1819 March 15 Lett III + +

To Erskine

III Peoples Error

§ 1. Letter

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Letter III. People’s alledged errors: in particular as to influence

After exhibiting to view, as above, the alledged merits of the Whigs, Your Lordship proceeds to bring to view certain errors – “great errors” – which (Your Lordship says) “have been entertained to their prejudice”.

Error I (p. 17.) “that ... the whole body of these Whigs ... should be represented as an unprincipled faction ...” – Persons of course chargeable with this error those by whom such representations have been made.

Error II: – that they should thus be “ publickly represented.”

Error III. Error 3 (p. 17.) merely because they espoused the pretensions “of an unblemished Gentleman, of a suitable rank in the world, and duly qualified to sit in parliament for Westminster” ... the error here alluded to being doubtless that of suffering these considerations to operate on their minds, as presenting the sole cause of the making of that same erroneous representation.

4. Error 4: publickly representing M r Parry, Editor “of the Morning Chronicle as the corrupt tool of a corrupt faction: ...” that “he was publickly represented” &c says Your Lordship.

5. Error 5. Considering certain influences “as unjust and illegal” (p. 19): “influences” (says Your Lordship) “being considered as unjust and illegal” ... Well and what influence? Answer. – influences which, according to the definition which Your Lordship immediately proceeds to give of them, are “influences which, in all free and popular elections, must from the very nature of human affairs perpetually exist.” [+]

6. Error 6 (an error peculiar to Francis Burdett) ... “provoking the hostility, or widening the breach, with a large body of men, possessing property and influence of various descriptions.” [++]

[+] p. 19

[++] p. 21