1823 Feb 10

Greek Constitution Observations

Principles

?.1. Self©regard predominant

In mankind in general, desire of acquiring fresh and fresh addition to the stock a man has of the external instruments of felicity grows stronger and stronger as the quantity of those that appear to him within his reach is greater and greater.

Of the aggregrate stock of the external instruments of felicity in the possession of the political community in question the quantity which its ruling functionaries take in the aggregate have within their reach is in a manner unlimited: to the ardency of their, desire to make the utmost possible addition to that portion of the stock which they respectively possess as their own property for /to/ their own use is in like manner unlimited.

At the time and on the occasion of its formation every Constitution taken in the sense here in question has two great difficulties to contend with extrinsic and intrinsic: self©regarding affection on the part of other political communities, and self©regarding affection /the like affection/ on the part of its own functionaries.

To the existence and force Of the danger resulting /threatening/ /impending/ from without the members of the new[?] Community never fail to be in an adequately degree sensible: they are accordingly [...?] and constantly upon their guard against it

But of the danger impending from within never in any instance have they yet, nor till at the end of a long course of sad experience are ever like to be in any thing approaching to an adequate degree sensible.