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Parl. Reform 179.
What could this be? Surely this was never my opinion J.B. Parl.t Reform
Plans
I. Sharp's p.24
1. Divide the Counties into Districts: or
2. Take them whole.
Plan of a Parliamt Reform
to which is added
No House of Lords
1. Equal representation
2. Annual Short Parliamts
3. Reduction of Court influence.
4. Abolition of the H. of Lords
5. Postpone Obligation of attendance by Deposit.
6. Deputations revocable?
7. Voting on Election for Members by Ballot.
8. Voting by Parishes.
9. electoral Districts.
10. Transference of Powers of Judicature.
11. Transference of local legislation to local legislatures
12. Abolition of qualifications for Members.
13. Parl. perpetual. Each member recusable at at any time & re-eligible once in 1, 2 or 3 years or Parl. septennial?
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Short Parliaments
Obj. 1. They will
make it difficult
for foreign powers to
take measures with us.
Answer 1. We have no
need of foreign alliances
or treaties
We have nothing to
fear from any one
power whether we are
just or no – nor
from a combination
of powers unless we
beleave with manifest
injustice
Answ. 2. It will be
easier than now.
The peoples too influence
being so much encreased
Wars will depend not
as now upon the citizens
of the Court, but upon
the Campus of the .
The temper of a whole
nation is not liable
to such sudden changes
as that of a King or
a Minister: and the
changes in it are more
early deserved and more
early provided against.
Now a nation may
be plunged into a war
by the ambition of a
Minister as well as
by the delusion of the
people – then only
by the latter cause.
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Short Parliamts Advantages
1. It will diminish
Election lying.
It is worth while to
make a lie when a
man gains the effect
of it immediately, &
cannot be punished
for it till at the end
of seven years, by
which time a thousand
incidents have concurred
to it into oblivion
and the people who were
discovered by the lie a
great past are gone.
2. It will diminish the
value of Court influence.
The service of a year would
not be worth buying.
The Abuse &c p.27
Uses of a Parl. Reform
1. To facilitate
reforms in other
parts of the law.
2. To give every man
the satisfaction of a
share in government
who desires to have
it.
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Short Parliament
Obj. 2. They will
encrease idleness
and drunkenness
& riots expences of
by renewing the
occasion every year.
Obj. 3. They will
encrease the expense
of Candidates.
Obj. 4. They will
encrease the influence
of the Crown
by multiplying
the periods at which
the Country Gentlemen
are exposed
to a contests with
the Crown.
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Mischief of the present by them Canvassing
1. Want Loss of time Idling in
canvassing.
2. Drunkenness occasioned
by party meetings
3. Expence of travelling
where Electors
are to come from a
distance.
4. Riots occasioned
by the conflict between
parties
5. Expence to candidates
in printing.
6. Expences not coming
under head of
Printing – such as conveyance
of Electors from
place to place &
canvassing.
8. Election lying.
9. Influence of wealth
over in prejudice of
moral and intellectual
qualifications.
10. Prelict-boroughs
Seats at the nomination
of individuals
11. Marketable Boroughs
– Seats at the
disposal of a few
12. Denial of Election
rights to
the great body of the
people.
13. Choice of camouflages compasses
persons though
surprize affected by
of application.
14. Corrupts
of Members by reason
of the permanency
of their seats.
15. Expence of Election causes
before Parlt
16. Expence of Election causes
at Com. Law Courts.
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17. Creating divisions
in families and among
neighbours.
18. Inapt members
chosen by the influence
pf wealth on the image
a V.9.
Aristocracy – Mischief of
1. inequalities
2. Advantage given
to the incapable over
the capable.
13. Remedy
Candidates oath de non ragato
Declaration by law de
honour non obligato
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Mischiefs Rich Cyphers
The influence of
wealth would be
less were there no
canvassing. The
people are flattered
by the condescension
and flattery of such
great men.
Obj. The wealthy
are those who are
most interested in
the preservation of
the Country.
Ans.
1. No – One mans
all is as much to
him as anything.
2. The dangers mischief to be
apprehended are
not such as put the
country in first,
but they cannot the in the
non-reformation of
abuses.
3. A man would
not grudge voting
for a tax nor even
for a war if he
could get for self or
near relation a place
that would bring more
than his share of
the tax.
Nurseries for Members
Disaster-Sessions
& other meetings of
Justices as at present.
Canvassing for a
County takes more excludes
expence poor men by
the expence waste of money and men
of business by the
consumption waste of time.
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Prefat.
Good to have a
standard of excellence
to refer to
however improbable
its adoption.
Nothing good ought
to be pronounced
impracticable.
Impractibility
depends upon opinion.
Opinion in time
is influenced by
reason.
What is impracticable
today shall
be practicable tomorrow.
I have consigned
every thing that has been
written before in
speeches it all.
Cause of corruption
Obligation of being advocate for ones
own place assumed
convenience. Ex.
Burke Bristol
1. Local business
transferred to local
legislators.
2. Ballot.
3. Division of London
and the counties
amongst into several
electorates, which
divides the entrance
4. Local interests
to be argued solely
by Advocates ad
hoc.
---page break---
Buying in Borough
1. Here be bought
in his kindom.
Better so than not have it.
2. Were your daughter
in the hands of a Procuress
you would
rather bring her than
let her stay there.
But would you pay
the Procuress if you
could help it? Would
not a Habeas Corpus
appear preferable?
When Mr Burke
speaks up so strongly
for the not obedience
to the verse of his the
people he
means provided
they are of his side
way of thinking –
division to be punished.
Borough-proprietor's
rights not more
than the King's old
prerogative rights.
---page break---
Plans by others
1. Extension to the Counties
2. Buying in the Pocket-boroughs
Qualitative desiderata
1. Intellectual
2. Moral – probity
Current plans do
not remedy ones
evil.
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