30 Dec r 1809

Parl y. Reform

Ch.6 Parl. Corruption I. Members

'. Corruptor Course[?]

Corruption continued

3. Corruptor's[?] mind[?]

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3

If to keep the so corrupted mind /dependent member in question/ in such his[?] state of habitual corruption and corrupt dependence no act whatsoever, on the part of him by whom the situation of special corruptor where there is one is occupied, has been performed, the most delicate /nervous/ casuistry can not surely find any imputation to cast upon the probity of the Minister in this case.

But suppose some special intimation of the course which on this or that occasion it is the desire of the Minister to see taken by the supposed obsequious Member, communicated: as for example one of the common circular letters, by which a particular occasion /subject/ is pointed out, accompanied by an intimation that in the eyes of the Minister the importance of it is such as to have produced the wish of seeing a full attendance.

In a course of this sort is there any thing susceptible of any such appellation /appellative/ as wicked or immoral or wicked or unconscientious or improper or dishonest /wicked/? If so, then is it a dishonest act to become a Minister: which being admitted, a consequence is that there ought to be no such person as a Minister, and so no such state of things as government.

For doing what it is impossible he should think wrong you can never with truth be a man dishonest: nor if you could would /could/ it answer any good purpose.

But /Yet/ were the state of things produced by so extensive a state of habitual dependence has been shewn to be in a high degree innoxious to the interest of the community at large, in a high degree mischievous " a great political evil" and "a great public grievance".