[Copyist's hand]

1818. Nov r. 14.

Parl Reform Bill

Reasons

'.2. Electors who

Universality

Kingship unjustifiable

2

Meantime oppression encreased beyond all power of endurance. Opposition began to form itself and a mode of Speech became necessary to help on and justify it. The King's affections and intentions were still divine: to question their being so would have been libellous: and being so, would to the questionner have been ruinous. To compleat the equality of this King of Men with the King of Kings one attribute however was found to be wanting to wit the incapacity of being deceived. Upon search made into ancient records a discovery was even made of instances in which he had actually been deceived: so incontestably deceived that with his own consent and concurrence certain Ministers & Counsellors of his as and for the having deceived him, had been punished.

Under favour and in pursuance of this discovery this or that distinction as occasion came to require were taken. The King's will or mandate was always to be obeyed except when it was by evil counsellors that it had been produced and then it was to be disobeyed: for, when it was contrary to law or what was the same thing to the interest of the people the King's mandate was not the King's mandate but the Mandate of those evil Counsellors. The King's authority was never to be resisted: for it was the King's authority. But, so it were upon great occasions, and upon inevitble necessity by authority of Parliament the King's person might be resisted: for, on such occasions it was only by resistance offered to his sacred person that his sacred authority could be preserved.

Here may be seen the general complexion of these shifts. To the number and variety of the phrases in which they are clothed there would be no end.