1819 Oct. 4

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons ult o

§.5 Election apparatus

§.8. Election how

4

Note (a[?])?

Some cases /One case/ it is true there are in which the secret mode is not of itself capable of providing adequate /full/ security against the evil in question; against the evil which has place in so far as /where/ the direction given to the vote is not accompanied by a wish pointing in that same direction: meaning always a wish that wish being one /the same/ that would have been entertained without the expectation of any good as eventually about to accrue to him other than the good consisting in the service done by a good Election choice to the universal interest, and thence to his share in that same universal interest.

Such is the case for example where the good administered the bribe (for such in this case it is) given before the delivery of the vote: the confidence being in the voters gratitude, or in his sense of honour, that is his fear of reproach at certain hands on the ground of perfidy. But in /for/ this case in addition to secrecy of suffrage other securities are here provided: securities which havens but for secrecy of suffrage would be altogether inadequate. See[?]

And in comparison of the evil produced by terrorism – meaning the mischief in the shape of Miselection, over and above all the evil produced in those other shapes that will be seen, the utmost evil that can be produced by bribery and corruption will be seen to be inconsiderable.

Not that in this case though to the vote given the wishes entertained by the voter may at the time of voting have been perfectly conformable, yet in this case the wishes to which it is conformable are not the wishes that would have had place had it not been for the bribe whereas /but/

{The supposition is – the only supposition upon which the system of election is ever endeavoured to be justified – the supposition is that the wish of the Elector is that it is upon the fittest Candidate that /should always be he on whom/ the choice may fall: the fittest that is the one who is likely to render most service to the universal interest and thence to the Elector’s share in that same universal interest. But by no person can it be imagined that by the private benefit so rendered to the individual a man is constituted the very man likely to render in the greatest degree of perfection that public service. (With J.B.s proof of aptitude from relick[?])}