[clxvii. 67]

1821 March 25

Rid Yourselves

'.6 Anti Constitut Evils

1 Foreigners in Cortes

With the laxity thus secretly manifested as to the choice /selection/ of representatives, compare the vigor declaredly manifested in the choice of their constituents.

The principle is that from the right of contributing by suffrage to the choice of a Member of the Cortes all foreigners - all non-Spaniards are to stand excluded. For the definition of a Spaniard, and thence of a non-Spaniard, I have no need to request /trouble you for/ your attention. Articles nine in number namely from 18 to 26 inclusive are bestowed upon it: labour in my humble apprehension /if I do not greatly err,/ much worse than useless. Useless: because taking notoriety or the equivalent of it for a test of correspondent interest and affection for in any one instance what ground of apprehension can there be that if the doors of all /in any one single instance/ the several Elective Offices were thrown open to all mankind in any one instance a foreigner hostility disposed or a native gained to foreign and hostile interests would be returned /sent/ to the Cortes?

Much worse than useless. For in the long list of disqualification in which all qualifications are to be returned, which article is there which is not a mine of disputes and law suits. The man who manfactured these means, was either a lawyer or had a lawyer for his familiar /at his elbow/

Spaniards! one would think these legislators of yours had been bred in England. Not to speak of such reformists, do what I can, I can not avert[?] our reformists from displaying their discernment by straining out gnats while they are swallowing camels.

But such has been the cause taken on this ground by Custom. Custom the offspring and servant of sinister interest: everywhere but in the Anglo-American United States nor were there any[?] eyes compleatly open to the uselessness and absurdity of these minute offspring of blind and narrow minded /groundless/ /senseless/ jealousy.