20 Sep 1809

Parl y Reform

2 o

Ch.1. Elections Voting

10

6

The voter's inclination (it may be said) might be having in favour of the unfit candidate: and at /yet by/ the same time the /by/ fear of public opinion, by the [...?] apprehended in the event of his being known to give his vote in favour of so unfit a man, he may under the system of publicity be engaged to resist this inclination and give his vote in favour of the fit candidate.

But by the supposition the number of Electors is very considerable /extream[?]/: say for example, and to fix conception, not less than two thousand. and unless under the /some/ expectation of success, which can not be unless the majority say at the least 1000 be on the side on which his inclination bade him to vote, he will not give his vote at all which ever of the two be the mode in use. But if under the open mode his expectation be that he shall have /of his having/ a thousand persons at least on his side, his situation can scarcely be said to be that /of that sort/, in which the public opinion will according to his conception pass condemnation on the part he takes in the giving of his vote; of his co-electors he expects by the supposition the /a/ majority to the amount of this large number to give him support and countenance not only /merely/ by their secret opinions, but by the opinions publicly[?] declared by their votes. With this number on his side /to give him /for his/ support and countenance/, it will not be easy /very natural/ for him to expect to find the least to take [...?] by the community at large: and even if he does /should he even/ entertain any such expectation /apprehension/, assured of such support and /sympathy and/ countenance from those that are near him, the apprehension of the disapprobation of those that are at a distance will scarcely give him much trouble.