3 Dec 1809

Parl y Reform

Influence

Ch.17

'.2. Error cause

55

3

We have now a key to that virtue which under the existing system of corruption Ministers are and ever will be on every occasion so ready to make proof. Against Corruption of members by bribes they can have no rational objection to point the penal inflections of the law it being in their situation a species and mode of corruption at the present day altogether needless, full of danger, and unfit for use.

Sale of boroughs /Purchase of seats/ for money it is their interest to check and if possible put an end to as being a species of traffic that can, in direct competition with that of which they possess the monopoly, viz. purchase of seats or of the members already sitting in those seats by means of peerages, and ribbons[?], and in short every thing else that is of any value except money /but money/.

Bribery of parliamentary electors they never can have any reasonable objection to the suppression of, which with /having/ the means of corruption /corrupting/ by any thing but bribery /bribes/ in their hands, the suppression of /the effect of suppressing/ bribery thus applied would in their favour have the effect /have the effect of a grant made to themselves/ of an exclusive right of applying the matter of corruption to persons in that situation, and to that purpose /such persons and such purposes/.