1818 Decr 30

Parl Reform Bill

Dialogue III

{Prel}

II Remedies

Universality

3

3

Anti-Reformist. {Good.} /Be it so./ {Three is a ticklish number to speak of.

However} Your tread shall not be forgotten. {And as to your Miselection, good and

evil, I am sensible are as commonly considered in a comparative, as in an absolute,

sense. Nobody can refuse the appellation of evil to any arrangement by which a less

good is substituted to a greater good.}

Reformist. Well then. Now for the best possible Representative. I will tell you how

I make sure of him. Appropriate probity, appropriate intellectual aptitude, and

appropriate active talent, under these heads in the case of this as of any other

situation are included all the elements of appropriate aptitude.

Now then see what universality does for me. Applied to the

situation of Representative, universality secures to me a

choice almost unlimited. With at most one exception only /alone/ my Electors may each

set of them, choose any living son of Adam that they please. Applied to the situation

of Elector, this one word, with no limitation to it but that which is applied by the

word virtual, allows to all in whose instance there can be

any use in their participating it, the faculty of participating in this important

choice.

Anti-Reformist. Well what is this limitation to which you allude. who is it that you

exclude

Reformist. Office-bearers of every description holding respectively any office at

the disposal of the Executive branch of the government, or if you please in one word

placemen. for shortness as well as familiarity thus in the way of conversation it may

serve: though for certainty, a complete list would be indispensable.