1818 April 10

Parl Reform Bill

Reasons Inserendum

III. Electors Who

Vote conferring Qualification

II. Intellectuality

People's sufficiency

Features of misrule intelligible

Senses[?] to aristocracy

17

10

But if to the existing system this consideration affords no objection, how much stronger it may be asked is the objection which it affords against the proposed system?

Oh no: no objection does it afford whatever. The more vast and unattainable the knowledge necessary to the governing these distant dependencies well, the less is th knowledge necessary to satisfy a man that at this distance they ought not to be governed at all. To depredation, oppression, tyranny, distance affords no bar whatever, nothing but facility: but to anything like a tolerable government but to any habit of government approaching to a tolerable one it presents a bar, and that in the very nature of things an insuperable one.

Read Mill's British India, there the demonstration of this truth will meet you on every page.

All Power, without /no/ obligation: such it has already been demonstrated is the universal principle of action under the existing system: no misery howsoever grievous no misery is there which the ruling few are not at all times content to produce or to suffer on the part of the subject many rather than submitt to the trouble necessary to the endeavour to put an end to it. No portion of the universal interest which they are not content to sacrifice at all times to sacrifice to any the most minute portion of personal interest: to the interest of the public - to the interest of their own case. For note well, that without any the smallest sacrifice in the shape of care, there is /exists/ not any power how enormous so ever that may not be exercised.