[clx. 286]

1822 July 8

Constitut. Code Rationale

Securities

Factitious honor

?.4. Evils produced by it

The language employed on this occasion demonstrates in how deplorable a degree the power /force/ of the judgment /intellect/ may be debilitated /subdued/ by the force of delusion and custom /prejudice/. Always in the character of an object of prime necessity is the furniture of the great Toy-shop /Baby House/ this mass of the instruments of corruptive and delusive influence spoken of. This which is so much worse than useless is spoken of as of more importance than the whole aggregate of those benefit the preservation of /securing of/ which constitutes the only compensation for the evils necessarily produced by government - the only reason why it is better than /circumstance that distinguishes it from/ a nuisance Not any the faintest colour of reason being capable of being given for it, it is constantly /on every occasion/ taken for granted in the character of an incontestable truth. Ask in what way it contributes in the character of a means to the supposed /pretended/ end, no answer will you get /receive/. Ask in what particulars the governments in which there is no such splendor lustre, support of dignity has place ask in what particulars they are the worse for the want /absence/ of it, no answer will you receive.

As in the situation of Monarch /King/ honor and dignity, require for their support splendor and lustre, that is to say money [...?] for the purpose out of the pockets of the people, so in every situation within the reach of the royal eyes. Hence it is that if a man be in a certain rank be in want of money whether it has been by misfortune or by prodigality or [...?] in any other shape that the want /gap/ has been produced, the deficiency is to be supplied at the expence of the laborious part of the people the productive classes are to be squeezed for money to fill it up. Incessant are the complaints of the expence of affording to the helpless many the lower order /productive classes/ those supplies without which starvation and death must of necessity be their fate: profound is the silence as to the expence of supplying to the extravagant in the higher order the means of further /ulterior/ extravagance. Grievous the complaints of the overgrowth of that part of the population for the subsistence /maintenance/ of which ,10 a year all [...? ...?] and all ages together included will suffice - no complaint of the overgrowth of that part for the maintenance of which ,100 a year will not suffice.