28 Dec r 1809

Parl y Reform

Ch. Parl Corrupt I Members

'.6. Corruption continued

Corrupting individual

1. Mischief to public

2

First then let the dependence thus constituted, the dependence of the incumbent Member on his parliamentary patron, be a state of strict dependence.

It is useless to enquire, in what various ways a dependence of this sort may have been constituted. For illustration let us take the most simple case. A /Incumbent a/ younger son of a Peer or rich /opulent/ commoner, dependent on his father for the quantum of his fortune: patron, the father aforesaid.

{by the supposition (how rarely soever exemplified) the father has not at the time of the presentation any such situation under the King, or looking towards the favour of the Crown, /King,/ as has the effect of placing him under the King in a situation of dependence. {But though at the moment in question in this sense independent, yet in the instance of this as of any other man the next moment may find him in a state of dependence.}}

In the event - and supposing his condition in this respect the same throughout the whole parliament - what in this respect will the condition of the patron be? If in a state of dependence, his condition is thereby taken out of the case here in question, and transferred into the one last /just/ spoken of. From the condition in which this one Member with his right of voting is placed results /to the country/ a real mischief to the country a mischief the nature of which has already been developed.