conjuncture if it should appear to them, either that you are already decided on the wish /on an adequate proposition/ or likely sooner or later to be so, they may in that case be prevailed upon or even prevail upon themselves to acquiesce in such your wishes.

What reason so ever there may be in this which I am using my endeavours to submitt to your consideration, all chance of its success will of course depend upon the extent to which it circulates among you /circulates within the field of your observation/. I suppose therefore on their part the absence either of the desire, or else of the ability, of opposing /to oppose/ any official bar to its circulation. If, regarding the tendency of it as adverse to their particular interests they feel no desire to suppress it - if, possessing the ability, they in that case in that case they use no endeavours to suppress it or to narrow the extent to /over/ which it /might/ circulate they differ in this particular from all rulers of the existence of whom I have ever been able to find tokens of.

Consciousness Of the utter absence /want/ of all claim to regard at your hands on the part of any profession I could make, no man can be more fully sensible than myself. Under these /In this/ circumstances, whether in that which follows there be /I have/ any such design /desire/ as that of sowing dissension among you for a mischievous purpose - whether in a word I have any worse design than that which without any exception your rulers can not fail to profess, and which to a very considerable extent I can not doubt of their entertaining - I mean that of promoting your real interest, I shall leave to each of you to answer /pronounce/ for himself entreating him only and that for his own sake, not to form his judgement, till he has heard me to the end. Not that any such consideration is really worth /has any real claim to/ your notice. The thing is what it is. Be the man who says this what he may. But &c.
Similar Items
  • Title: [[part in copyist’s hand] 1819 Mar]
    Description: [part in copyist’s hand]

    1819 Mar. § 5.

    To Erskine

    Lett. 6. E. Anti Reformist

    § 5. 3. Reformists Luddites

    23

    1

    ☞ 7 June 1819 Stet, all but verbal revision.

    §.5. Expedient 3. Representing Reformists as Luddites.

    The truth is, that among Your Lordships wishes, is that of seeing all such of us as really use any endeavours in favour of reform, eventually put to death, in I know not what number, in form and ceremony; and amongst Your Lordships endeavours that of causing no meat[?] to be so dealt with, unpleasant as it is an opinion to this effect I shall find myself altogether unable to change, until it shall have been your Lordship’s pleasure to make public a declaration to the contrary. For unless this be really among your Lordship’s wishes and endeavours, I know at what aim has been your Lordship object in the endeavour to cause it to be believed that our objects were the same with those of the Luddite: that it was for the purpose of promoting Parliamentary Reform that the plans /schemes/ for the destruction of Machinery were set to work.

    By insinuation it is of course that an /the/ intimation to this effect is like so many others is conveyed. But in and by the passage in question unless this be the conception meant to be conveyed, I am sure I know not what other is or can be. “If Parliament” – says Your Lordship p. 28) “should fearless enact ... an extension of the Representation, those gangs of turbulent and almost distracted men, which more than once have impelled his Majestys Ministers to suppress them by unpopular suspensions, and even permanent abridgments of public liberty, would vanish, of themselves”. Now unless those same gangs were either themselves reformists or set on by reformists, how is it that parliamentary reform or any thing in the shape of it, should cause them to vanish?
  • Title: [1820. Decr. 21. Rid Yourselves]
    Description: 1820. Decr. 21.

    Rid Yourselves

    Introduction

    Jeremy Bentham to the Spanish poeple.

    Rid Yourselves of Ultramaria!

    '. 1. Anger deprecated.

    Spaniards.

    Demosthenes, (says the story) having to propose to the people of

    Athens a measure he knew them to be set against by the strongest prepossessions,

    entered the Assembly with a halter about his neck. "Strangle me" (he cried aloud)

    "Strangle me, if such be your pleasure, but at any rate first hear me." Spaniards

    this halter of the Athenian Statesman I feel as if I had it on my own neck; I feel as

    if I had myself fastened it there, fastened it by the opinion which, thus at the very

    first word, I have so undisguisedly placed before you. My friends, I am playing a

    deep game. It is now as near sixty as fifty years since, /in the field of

    legislation/ I devoted my labours to the service of mankind in the field of

    legislation and it is by you that those labours have been sweetened with some of

    their fairest hopes. Yes if I have not been strangely and abundantly misinformed

    foreigner to you and Englishman as I am some place under all that disadvantage, I do

    possess in your regard: this which is among the most honourable of my possessions,

    this it is that I am thus staking upon one throw. Whoever among you is angry with me,

    by the warmth of his anger let him judge of the ardour of that zeal, which has forced

    me thus to expose myself to it. To expose myself to it? and for what? For no other

    reward than this, how faint soever may be my chance for it, the satisfaction I mean

    of seeing you rid yourselves of what, in my eyes, is the most oppressive of all your

    burthens. When you have heard what in that hope I have to say to you, do to me then,

    if you can find it in your hearts, do by me as the Athenian of old called upon his

    countrymen to do by him. Turn the screw of your instrument of death upon these my

    fondest hopes.

    '. 1. Order pursued.

    Meantime, if I am in error, see, in the first place, whether I am

    singular in it: see whether, on this ground, I have not some claim upon your

    indulgence.

    Spaniards! what my opinion on the subject is now in 1822 was, in the year 1787, and,

    I know not how long before, as I dare believe it has been since, the opinion of your

    own rulers. Yes: their own declared opinion. And by what dictated? By their own

    separate interests or interest-begotten prejudices? No: but by their own clear view

    of the facts, and the conclusion forced upon them by those facts: not by any of those

    instruments of seduction, but in spite of all of them. The opinion generally current?

    Oh, Yes: - And at what time? at the time of
  • Title: [1823 Jan¼y 30 Trip. H. to Q.A ?.9. Objections]
    Description: 1823 Jan¼y 30 Trip. H. to Q.A ?.9. Objections answered

    Let it not be said /Objection/ Ungrounded would be the /any/ objection that this

    which is proposed to you would be an act of unprovoked hostility against a

    nation /State/ with which you are at peace or that by engaging in the enterprize

    Your Government /Executive/ would be making itself the /an/ instrument of

    private ambition.

    As to hostility © if in your judgment the effect of it instead of beneficial

    would be detrimental to the welfare of our State, you will not engage in it: or

    at any rate if you do, the fault will be yours not mine: whatever benefit I may

    reap from it persuaded as I am of its being the best if not the only chance our

    State has of benefiting its condition, and preserving itself not only from the

    constant misery of slavery and unceasing subjection to despotism but from the

    frequently recurring miseries of civil war, I have no blame /reproach/ to take

    to myself for the proposal

    In no hostile feeling © in no feelings other than those of affection on my part

    has it had its rise: in no sentiment of revenge /desire of vengeance/ for

    injuries real or supposed or pretended. Towards /At the hands of/ the Sovereign

    I have no injuries to complain of: I have nothing but kindnesses to remember. I

    am in possession I flatter myself of no small share in his confidence the whole

    tenor of my intercourse with him is in every part of it a proof of that

    confidence: the melioration of his own condition © the preservation of his own

    family are as I began with stating to you among the prime objects of my

    solicitude and my endeavours. It is not therefore to hostile but to the most

    affectionate feelings, /wishes/ and endeavours/ that your assistance is desired

    /sought/.