[clx. 377]

1822 July 22

Constitut. Code Rationale

Securities Counterforce

5 Moral Responsibility

Public Opinion Tribunal

Evidence

Whichsoever of the two courses be taken they lead to the same end /result/: absolute power on the part of those on whose behalf they are employed /taken/: absolute subjection, with no option other than that between muteness /silence/ and obsequiousness on the part of those at whose expence they are employed /taken/. What by depravity what by folly you are incapacitated not only from giving direction to your own conduct but from choosing /having any part in the choosing of/ those by whom direction to it shall be given. Such being your hapless /deplorable/ state, it belongs to us and to us alone to give direction to your conduct in this line and /as in/ every other: to determine what you may say, and what you shall not say: for so sure as you are suffered to say any thing to our prejudice, to start so much as a doubt to draw so much as into question in general or on any particular occasion whatsoever our probity or our wisdom, so sure will you do injury irremediable injury to one another and to yourselves. The points by which your happiness now and for ever is most deeply affected are those which belong to religion: into /on/ those it is therefore in a more particular manner our duty to prevent your regarding in any other point of view than such as we prescribe: your happiness, now and for ever depends upon your submitting with the most undeviating /implicit/ obsequiousness to such direction as we have given or shall give: and[?] ever]?] depends upon our giving it: it is your first of duties to hold yourselves deprived of all liberty on these points: it is our first of duties, so to hold you deprived of it