[clxiv. 156]

1820 June 9, 18.

Emancipation Spanish

Conclusion or

?.8 Corruptive influence

King a [...?] ruler, his[?] by advice yet all excellence

Lords their opposite interests

B Non payment of taxes would if general be in a good government ruinous in a corrupt government, beneficial.

For the first 50 years of my life my notion was that he is the best citizen, who pays most /the most undiscriminating/ obedience to the laws Now of late years a distinction - (and oh what a deplorable though necessary distinction!) has forced itself into my mind. /notice./ Those by the immediate operation of which security all such security how imperfect so ever as is afforded by lawyers /laws/ is afforded to individuals - to men individually considered - security for person, property, reputation and condition in life - by rendering obedience to these laws, really existing or though but fictitious and imaginary by paying obedience to these laws title to the appellation of good citizen is really proved But to the laws, by means of which from the pockets of the many money is extracted by the ruling few and placed at their own disposal to the laws from which they derive /to which they are indebted for/ the power of making war /committing murder on the largest scale/ for the sake of depredation, and by part of the use made of the profit of depredation providing the means of more war and more depredation, proceeding thus onwards in an endless circulate - by obedience to any such laws is any title to so /that truly/ honourable an appellation proved? Alas. no: he who contributes to the giving effect to such laws, he who regards these as the consequences of a state of repletion on the part of the common treasury contributes to the perpetration of depredation and murder upon the largest scale and unless depredation and murder on the largest scale are meritorious or at any rate innoxious acts, nothing but inevitable necessity can justify him in it.