1819 May 9

To Erskine

Lett. 6. Es /Whigs/ Anti-Reform labours

2

5

2

3. That in the whole tenor of the conduct of the body of men in question I have never been able to discover any sufficient reason /symptom/ – I might say any reason whatever for supposing on their part a disposition to self-sacrifice in the shape in question viz. that of parliamentary power, or indeed /in truth/ in any other shape.

4. The shapes in which such self-sacrifice would have to manifest itself are obviously these two /three/: 1. sacrifice by the greater or less degree of uncertainty which by the change in question would be made to attach upon their possession of such seats as are at present in their possession, compared with the degree of certainty which has place at present.

5. 2 Sacrifice after whatever expectancy they may respectively have of that part of the profit of official patronage which composes the difference between the amount of it under the existing wasteful system, and the amount to which it would be reduced if /supposing it to have no other measure than that which would be set to it by/ the expences of the universal interest were to be the sole measure of it.

6. 3. Sacrifice of the present /existing/ quantity of comfort /personal advantage/ which is produced by an unlimited licence for /liberty of/ non-attendance {and under and by virtue of that licence by actual non-attendance on every occasion except those on which attendance has some special personal interest in the shape of business or at any rate of amusement for its cause.} /unless those who in consideration of attendance receive special pay in the shape of official emolument/ of which licence the consequence is that the situation of a Member of Parliament is universally a situation to which a large share of power is attached unclogged by obligation in any shape: that is to say of despotic and tyrannical power: for power unclogged /unaccompanied/ with obligation be not tyranny, it seems not very easy to say what is tyranny, nor to shew that tyranny exists in greater perfection in Morocco or Constantinople than in Westminster.