JB/038/154/001

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1823. April 18
Constitut. Code

Ch.1. Ruling principles.
§ 6. Course here taken – its efficiency and undangerousness

1.
Vainly would inefficiency
or dangerousness be
alledged. For disproof of
both, U.S. example suffices.

2.
In essentials, the principles
of that Consitution
are the same with these.
Fundamental principle,
omnipotence of the many:
of those by whom
all possessors of operative
power are immediately
or unimmediately
located or dislocated.
Thus without an operative
power they have
the whole Constitutive.

3.
By this omnipotence,
exemption from almost
all evil of misrule has
been produced: no evil
in any shape.

4.
While in all other Governments
the evils
from misrule have been
intense, multitudinous,
uncontrovertible and
destined to encrease
till the Governments
have been dissolved.

5.
Imperfections remaining
in it are for example.
1. Negroe slaves to whites.
2. Now lawyers a prey
to lawyers for want of a
determinate rule of action
elsewhere than in Constitutional
Law.
3. Complication, disturbing
transparency.

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Ch.1. Ruling principles.
§ 6. Course here taken – its efficiency and undangerousness

6.
But 1. No evil is there
but such as without
change in the Constitution
may be and will
be easily removed:
2. None which exists not
in greater degree in all
the other states.
3. While in none of them
can any considerable
evil be removed, without
substituting to theirs
a Constitution grounded
on this principle of the
omnipotence of the many.

7.
Not the less universal
is the principle of
self-preference. But
where the Government
is in the hands of all,
or what is equivalent,
the effect of this principle
is the sacrifice of
opposing particular interests
to the universal
interest – not as elsewhere,
do. of the universal
to the particular interests.

8.
Promoting his own to
the injury of other interests,
every man finds
every other opposing him
if not to their injury,
still more if to their advantage
he finds everybody
assisting him.

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Ch.1. Ruling principles.
§ 6. Course here taken – its efficiency and undangerousness

9.
Whatever is conducive
to the four subordinate
right and proper
ends of Government,
Viz – maximization of the
aggregate of subsistence,
abundance, security and equality,
is promotive of the
happiness of all without
being in any thing less to an equal
degree from
their happiness.

10.
Thus it is that even from
this principle of self-preference,
no such evil results
in this of
Constitution as in all others.
By it, the whole mechanism
is kept in proper
order: it does everything
it was made for: everything
that is desired of
it.

11.
Now as to professions and
boasts of purity of motives.
In U.S. debates & descriptions,
little or neither of these
is heard.

12.
Causes of this silence.
1. No demand for them.
No misrule to make
and attempt to disprove.
2. No credence would be
given to them.

Identifier: | JB/038/154/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 38.
Date_1	1823-04-18	Marginal Summary Numbering	1-12
Box	038	Main Headings	constitutional code
Folio number	154	Info in main headings field	constitut. code
Image	001	Titles	ch. 1 ruling principles / course here taken - its efficiency and undangerousness
Category	marginal summary sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	d7 / e1
Penner	john flowerdew colls	Watermarks	j whatman 1821
Marginals		Paper Producer	john flowerdew colls
Corrections	jeremy bentham	Paper Produced in Year	1821
Notes public		ID Number	11791
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