1820 Feb. 16

Radicalism not dangerous

III. Experience

II. Ireland

1

What a mass of […?] unfathomable[?] felicity of the existing sacrificed to d o of future generations

Text or Note

On the part of the British Constitution as it exists at present - on the part of this government /constitution/ on the one hand as compared with the government of Spain Morocco or Bambarra on the other is there then comparatively speaking no real excellence? on the part of the people no comparative felicity no correspondent comparative felicity? Unquestionably yes: and that in no small proportion /magnitude/. But to what is it owing[?]? To a cause purely fictitious such as a community of interest between governors and governed? No: but to a cause which in so far as is /to a certain/ extent possesses a real existence and correspondent operation. Proportioned to the faculty /facility/ which the people possess of becoming acquainted with /informed of/ the conduct maintained in relation to them by the ruling few, of forming each for himself {a} correct judgments in relation to that conduct, of communicating their sentiments in relation to that conduct in the first place to each other and then making normally[?] and upon occasion jointly communication of these sentiments to the ruling few themselves will be the form of a sort of controul which though not avowedly nor in force of law will nevertheless in fact be exercised by these same subjects over the conduct of their rulers. But this controul which has been at all times greatly /widely/ inadequate, has by the late measure been subjected to the absolute will of those on whose will and conduct the controul in so far as it were productive of any office would be exercised: they are subject to /bound by[?]/ no ties[?] which it is not at any time in their power weakest[?] any the smallest difficulty to throw off at pleasure. By no more can any defect either in the constitution of the government or in the practice under it can /they […?]/ any defect be pointed out, but that of which he in so doing the tendency may be in his eyes be to bring that same government into hatred and contempt, and thereby his endeavouring so to do, and by no more can any thing be published tending to bring the government into hatred and contempt without his being liable according to law to be for the first offence […?] by fine and imprisonment, and for the second offence banished - both from all his connections and all means of livelyhood.