20 Aug 1809

Parl y Reform

Corruption

Members

6

4

{Foolish therefore would be in the extreme, if it were sincere the conduct of that Member who on the /under the/ influence of the above suggested habitual depravity of Minister /the agents under such a system/ should resolve /determine/ with himself to engage and persevere in any such blind and all-comprehensive opposition.

But of the system of corruption one of the effects is to beget and keep alive a system of indiscriminate opposition still more profligate if possible than the system of indiscriminate subservience. The adherents of the Minister vote in favour of every measure of his how and of every part and circumstance of his, how bad soever merely because it is by him that it has been brought forward, while The opponents of the Minister vote against every measure of his and against every part of such measure how good and necessary soever, for the opposite reason, viz. for the purpose of taking every chance for causing his power and influence to be regarded as being in the wane, and so depriving him of the free part /unbound/ of his adherents, till at last he be left unprovided with the number and proportion regarded by him as necessary, to secure him in the possession of his place.}