1818 May 15

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

VIII Penal Securities

1

Penal Securities. Presenting to view on this occasion any

system of provisions which under this head can be stated as any thing like complete,

is unfortunately what the nature of the case does not admitt of. To do so would

require the touching /writing[?]/ /operating/ upon topics which extend over the whole

field of penal /the penal branch of/ law: and how ill the room necessary for such an

operation can /could/ here be spared is abundantly /sufficiently/ evident.

What on this occasion a man can not but wish is – to comprehend {within the

operation of the penal part of the number[?] afforded} the offence of whatever

/every/ description by which the evils here in question, viz Miselection,

Non-Election and Null-Election are liable to be produced. But to the accompaniment of

this object two insuperable difficulties present themselves.

The One is that which regards the distinction for the expression of which, in the

language of the law the words principal and accessory are

in use among lawyers in the language of the law

The other is that which regards the subject of Electioneering

lies

For the making any thing like an adequate provision relative to /under/ the first of

these heads, the language is altogether inadequate /in use wants much of being

adequate/. The conceptions entertained on the subject are to a great extent

indistinct and inadequate /unsettled/: and when such is the case with the conceptions

themselves such can not but be the case with the language employed in giving

expression to them.