Sep 1809

Parl y Reform

2 o

Ch.1. Electors Voting

'.2

9

5

What he thinks the least[?] shown[?] he will think the public most The large public instead[?] [...?] him from a [...?] [...?] he is joined by a sufficient number[?]

Remains the influence of public opinion - in other words of the moral or popular sanction.+

But in the present instance, great and salutary as its influence is in most /almost all/ others, it is not in the nature of this principle to be of any effect or use.

What is desired is that he should make that choice which in his eyes is the most proper one: in other words that choice which to his conception is most likely to be conducive to his own interests for in the absence of all sinister influence as above described nothing more or better is expected or desired at his hands.

But this is exactly the sort of choice which he is disposed to make independently of this moral sanction made[?] without his being /standing/ exposed to the force of it: his standing exposed to the force of it is therefore what to this purpose can not be of any use.

For the seat in question Two candidates present themselves. Under the system of secrecy he will vote for that one of them whose conduct promises in his eyes /expectation of it/ to be most conducive to his /the Electors/ interest, that is to what he regards as the interest of the whole community: for by the supposition he is not /does not stand/ exposed to the action of any other interest.

Now what can the force of the moral or popular sanction. What can the eye of the public do more for him towards securing[?] the aptitude of his choice?

Of the two candidates suppose one eminently[?] /decidedly/ fit to be a member, the other as eminently[?] /decidedly/ unfit. What even in this case can the public eye do more than secrecy would do towards securing the vote in favour of the fit candidate. Happen /Let/ his choice to fall /have fallen/ in favour of the unfit one; but since /forasmuch as/ it has, the probability is that in looking upon him as the fittest in his own opinion, he looked upon him as fittest likewise in the opinion of the public: for what to himself seems right what should lead him to consider as being in the opinion of the public other than right?

+ Introd.

Dum[?]