1821. April 29.

First Lines

Constitutional

Penal Law.

Needless. In the import of the word conspiracy, when the act is treated on the footing of a crime, the idea of secresy is included: to conspire is to exchange /make/ mutual communication of opinions, desires, and eventually intended endeavours, in secret: These desires and endeavours, if they ear any relation to to the Government, have, for their object, the bringing about some change in the government, which change, howsoever desirable in the eyes of those who thus project it, would not (so they are assured) be so in the eyes of the existing rulers. For on the supposition of its being so, the conspiracy /secresy/ has no use. In an absolute Monarchy no change presented by any pair of hands more than one, can be agreeable in the eyes of the Monarch or of any under him. If in itself it be agreeable to them and it had not of itself presented itself to any of them, they may vouchsafe acceptance to it if presented to them by no more than a single pair of hands, and in a cringing attitude: yes and even if presented by any such hands, after conference on the subject between two or more persons in an erect posture. But in this case, while they are availing themselves of the plan, they will punish the authors as being conspirators.