[Part in copyist's hand]

1818 July 29

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

II. Electors Who

Universality

Property bad qualifications

8

6

6

6

Now as to Householdership. In this we have another continuance /supposed security/ perhaps against universal spoliation perhaps against appropriate inaptitude on the part of Electors and thence on the part of Members or ag st both.

In this too we have perhaps another contrivance for laying holding of property. Compared with payment of Taxes it has Moreover the advantage of not placing the right of voting under so compleat a dependence on those who can never look at it for any other purpose than that of destroying it or producing a misuse of it.

But whichever and whatever be the design, its inefficiency with reference to that design is not less flagrant, nor less undeniable, in this than in those other cases. If it be independence that is the object, it excludes opulence to almost any degree while it fails of excluding indigence. If it be intellectual aptitude that is the object, it excludes intellectual aptitude to any degree, while it fails of excluding intellectual inaptitude.