[clx. 385]

1822 Oct 17

Constitut Code

Securities

Public Opin Trib

Sections Aristocrat

1 Interests

Hereupon comes an objection /a question/ on the other side. If then as against the /this/ insecurity good government i.e. what you call good government requires that the interests of the minority shall on every occasion have the preference, in so much that the interests of those few shall uniformly be sacrificed to the interests of the /those/ many, here then of this same community area portion and that no inconsiderable an one, that on this principle stand devoted to utter destruction

The answer is - By no means. True it is that the interests of the few are in many points hostile to the interests of the many: But, true it is not, that on any points the interests of the many is hostile /are opposite/ to the interests of the few, excepting always in so far forth as consists in /far as regards/ the interest they have in being secured against the sacrifice of their means of existence and enjoyment to cupidity of such their adversaries. /protected against depredation and oppression by the few./ Only in /by/ self preservation, not in /by/ aggression have they any interest: By aggression by every endeavour to inflict either depredation or oppression in any other shape on the ruling few, so far from being benefited they can not be in an extreme[?] degree injured, and in case of perseverance destroyed.

As to depredation, the case /reason/ is a very simple /perfectly plain/ one By depredation committed on the majority /subject many/ the ruling and influential few are capable of being every one of them /be their multitude ever so great/ enriched: and that in a high degree and for a length of time to which there is no assignable end. But by depredation committed on the ruling and influential few, it is not in the nature of things that the subject many should be capable of being enriched in any such proportion as a majority of them to any [...?] amount, and at the same time with any degree of permanence