date

1820 July 30 Emancipation Spanish
1820 July 30

Emancipation Spanish

Summary

Corruptive influence

To shew, in the detail that would be necessary to a perfectly clear

conception, in what precise forms it is that in a mixt monarchy with a representative

democracy under it, the poison steals into every vein of the body politic, converting

into an instrument of misrule that power which should be and is pretended to be a

check upon it, would require more room than can here be spared.

One momento however must not be omitted. Of all the modes /shapes/ in which the

corruptive influence acts, bribery - direct bribery - is the least pernicious: for

this can scarcely have place without a punishable offence by which the giver and the

taker of the bribe are each of them put in the power of the other. But by the

prospect of a situation in the official establishment for either self or relative,

whether in that part of the establishment which has been brought into existence by

the dominion in question, or in any other part - neither the expected receiver nor

the expected giver will be placed in the power of the other. When you see a man loud

in his outcries against corruptive influence in a punishable shape while he is

equally loud in his outcries against the only sort of arrangement by which this same

pestilential influence can be checked, make sure that it is to the perpetuation and

exercise not to the removal of the evil that his real wishes and endeavours are

directed.
Similar Items
  • Title: [[clxiv. 249] 1820 Aug. 8 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxiv. 249]

    1820 Aug. 8

    Emancipation Spanish

    Summary

    Corruptive influence

    Where to the production of the corruptive effect a special act of corruption is necessary - a special act of corruption if punishable with a corrupt giver on the one part and a corrupt receiver on the other, here the mischief is at its minimum:

    Examples. A candidate for the situation of Representative in a sovereign Assembly gives money to an Elector for his Vote

    An individual having a suit at law depending before a judicatory gives money for a decision in his favour to a Judge belonging to that judicatory

    Where to the production of the corruptive effect no special act of corruption is necessary, there the mischief is at its maximum: the disease is indeed /altogether remediless and/ incurable: the depravity on the part of the functionaries who share in the profit of it, political depravity - depravity upon the largest scale is at its highest pitch.

    Example.

    The whole form of Government is so constituted that in the instance of every member of it his private interest is in a state of diametrical /point-blank/ opposition to his public duty. It is the interest of the subject many that the quantity of money, power and factitious dignity attached to official situations as also the number of those situations should be the smallest possible: and the degree of appropriate aptitude on the part of those by whom they are filled it is the interest of the ruling few that the quantity of those instruments of felicity so bestowed should be as great as possible. By every war the number of those situations receives a sure encrease

    Accordingly by the English Constitution The power of making war is given to the King. He can not indeed carry it on without the concurrence of the two Houses of Parliament. But with scarce an exception such is their situation, the members of both Houses are all of them on the look out for some one or more of the instruments of felicity in the gift of the King. Hence on the part of a vast majority, a constant disposition to concurr in every war, howsoever destitute of necessity or so much as a colourable pretence.
  • Title: [[clxiv. 261] 1820 Aug. 9 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxiv. 261]

    1820 Aug. 9

    Emancipation Spanish

    Summary

    Corruptive influence

    In a community in which the power is in one proportion or another divided amongst a Monarch an Aristocracy and a representative democracy, the result though not so immed /prompt/ will be ultimately and infallibly still the same
  • Title: [[clxiv. 209] 1820 June 30 Emancipation]
    Description: [clxiv. 209]

    1820 June 30

    Emancipation Spanish

    ?.8. Corruptive influence

    To tie up their own hands in their individual capacities, or to tie up the hands of the party into which they had formed themselves - to set any effectual limit to the power of which they had put themselves in possession, to make of that power any considerable /the smallest/ sacrifice to the universal interest, and in particular that part of it which is composed of /composes/ the interest of the subject many - if any such things were in their thoughts no such things are to be found in their acts Corruptive influence in every shape - coercive and corruptive influence of Members of the House of Lords and other great proprietors on the election of Members of the House of Commons - corruptive influence of the Monarch his advisers and other servants /living instruments/ on the Members of and thence their command of the acts and proceedings of both those Assemblies /bodies/, remained untouched, remained in full vigour, and by sure howsoever slow degrees repairing into that full maturity of rottenness of which the existence is so plainly /undeniably established/ and the effects so severely and extensively felt at present.