1818 Dec r. 30

Parl Reform Bill

Dialogue

Prel

Evils & Remedies

Dial. 2. Remedies

2

2

Anti-Reformist. As you please. Come then, card in hand, I proceed to call over once

more your evils, and under the head /on the occasion/ of each evil to call for such

general conception as in your judgment may for the present be sufficient of the

nature of the remedy or remedies which your scheme provides for it.

1. First then as to your Principal Election Evils: and amongst them those which

apply more directly to the situation of representative: to wit 1. Miselection. 2.

Non-Election and 3. Null Election: and in the first place Miselection: for that of

itself will, I expect find you work enough.

[marginal note:] 31 Dec r 1818. Postpone or discard what follows?

Reformist. Indeed it will. But /Mean time/ in the first place before I present to

you /bring to view/ any specific /particular/ remedy I must beg to remind you of my

three leading words – my cabalistic words you may call them if you please universality, equality, annuality: virtual universality of suffrage, virtual

equality of influence on the part of each such suffrage, and annuality of election,

i.e. annual recurrence of the faculty of substituting to a less approved a more

approved representative.

In the next place {you must allow me to include} under the head of Miselection, you

must allow me to include the election of ever so apt /good/ a representative, so long

as by a different arrangement one still more apt might have been found

/provided/.