[129b-593]

27 Jan 1817

Plan Cat

Introd

Idlers

Voters[?] 1. Firm[?] or inexpedient painful seduction

2. - seduced by pleasurable d o

N.B. absentation not mischievous but in so far as that in case of pressure there would be aptitude enough to engage them to the right side

Terrorists 1. Vote compelling

2 Competition repelling

Both these sets

The mischief done by offices of profit converted into sinecures is great enough: but it is as nothing compared with the mischief done by places of power such as these – shares in the supreme power – thus converted into sinecures. In one way, and that in no small degree the money sinecurism is ever of service to reform, viz. by drawing down upon the system of corruption that hatred and contempt in the intensity and extent of which the nation beholds its only hope of safety. In the other case there is no such compensation.

Think of a man and such are at least two thirds of these men – who being invested with a 658 th share of the supreme power for such it is in effect – in a government which beholds at its feet about 70 millions of subjects in one part of the world or another – beholds at its feet about 70 millions of subjects, and by whom the only place in which any exercise can be made of it is ever visited – or so much as any idea /such conception/ entertained either by himself or any body else for him as that of his being under any obligation of visiting it, if there be any one other place in which he can find a better lounge.

A call of the House – yes,[?] once or twice perhaps in a session upon an average: and if it were ten times as frequent, what would it prove? It would prove exactly what is notorious to every body and which has here been brought to view: viz that in the exercise of this power, of this share in the virtually supreme power – all idea of trust – all idea of obligation is repelled: the general rule is written in continued[?] general practice: these are all of them cases of exception; and by every case of exception the /a/ general rule is confirmed.