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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Bentham to Speaker Addington. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 10 (Memoirs Part I and Correspondence) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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Bentham to Speaker Addington.

“Sir,—

The architectural alterations proposed for the two Houses of Parliament, recall to me an old idea, a compressed hint of which I take the liberty of submitting to your consideration.

“Debate beside the question, or even without a question, consuming a large proportion of the time of every deliberative assembly as yet known, would the simplicity and efficiency of the under-mentioned remedy, atone for the novelty of it?

“The subject-matter of debate—Motion—Address—Clause (in a Bill, &c.) to be exhibited in a situation in which it would be visible to every member in the House, in types large enough for the purpose, the matter to be composed, broken up, and recomposed, for successive motions, &c., with that rapidity which is in use among compositors for the press.

“Practicability, in respect of size and distance, was ascertained many years ago, by observations, experiments, and calculations. I found that a quantity of matter more copious than is usually exemplified in any king’s speech or address, might be made legible at the remotest station of a room much more spacious than either of the existing apartments, called Houses of Parliament.

“Supposing the principle admitted, the application of it would be susceptible of two extensions, neither of which I should expect to find capable of obtaining admittance, at least during the life of any person now living, against the resistance that might be opposed by the idea of innovation and the fear of ridicule.

“One is—a Table, exhibiting the Rules of Debate: analagous to the Table of the Ten Commandments, which we see in churches.

“Another is—a Table of the Improprieties men are liable to fall into in debate—an idea suggested by the ingenious but imperfect list of ‘Fallacies’ exhibited so long ago as in the books of school-logic copied from Aristotle.

“A wand or rod (an ensign already borne by more than one officer of state, and thereby protected against the imputation of ridicule; but in their hands an instrument of mere parade) would, in the hands of the Speaker or Chairman, be, in the case supposed, an instrument of indispensable service, by pointing to the passage or word in the Motion, &c., not attended to—to the rule infringed, or, (as it is feared,) in danger of being infringed, to the head of impropriety incurred, or, but for such aid, in a way to be incurred.

“Correction might thus be administered, or rather by timely warning, the occasion for it prevented, without interruption, and with a degree of gentleness, (not to speak of dignity,) hitherto without example.

“Under the approaching influx, a lenitive of this nature, might it not operate upon occasion as a preventive not only of ill blood, but bloodshed?

“Appropriate arrangements of the architectural kind, such as a station for the reception of the apparatus, &c., and adapted to the station of the Speaker or Chairman, &c., would be requisite: and this consideration as it has been the cause, will (I humbly hope) be accepted as an apology, for whatever might otherwise appear intrusive, in an address thus timed, from a man whose nullity for so many years in relation to the public service, has not been the result of indolence.

“Queen Square Place,Westminster,
24th July, 1800.

“To the Right Honourable the
Speaker of the House of Commons.”