21 Dec r 1809

Parl y Reform

'.3

Ch.10 Seat bought

'.3 Mischief to Seller's mind

*4

3

{'.3. Mischief to the mind of the individual corrupted /seller of the seat/}

{ This not first in the section

But he thinks he is doing wrong: and thinking it, he does do wrong: if against nothing else, he sins against his own conscience: he stands self-convicted of universal [...?]

No: he does not think any such thing: why should he?

Is any specific mischief likely to be the result of what he does? Looking out for any such mischief, he finds none. /In none would he put himself upon the [...?] [...?]/}

Is it that in a transaction of this sort there is any thing that by public opinion is condemned as wrong? /reprobated?/ is it so thought of by the highest authority? by great characters in high situations? by those who in respect of height of situation at least, are the most competent judges?

No - that it is not: of that he has the best evidence viz. their own conduct if in this instance conduct is to be received as interpreter of thought.

If in this practice there were any thing that in their opinion were wrong, it rests with them to put a stop to it /to render it impossible/ altogether. Nothing could be easier to them than to render it impossible. If while the duration of the seat were so short as not to be worth paying for votes were given in such manner, viz by ballot, that supposing a man to have received a bribe /the money/ it could not be known whether he had earnt it, under either of these circumstances much more than under both, votes never would be bought. /If the number of the voters were in each electoral district too great for the greatest quantity of the matter of corruption that could be bought./ To whom is there that this can be a secret?

Reason or authority: by one or other of these two guides every understanding so far as conduct depends upon cool understanding is on every occasion determined. Ask /Refer the matter to/ Reason there is no harm in the practice: refer it to authority, there is still no harm in it. For to what higher authority can a question be referred, than to that of King, Lords and Commons.