13 Aug 1809 +

Parl y. Reform

B.III Duration

Ch. 6. 4. Inconsistency

1

Why not a fixt term with continual[?] person[?] [...?]?

Ch. or '. Objection the 4th. The proposal is inconsistent with its own principles: transgression committed dismissal should be immediate.

Answer - No: and such an arrangement would be not only needless, and /but moreover/ mischievous as also /and even/ less efficient with reference /in relation/ to the end in view.

1. It would be less efficient. {What is every body's /man's/ business is no man's business: what may be done at any time is done at no time.}

Apparent in particular time in every year for the renewal of the Elections: - of powers conferred by the Electors on their deputies, once a year the attention of the Electors /these authors /principals/ of the/ is by this means unavoidably turned to the conduct of their deputies /trustees/: once a year they have the faculty and invitation given them to express their opinion, to pronounce their approbation or disapprobation in relation to their /that/ conduct: and this judgment not only is the power /faculty/ of exercising it confirmed /secured/, but the certainty of its being exercised established. If the member of the expiring year have /has in the course of the year/ done nothing to render /that has rendered/ him, in the eyes of any leading person in the body of his electors, unworthy of his trust, and at the same time no rival candidate presents /offers/ himself, his re-election will follow of course: and each re-election will be a fresh certificate in his favour.

In the opposite case, according to the accidental varieties in the characters and situations of the leading persons in the different electoral districts, the attention of the electors would in some districts and at some times not be turned with sufficient frequency /not frequently enough/ to the conduct of their deputies, in other districts and at other times too often. /too frequently./