8 Oct 1809

Parl. Reform Necessity

Burke on present Discontents – References to Passages in.

1

General proscription of official men by Bute. p.21.

2.

Discussion carefully fomented. p.32

3

King virtually absolute. + p32

4

Grant of D. of Portland’s Estate. + p33.

5.

Sandwich persuaded to peach Wilkes. p34

6

Repts.[?] Midx. George’s Fields. Opening of the Parl t p35.

7

Confidence exclusively given to subordinates.

8

Subordinates draw majorities from their superiors in Parl t. p.36.

9.

Subordinates maintain office in spite of their superiors – Superiors sacrificed to

them. p37

{10 K.1

King’s men or friends – Double Cabinet. p.37}

11

Written A o 1768 p38

{12 K2

Blame laid not on Brute but on the system – i.e. the King. p39}

13 K3

Favoritism the Grand Mischief. p40

Mischiefs 14. K.4

Choice of Ministers in the King: a grievance. p41

{ Mischiefs 15. K.5.

King sh d have no choice of men or measures. p41}

16

Mischief of all sorts & degrees may be done by ministers without exposing

them to punishment. p.42

{ Popular[?] waste[?] 17 K.6

King’s personal power sho d be = 0. p.43}

{18 P.

People should have a virtual negative to nomination to offices as King has to laws.

p.44}

{19 K7

Insulated[?] men should not be suffered in office because dependent on the King.

p46.}

{ Mischief 20 K8

Mischievous that the King sh d appoint the Ministers p.47.}

{ Dependence 21 P2

Interposition of substantial Yeomanry called for. p.50}

22

Anxious incapacity of King’s friends make them afraid of just war. p52.

{ 23 P3

Good men hope better things from temporary confusion than from established servitude.

p.57}

24 G.3.

All the circumstances of the reign melancholy proofs of bad governm t. p.62

25. G.3.2

King takes an interest in giving uneasiness to his people. p.63

26 G.3.3

Subordinates dear to King as they are odious to the people. p.64

{ Dependence 27 P.4

Per Burke. H. of Commons letter democratical than dependent. p67 }

{ 28 P.5.

H. of Commons sh d h a controul, not upon but for, the people.

p.68}

{ Dependence 29 P.6 | 2

Worst corruption in the H. of Commons independence as ag t the

people. p69}

30 P Ro 1.

Per Burke: principle of Parl t totally corrupted, Lets end

defeated. p69

31 R Ro 2

Septennial Parliaments necessitated by Election disorders. p.70

See 40. p.95

32 Lords

Impeachm t in danger of being lost. p.71.

33

Executive functions being participated in by H. of C. its use as a check is lost. p71

Dependence 34. P.7 | 1

H. of Commons no controul, useless in so far as controuled by their Representatives.

p80.

35.

Subject of incapacities in an arbitrary state. p81

36

Judge-made law reprobated. p81

{ Dependence 37 R C H

H. of Commons must quite[?] be always dependent either on Court or people. p.85}

38

King’s debt – civil list debt – no debt of the Nation paid by Parliament as[?] p91.

39

Civil list expenditure arbitrary standard substituted to legal. p.92

40 C. P.R.

Parl t declared to be the best support of arbitrary power that

ever was invented – if things happened – than which more important have now actually

happened. p.94

41 P.R.

Short Parliaments reprobated – See 31. p.70 p95

42 P.R.

Removal of placemen d o. p.95

43 P.R. Influence

Influence by place defended. p.39.

{ Cas. Interp 44 P.8

Casual interposition of y e people recommended. p100}

45 C

Distempers of Monarchy, the mischief in the last century – in this the distemper of

Parl. t p.100

46 P 9

Schemes for everything the controul of Electors upon Representatives. p.100

Mischief dependence 47

Impotent administration […?] to Kings interest – not fit for y e

governm t. p.101

48 C

Dependence of Commons abject. p.101

49 C P.9

Dependence on the people, tho’ awful honourable. p.102

{ Mischief 50 K.10

King pretending to have any power incompatible with public peace & good

gov t. p.103}

{ 51 P.10

Exhortation to Electors to contribute by their Votes to the extirpation of King’s

men. p.104}

52

Open declaration of Bute ag t political connection. p.105

In 55. p.112

53

Fallacy – never may barbarism plus sages guiles[?] sages. p108

54

Party eulogistic definition of. p110

55

Not measures but men supported – The contrary reprobated. See 52. p.105. p112.

Mischief dependence 56 P.11

Exhortation to resist the will of the King p117

Dependence 57 P.R.

Exhortation to restore the constitution to original principles, & to the

people to keep the House dependent on themselves. p117

Dependence 58 K.11

Choice of the people ought to determine King’s choice of Ministers. 118.

59 K 12 P.12

No alternative between Kings dependence on the people and despotism. p118.