JB/109/067/001

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1819 May 20

Parl. Reform or Disfranchising

Edinburgh Review
Ballot

If the ballot should be thought a less offensive mode of voting
against an individual than the voice, this slight advantage is
altogether confined to those classes of society who have leisure for
such fantastic refinements. In these cases, indeed, the efficacy of
ballot is counteracted by obvious causes. But are none such likely,
or rather sure, to act on the two millions of voters who would be given
to us by universal suffrage? Let us examine them closely. Will
the Country labourer ever avail himself of the professed means of
secrecy? To believe this, we must suppose that he performs the
most important act of his life, that which most flatters his pride,
and gratifies his inclination, without speaking of his intention before,
or boasting of his vote when he has given it. His life has no secrets.
The circle of his village is too small for concealment. His
Wife, his children, his fellow-labourers, the companions of his recreations,
know almost all that he does, and almost all that he thinks. Can
any one believe that he would pass the evening before, or the evening
after the day of Election, at his Alehouse, wrapt up in the secrecy of
a Venetian Senator, and concealing a suffrage as he would do a
murder? If his character disposed him to secrecy, would his situation
allow it? His landlord, or his employer, or their agents, or
the leaders of a party in the Election, could never have any difficulty
in discovering him. The simple acts of writing his note, of delivering
it at the poll, or sending it if he could not attend, would
betray his secret in spite of the complicated ballot ever contrived
in Venice. In great Towns, the very mention of secret suffrage
is ridiculous. By what contrivance are the public meetings
of the two hundred and fifty thousand London electors to be prevented?
There may be quiet and secrecy at the poll; but this does not
in the least prevent publicity and tumult at other meetings occasioned
by the Election. A Candidate will not forego the means of
success which such meetings afford. The votes of those who attend
them must be always known. If the Venetian Council often were
dispersed among a Westminster Mob while Candidates were speaking,
they would catch its spirit, and betray their voted by huzzas and
hisses. Candidates and their partisans committees in Parishes, Agents
in every street during an active canvass, would quickly learn the
secret of almost any man in Westminster. The few who affected
mystery would be detected by their neighbours. The evasive answer of
the ablest of such dissemblers to his favoured friend or party, would
be observably different, at least in tone and manner, from that which he gave to the enemy.

The

Identifier: | JB/109/067/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 109.
Date_1	1819-05-20	Marginal Summary Numbering	05-Sep
Box	109	Main Headings	Parliamentary Reform
Folio number	067	Info in main headings field	Parl. Reform or Disfranchising
Image	001	Titles
Category	Copy/fair copy sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	C2 / E2
Penner		Watermarks
Marginals	Jeremy Bentham	Paper Producer
Corrections	Jeremy Bentham	Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	35722
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