20 June 1811

Abdication

Corruption & Idleness

6

Misuses by and through corruption - non-uses or to speak at the same time more popularly /more intelligibly/ and /at the same time/ more extensively and properly idleness, these proceeding on the ground /prescription/ of Blackstone’s law the law of England as lay /laid/ down by Blackstone I venture to state as the grounds of a forfeiture which to the purpose of the necessary remedy ought in the present case to be considered as having been incurred /taken place/.

Children of corruption, children of idleness - children of idleness and corruption - under /to/ /among/ one or other of these heads may to this purpose the population of the House or at the least such a majority as /as decided/ while it carries with it the power gives the law character and complection of the whole be distributed.

By the corruption of the corrupt, the trust (speaking {still} with Blackstone) the trust (I say) the power being a trust has I say been forfeited. By the idleness of the idle (speaking still with Blackstone) this same trust has I say been - that is the exercise of it at least has I say been abdicated: by corruption and idleness taken together by the act of those who being habitual corrupt have been occasionally idle and by the act of those who being habitually idle have been occasionally corrupt, the trust itself that is the power attached to /which forms the base of/ it has been both forfeited and abdicated.