18 Jan y 1817

Necessity Cat

II. Application

§.4. Constitution - present real state

10

3

Q. 4. Good: well and to begin with the Electors, by what circumstances in the composition of that body is it fitted for being moulded to that sinister purpose.

A. 1. In that of the whole number of those each of whose interest and happiness composes so large a part of the universal interest as that of any other does and for whose intellectual aptitude with reference to /for/ the exercise of the power in question there is as good security as for that of any other no more than a comparatively small part are actually admitted to the exercise of it: one /the/ consequence of which is, that the whole of the mass in which the mass of the matter of corruptive influence has to operate being rendered so much the less, the ratio of the mass of the matter of corruptive influence to it is the greater, and so therefore the force with which it operates.

2. That whereas matters might easily be so ordered

2. That whereas of the Electoral bodies into which the aggregate /whole/ number of Electors in the state were as they might be and ought to be in such a number that while the number of the deputies sent by them was as great as and no greater than the number capable of carrying on the discussion in the same place at the same time, the numbers of the Electors in each Electoral body should be so great as to render the majority of it greater than the greatest number which any sinister interest capable of applying itself to the purpose should find or regard it worth its while to engage in making an improper choice, yet so it is that in many instances and to a great extent these bodies are so small that every sinister influence operates upon them to this effect with irresistible /force and/ advantage and force.