8 Jan y 1810

Parl y Reform

Ch.17

'.4. Disreputableness

27

6

How wide the difference is between the two scales, viz. that of mischievousness according to my humble conception of it and that of disreputableness will framed upon the principle laid down or pursued by the Right Honorable Gentleman now appear /appear already/ not only from the difference in the places occupied in the two scales by the same cases {of corruption} but even from the difference in respect of the number of the degrees.

For so far as concerns the situation of Members here already, here at the second degree it will be seen, under the scale of disreputableness. For no one of the three other articles can any place be found in it.

First as to the case which on the scale of mischievousness constituted the highest degree, viz. the case of habitual Court dependence alias Ministerial dependence alias diet' which is as much as to say corrupt dependence. For this case in the black book of our Right Honourable censor morum I can not after the most careful scrutiny find any thing like a place any where.

His scale of honour or say reputableness supposing him to have constructed any such scale, is the sort of scale in which, as far as the evidence goes indications afforded by this document extend, the place for this case would /might rather/ be to be looked for, "In the election of Members to serve in this House" a proposition plainly /indisputably/ implied in this document /instruction/ if not directly asserted /declared/ is that "the virtuous and generous motives of friendship and affection" ought to have in conjunction with "the possessions of property" ... "a predominating influence.