[clx. 435]

1822 July 22

Constitut. Code Exposition

Ch. or . Security the seventh. Exclusion of all factitious instruments of delusive influence.

Appropriate delusion is an instrument /among the instruments/ of corruption employed by corruptors: and with or without any such intention or design /correspondent endeavour/ on the part of corruptionists the instruments of corruption operate of themselves as instruments of delusive influence.

Of such delusion, the effect, described in general terms is this - causing public functionaries in general, and in particular those whose place is highest in the scale of power, to be regarded as occupying in the scale of appropriate aptitude, moral and intellectual in particular, in a word in the scale of worth, intellectual and moral, a place higher than, and as much as possible above /higher/ than the place they respectively occupy in reality: to be so regarded, and /to wit/ for the purpose of obtaining for their benefit, at the expence of the people at large of obtaining for their benefit in addition to such /whatsoever/ respect, deference and obsequiousness is promotive with reference to the universal interest an /some/ ulterior portion which is not promotive but detrimental to that same all comprehensive /only legitimate/ interest.