[xxxviii. 72]

1822 July 18

Constitut. Code Rationale

Securities

6 Factitious honor, exclusion of

?.4. Evils produced by it

1. Evils of factitious honor arbitrarily conferred as usual.

In a general character. Of specific service to community, it affords either no indication or no proof.

2. 1. Evils. Burthen to the unhonored at large. To those the │   │ by any single creature of factitious honor is insensible: not so the aggregate.

3. 2. Evil 2. Burthen to the antecedently honored. By each new sharer, the value of the existing shares is diminished - Dutchess of Northumberland, her fears of spitting on a Peer.

4. 3. Evil 3. Burthen to meritorious unhonored. Hence discouragement to meritorious service: encouragement to the sinister do. if any, by which the honor was procured.

5. By encrease of honor - by natural honor by publication, no sense of injury is produced uneasiness to the unhonored or less honored is an unavoidable evil, and outweighed by the extra service naturally produced by the competition.

6. 4. Evil 4. Evil by contribution to corruption fund.

The other elements of the corruption fund, power and money, can not be kept out of Ruler's hands: without them, Governmt. could not exist: to minimize them is all that can be done.

7. 5. Evil 5. Evil of demoralization by sinister independence: lessening dependance on good behaviour, by lessening sensibility to the force of the popular or moral sanction.

8. See above how by an external instrument of felicity, as such, this effect is produced.

In possession it operates as a bond of union with co-possessors, by the use of the sinister interest in which they share: in expectation as an instrument of corruption of inducement, of temptation to betray trust.

9. 6. Evil 6. By pretence for depredation.

For support of factitious dignity, money, if deficient, must be supplied: i.e. at people's expence. Obtained by swindling, honor carries depredation in the belly of it

Nobles and other titularies added to the there predatory classes.

10. Operative rationale.

1. Factitious honor left bare of opulence the natural source of respect, contempt will naturally substitute itself: decomposition effected, the false colour varnishes. "Wearing this, the man being a poor creature, what is he good for?"

Discovered in the poor man its worthlessness may thus be recognizsed in the rich

2. Fellow dignitaries fear of sharing in his contempt.

3. Sympathy for his suffering

11. 7. Evil 7. Evil by sanction given to imposture - by encouragement and establishment given to delusion on the part of the party deluding - thence moral debasement - habit of employing deception.

12. 8. Evil 8. By propagation of delusion on the part of the deluded: viz. the community at large - thence intellectual debasement: habit of being deceived.

13. 9. Evil 9. Evil by aggravation of inequality.

Inequality in power is necessary to existence of Government: in opulence unavoidable, and for security for subsistence, necessary - do. by factitious honor is needless and useless.

14. 10. Evil 10. Evil by addition to Aristocratical Public Opinion Tribunal's anti social force.

Seen above the hostility of this minority to the interest of the majority.

6* Ways in which factitious honor produces evil in this shape -

1. General:- by producing obsequiousness to Monarchs sinister will and do. interest, thence aid to sinister sacrifice: it being clear that against his will it can not be obtained; and that the chance of obtaining it by him who is tempted by it is as the degree of obsequiousness and the felicity of the course suggested: thence so many persons thus tempted, so many obsequious to the sinister will, interest, and sacrifice.

6** 2. Particular evil on this or that occasion promoting misconduct by overpowering the punitory and restraining force with which Public opinion Tribunal acts against it. As a reward for the sinister and dishonorable aid suppose the honor conferred: the mark of honor is seen by every body: the dishonorable conduct known to comparatively few: by the factitious honor the natural honor is covered over and drowned: incalculable the degree in which man may thus be rendered shame-proof and the number that may thus be led into the like similar courses.