JB/087/170/004

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52

Indirect

Corpus delicti
Instruction
Publish accounts

When I say that accounts should be public, I
mean as public as [they can be made] any
thing can be: as public as a large court-room,
open doors, and the operations of the press can
make them: that the voucher claims and vouchers
to be judged of, and as well as the minutes of what passed
while they were judging, should both be upon paper:
the claims and vouchers first; that the eye of the
world may be upon the judges at that stage of the business at
which it will may be most useful: that they who
have not the "world's law" to check fear stand in awe of may have the
world itself, to stand in awe of: and they who have
no other political check upon them may [have the sense of
honour.] be bound to their duty by the pride of integrity
and the fear of shame.

When I say that accounts should be public
I mean not in commonwealths only but under
the purest monarchy. For [what King master man is there who
can see every thing with his own eyes? or] what master or is there whose interest it is
to have his servants cheat him?

In looking out for exceptions, I can figure
to myself but two: the one respecting turning upon the expence
of the publication: the other upon the nature secrecy of the service
on which the articles were expended. You It would be idle
to print the accounts of every little parish: because as many
people might have access to the written account books as would care for
it: and because the expence of printing would exceed the difference
between the utmost possible oeconomy and the utmost possible profusion.
You must not think of printing the accounts of secret service-money: if you
do

Identifier: | JB/087/170/004 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 87.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering	10
Box	087	Main Headings	indirect legislation
Folio number	170	Info in main headings field	indirect
Image	004	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	4
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f49 / f50 / f51 / f52
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks	[[watermarks::gr [crown motif] [britannia with shield motif]]]
Marginals	jeremy bentham	Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	27695
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