1820 Feb. 16

Radicalism not dangerous

III.

II. Ireland

2

Despotism may have place without actual tyranny but despotism may not have place without its […?] […?] […?] of it.

When despotism has place no feeling of security can have place.

Text or Note continued

A /The/ bond which those who are bound by it have it in their power at all times to free themselves from at pleasure are never[?] to their volume[?] it is represented as a security be any thing better than a sham security. No better than a sham is that security which is supposed to be assured[?] by Juries. […?] or admitting the desire of the Juries either is or at any time at their pleasure may be in the hands of those against whom /opposing[?] on whose part/ it is represented as being - affording security. Proposing[?] one difficulty to be experienced in the situation of Juries sufficiently obsequious, Ministers now in existence have no more to do than in England than what these same Ministers actually did in Ireland, to do so far as concerns fine and imprisonment without that which they […?] in use to do in Ireland - namely to proceed by attachment without Juries. Even[?] against less /destruction of/ whatsoever[?] security has been supposed /is pretended/ to be afforded by Jury trial is a mere name /no better than sham/. Suppose it the pleasure of the Monarch of the country to put me to death without form[?] of /by/ trial. He has but to give order to any man or set of men for that purpose, by stables[?], by shooting[?] by a parlous course of testing[?] taken is in prison, as by a course of more intense testing[?] under the name of torture or by half hanging or […?]. If prosecuted /In case of prosecution/ the perpetrator (for ease of conception suppose but one) either a Nota prosequi is offered, or a pardon is granted at any time: or to save trouble and reputation of infamy, those things are done to any extent, thereupon comes a bill of universal indemnity, and so likes[?] […?]. Now /But/ t’other day a proceeding by which one called appeal in case of murder &c was still in existence. By this proceeding a security in some sort how soever inadequate and depending on contingencies was afforded against loss of life by order of the Monarch and his dependants. And[?] T’other day it was that was that that security such as it was was at this one […?] taken away like every title for that purpose which of itself prevents itself or for name[?].