[clxvii. 61]

1821 March 22

Rid Yourselves

' Anti-Constitution

1. Vitiating Cortes Constitution

True it is - as in the body natural so in the body politic so it may be that of one poison the effect is counteracted and more or less done away by another. If so it be that the effect of the claim in the way of corruptive influence is as you say to place the members of the legislative body /chosen by the people/ in a state of corrupt subjection of those of the Executive department not chosen by the people, on the Ultramarian Members will this same influence be exercised as well as on the Peninsular Members.

Admitted. But for this supposed antidote the people in the peninsular what will they /their position/ be the better? In nothing: the effect will be [to] place them under the dominion of an /a domestic/ interest still more constantly interfering with their own and counteracting and overbearing it than foreign and distant interest can be. You will still be under the government of men by the amount of the effective force of corruptive influence inclinated by a particular interest opposite to your share in the universal interest.