1818 May 15

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

VIII Penal Securities

Electioneering lying

7

1

Another difficulty with which the subject is encumbered is that which regards the

species of misconduct, so unhappily unfrequent in practice, so unhappily unprovided

with all preventive legal remedy – so compleatly unprovided with any single-worded

name, but of which by the two words Electioneering lying

/falshood/, some general conception may be conveyed.

The mischief thus brought to view shall it be suffered to remain altogether without

so much as an attempt to provide a remedy? the species of misconduct thus brought to

view shall it remain altogether in a state of /covered under the protection of/

impunity? If so, against how powerful how unhappily frequent, and frequently how

unhappily successful a cause of Miselection must the public interest remain

undefended?

On the other hand behold how the difficulties under /with/ which the endeavour to

provide a remedy of the penal class has to struggle.

Under this denomination will be seen to be enclosed the following division. 1.

Electioneering lies of the defamatory cast. 2. Electioneering lies of the laudatory

class: 3 Miscellaneous electioneering lies tending to give birth to the mischief in

question, viz. Miselection.

Under the head of defamation come Electioneering lies of

the defamatory cast. But to the head of defamatory belongs by far the most extensive

and the most important part of libel law: that branch of the law, by which what

remains good /little remains undestroyed/ of the Constitution is under continual

danger of being swept pushed down into the very bottom of the hulk[?] of

despotism.