28 Dec r 1809

Parl y. Reform

Ch. Members

'.6. II Corruption continued

Corrupting individual

1. Mischief to public

3

But to the patron it may happen also to be independent. And in that case where is the mischief to the public? Answer - None at all.

The incumbent being dependent on the patron pursues all along the line of conduct prescribed to him by the patron. That line of conduct is it throughout correct, such as is prescribed to him by a regard to the duties of his trust? /support in all good measures, and good motions, oppositive or corrective to all badness?/ In such case /On this supposition/ the arrangement is not merely not noxious - it is in a degree proportioned to the assiduity and talents of the incumbent beneficial to the public. Of any case that can happen this is the most desirable.

Now let the bond of dependence be of that boon[?] kind which is constituted by gratitude. For determining whether the arrangement be pernicious or beneficial to the State, the leading principles are still the same. His dependence being less strict, the line of his conduct admitting of the correspondent modifications /variations/. Sometimes on the independent side of probity and independence sometimes he may on the side of corrupt dependence. In either case the assiduity of his attendance admitts of as many degrees as there are days of sitting in the parliament, and multiplied by the number of the questions put to the vote in each day of sitting.