JB/060/066/004

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In regard to the testimonials from Spain, a few words of explanation may perhaps
be requisite. Assured of the place, which, by means of those works of mine that are
in French, I had possessed in the opinion of the liberals of Spain, the Revolution presented to me what
seemed a favourable opportunity for giving completion and effect to the design explained
in those works. In the Constitutional Code of Spain, the greatest happiness of the greatest
number is, by Arts. 4 & 13, the declared ultimate and all-comprehensive object of the form
of Government thereby constituted. For nearer 60 than 50 years, it had, in my view, been
the only legitimate ultimate and all comprehensive object of any Government. Having had
occasion to form a plan for a somewhat new species of paper money, a plan which had
found acceptance with a the competent authority in the Government here, which acceptance
had however been suddenly made to cease by a cause which I had fully anticipated, viz. namely the assurance
of an insurmountable resistance on the part of the particular and sinister interest
of the Bank of England,—seeing at the same time, what every body was seeing, the afflicting scarcity
of money on the part of the Spanish Government, — the pecuniary object, which, in my view, was
in comparison of the all comprehensive one a minute object, might (I thought) help perhaps to
pave the way for the accomplishment of the that major one. For a correspondent in Spain, I had an eminent
literary and political character, Joseph Joachim de Mora, Editor at that time of the Daily
Paper entitled "El Constitucional." To him I gave instructions on the subject, expressing my desire
to obtain favourable acceptance, at the hands of that Government, for an all-comprehensive proposed
Code of Law: making mention at the same time of the paper money, and saying, that, if necessary
to that major object, I should not be disinclined to the employing my endeavours on the adapting
to the Case of Spain the species of paper money I had contrived for England. Whether, of
the connection I had thus established between the one design and the other, any intimation was
given by M. Mora, to his Government, I know not: what I know is, that not long after came
from him a letter copying (as it said) a letter to him from the Finance Minister Canga Argüelles,
expressing his satisfaction a the proposal, & thanking him for the communication of it.

Accordingly came to me in process of time, thro' the Spanish Mission here, a Letter(see A.1)
from the Principal Secretary to that Embassy, the Chevalier Diego de Colomb, mentioning his having
received from the Catholic King's Finance Minister, a commission for treating with me on that
subject, extract of which Commission his letter quotes.

In opposition to this my address to you a consideration which can scarcely fail to present itself
to any person, & more especially to a person in your situation, is — the notion of incompetency
— radical and incurable incompetency — on the part of every foreigner, as such, with reference
to such a work. How natural soever upon a first glance; — so far from affording any the slightest
presumption of incompetency, this very circumstance has presented itself to me as being,
all other circumstances equal, an efficient cause of superior aptitude.

I will not here insist on examples drawn from history — on the Mission sent by ancient
Rome to Athens, on the occasion and for the purpose of that Code, the matter of which
formed the contents of the 10 Tables:— or, on

Identifier: | JB/060/066/004 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 60.
Date_1	1821	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	060	Main Headings	codification proposal (codification offer)
Folio number	066	Info in main headings field	1821 proposed letter from jb to o'higgins supreme director of chili not sent - being superseded may 1822 by the printed codification proposal
Image	004	Titles
Category	copy/fair copy sheet	Number of Pages	4
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f1 / f2 / f3 / f4
Penner	john flowerdew colls	Watermarks	c wilmott 1819
Marginals		Paper Producer	andreas louriottis
Corrections	jeremy bentham	Paper Produced in Year	1819
Notes public		ID Number	19624
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