19 November 1821

Codification Proposal

J.B. to People

The answer is - to the production of this determination several considerations have contributed

1. Though by favour of the encouragement already rendered if life and faculties continue, the wish will be accomplished /sooner or later be executed/ yet without such encouragement as a /nothing but/ definitive acceptance from the competent authority in some one political state at least can afford, the work to be ------- but not to be executed if executed at all either so promptly or so well. -- --- and seemly(?) the current of the blood runs slow: something is necessary, something from without, to quicken it. Be the wish what it may, a proposal is some drain --- the work itself: and between proposal and --- --- ---- --- it ---- been so ---- as in the primary(?) instance.

2. From the Constituted authorities of /competent authority in/ different states in instances more than one should acceptance come, in fresh ----- would by every such acceptance be applied, in fresh supply of vigour and energy bestowed /furnished/ and it will be seen that supposing the work to ------- expectation(?) the greater the number of governments the laws of which have this one common basis the greater will be the benefit from such a bond of union be to each.

3. Of acceptance, from any government a natural consequence is the familiarity the author with such documents as may serve to render him so much the better informed of /acquainted with/ their appropriate circumstances by which with reference to the work in question the condition of the country is distinguished from that of other civilised states: and the more particular the information of the sort received, the more particular may be the provision made for it in the arrangements of the /contained in any/ proposed code.

For case of application made of the proposed work to the local circumstances of Spain great for example is the assistance that would be afforded by a document which the author has before him, namely the authoritative(?) proposed Penal Code.