[clx. 284]

1822 July 20

Constitut Code Rationale

Securities

6 Factitious honor excluded

?. Evils produced by it

In the hands of the conferrer of the honour, be he who he may, and in the hands of the Monarch in particular it is productive of evil in this shape in two different ways:- in a general way, by its existence; and in a particular way, by the particular application which, on each individual occasion, is liable to be made of it. By its existence in hands so situated, it holds out to every one the general assurance, that, to /by/ him who on any account is an object of the Monarch's displeasure, no good in this any more than in any other will be received: 2. that for obtaining the matter of good, in this as in any other shape by far the most promising course is to contribute if possible to the Monarch's pleasure, whatsoever be the means is the most promising not to say the only promising course that a man can take: In this way /Thus it is that/ so many persons as there are in the nation there are to whom it is a source of temptation, so many persons are there who are urged by it to do on all occasions the will of the one privileged individual /member of the community/ the Corrupter General at the expence of all the others, and thereby to make contribution each of them according to his means to the sacrifice of which he is High /Chief/ Priest - in a word the sinister sacrifice

2 Now as to the evil of which on this or that particular occasion in that situation it is apt and liable to be productive. In its character of a source of undue respect it may /enables him to/ overpower the tutelary force /power/ of the punitive branch of the power of the Public Opinion Tribunal. By the prospect of benefit in this shape an individual has been led (suppose) to minister to the Monarchs will by this or that act by which but for the counter-operation of this order for respect dishonor would have been cast upon him It would baffle calculation to say to what degree a man may might by this means be rendered proof against shame and in what a degree /multitude/ other men may by the view of factitious honor conferred /obtained/ by acts in themselves /naturally/ dishonorable, be led into the like sinister courses.