8 Oct r 1809 + §.3

Parl y Reform

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B. I. Necessity

Ch. Occasional inadequate

§. Burke

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 To be inserted either in P t I. Necessity, or in P t III. Plan?

Ch. 17. Occasional interposition on the part of the people inadequate

§.3. Burke—Occasional interposition alone advocated by him

Meantimes this occasional interposition, in how small a degree soever it answers the

purpose of the people answers in the best possible degree the purpose of party men of

that set of Court dependents whose interest in the good things /loaves and fishes/

for the time happens to be in the state not of possession but expectancy.

When the voice of the people has reached to a certain pitch of loudness, the strings

of administration will they know be crushed and a new set of performers /themselves/

be summoned upon the stage.

But when once mounted upon the stage and fairly seated, is it their interest—can it

be any desire of theirs to hear any thing more of the voice of the people? /So long

as they continue there/ That voice can never more make itself heard but to their

prejudice.

Such as is /hath been/ their interest, such of course hath /has/ been their

language. A grumbling, a disturbance, a riot, a tumult—a sedition—any thing of this

sort—any thing /expression of popular affection/ which in its nature can not but be

occasional they have no objection to: on the contrary it is what they wish for—and

which in so far as it can be promoted in a whole show[?]—by words which whether

spoken or written will be sufficiently guarded they use their endeavours /are used/

to promote.

Propose to them the only useful mode of interposition, constant, constantly

efficacious and therefore as constantly quiet—in that they behold unsurmountable

difficulties. Then comes a cloud /torrent/ of words, the object of which is to make

plain things seem mysterious, and easy things impracticable.