13 August 1804

Procedure

Evil causes

Bodies of men, in so far as they possess /are acted upon/ a particular and sinister interest, according to uniform observation /it has been observed/ pursue it with more steadiness than a /any/ individual interest legitimate or sinister, present or future, momentary or permanent, is commonly found to be pursued by individuals. From the pursuit of a sinister individual interest, individuals, even when not exposed to the fear of law the legal punishment or restraint not bearing upon the case, are constantly and not infrequently with a degree /--------/ of efficacy restrained by the power of the moral sanction by the fear /sense/ of shame. Bodies of men are in a much less degree sinister to the force of that salutary /guardian/ principle. When occupied in the ------ of the common interest - the corporate interest - each individual sees /member feels/ himself environed, supported and encouraged by a little public, a circle smaller indeed than that of the great public, but at the same time ------, and by its position ----- the view /to his view/ of the lager circle /-------/ circle, whose opinions /affections/ would be governed by the public /general/ interest, that is their own interest - that all embracing motives which coincide with each man's public duty.

A corporation (it has been observed by one of the sages of English law) has no conscience. The interest ------ to it on that occasion was not exactly /precisely/ the same as the above: but by an extension and the less correct for being somewhat ludicrous it may be understood in the above sense /as extension backwards from figuration to the literal/.