1819 May 24

Defence of Ballot

Under Ballot no secresy

9

As experience advanced, confidence in this as in all other shapes could not but be lessened /decreased/. But while confidence was decreasing, independence was at least not upon the decrease but rather upon the encrease. Of any infractions that took place in this confidence, though the general result might come to be imputed or even known, yet the particulars it seems reasonable to conclude were seldom if ever matter of general notoriety it being the common interest of the Inspectors that they should not be.

1 As to bribery supposing a fund in any instance adequate to the purpose, nothing could be more improbable that in such a conflict of interest the Inspectors whatever even their number should all join and be known beforehand to be determined to join in giving to any one[?] /to a candidate with a bribe in his hand/ that previous assurance of fidelity without which the expence would not be hazarded If the man who accepts your bribe does not vote for you we will tell you so – this is the sort of assurance that would be requisite and this is the /a/ sort of assurance which it seems not at all likely should be given. True it is that for furnishing the information any one /a single person/ out of any number of Co-Inspectors might suffice. But still in the case of this sort of engagement to /in[?]/ the affording of the requisite scrutiny in question three persons at least would have to join – namely the Candidate or his friend or agent by whom the bribe was /is to be/ given, the voter by whom the bribe or a promise of it was to be received, and in the Inspector by whom in case of a breach of the engagement information of it was to be given to the giver of the bribe or promise. On the part of the giver and receiver here would be a transaction opposed with no slight degree of force /energy/ by the united force /power/ of the moral, legal, and religious sanctions; a transact in a word in no slight degree scandalous: and on the part of the Inspector, the violation of this his most special and important trust much more so.