[clxiv. 253]

1820 Aug. 9

Emancipation Spanish

Summary

Corruptive influence

In a pure aristocracy all other interests are of course sacrificed to the interest, real or supposed /fancied/ of the ruling few. In these their rulers /the confederated knot/ the subject many behold so many enemies and those enemies equally /alike/ irresistible and implacable: and it is at the joint disposal of those enemies that every thing dear to them is placed.

Under a favorable state of things, under such a government the subject many are not absolutely out of all possibility of experiencing some mitigation to their sufferings. This favorable state of things is no other than a disagreement among the members of the confederacy /many-headed despot/. In such a contest If the parties are to such a /a certain/ degree balanced, it may happen to the weakest rather than yield to its overbearing-rival, to make advances to the subject many, in the hope of engaging them on its side.

In a government /community/ in which the power is in one proportion or another divided between a Monarch and an Aristocracy the state of interests and thence of government may be inferred from what has just been mentioned. Nothing but a disagreement either between the Monarch and the whole Aristocracy on the one part, or a Monarch with a part /portion/ of the Aristocracy on the one part and the remainder /another portion/ of the Aristocracy on the other can produce any mitigation in the condition /suffering/ of the subject many.