2 Jan y 1810

Parl. Reform

+ '.3

Influence

Ch 14 II Electors

'.3. Opposite Scales

9

3

Such is the order in which the three cases stand in order of mischievousness if constructed upon my principle. And /But/ already on the scale of mischievousness as constructed upon the principle /principles employed/ brought out by the Right[?] Honourable and Official hand, it must already have been suspected at least if not perceived, that the order is exactly the reverse /reversed/.

1. At the top of the scale stands the case of the open borough. I mean the[?] case of every open borough in which it happens to the freedom of the Electors to experience any sort of disturbance: {and in particular from that sort of disturbance to which it is most exposed, and which is called bribery.} /in any occasion undue influence comes in any shape to be exercised to exercise itself: and in particular in the shape of bribery, which if the number of the Electors be to a certain degree considerable, is the only shape in which in /to/ any considerable extent it in general can be exercised./

Here in the first place is the dry and sordid gain. To a "taint and contamination" of this same sort, true it is, that the close borough is also exposed. But in the first place the number of parcels in which in the case of the open borough the dry and sordid matter may be seen dropping down is to the amount of many times it is difficult /not easy/ to say how many times as great. 2. Then comes the " scandal": which {as already observed} could not /scarce/ be greater if the votes were " advertised for sale by Public Auction."