JB/037/084/002

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1821 Aug. 15
J.B. to Portugueze Cortes

Thus much for shortness a first conception: but explanation is indispensable. Accept from Bentham here no such meaning
as from Bonaparte. Bentham has no
muskets at command. Bentham has no Napoleons money-bags.
Force he has not any except what Reason gives him may be
thought found to give have given him. Reason in this case working on your minds. Thus force whatever may be the
amount of it will be all of it brought up, and made
to act upon your minds. From Bonaparte to accept
means to obey: from Bentham it means to hear and
cause to be heard: that and nothing more. Backed by
so many Na muskets and so many Napoleans golden images representative of himself, a Code
from Napoleon would have found as many worshippers adoring as
found contemplating minds, as spectators and whether filled with fear and
hope or free from both those passions. Such is the fascination hold witchcraft
which power wheresoever seated, operates on the mind: pain howsoever obtained and
howsoever exercised. still exercises operates on the mind

Yet more. Accept from Bentham has no such nor yet has this
phrase any such meaning as Accept from the Spanish Cortes.⊞ ⊞ Accept from the Spanish Cortes viz accept the whole or nothing. Accepting
what you accepted from the Spanish Cortes the to give you saved yourselves
from anarchy: on by no other terms means could you have done
so. You had no other choice: You could not No other could you have had,
any there was no time for it. Happy your lot to have
so good an one a choice! With the greatest happiness of the greatest
number for the declared end, and roots suffrage – virtually universal
suffrage – for the prime appointed means, a Code still more
abundant in imperfections of detail might would have been had under such circumstances
put in an irresistible claim to acceptance. I believe To few minds
can so strong a conception of those imperfections as yet have presented itself
as to mine as to mine: of power if there an intimation has already reached you. Yet with more sincerity than I do can no man say to the people – to the people Yet no one can say with more sincerity say to the
subjects of all existing Monarchies. Accept the Spanish Constitutional Code.

Identifier: | JB/037/084/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 37.
Date_1	1822-07-07	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	037	Main Headings	constitutional code rationale
Folio number	084	Info in main headings field	constitut. code rationale
Image	002	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	b8 / e8
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	11299
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