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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Bentham to Nicholas Vansittart. - 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 Nicholas Vansittart.

“Enclosed are a few printed sheets, the impression of which I had brought on thus far, for the purpose of the communication I accordingly made of them to Mr Rose, who, in a letter from the country, dated the 5th of January last, was pleased to say: ‘I will, on my return, before the meeting of parliament, look carefully through what you have written, and endeavour to get Mr Pitt’s attention to it.’ (See above, p. 340.)

“From that time to this, I have neither addressed him by letter, nor made any attempt to obtain an interview—circumstances sufficiently obvious presenting to my mind the requisite share of attention, as altogether hopeless.

“Knowing, as I had occasion to do, how insufficient his time was to the demands continually made upon it—this, added to some other considerations, better omitted than expressed, had concurred (as I had mentioned more than once to several friends) in determining me, in the event of my being favoured with an interview on the subject, to have proposed a request on his part, to the defender of British prosperity, against Jasper Wilson and Mr Morgan, to give the plan a perusal, and report to him how far, if at all, it might be worth his notice.

“At that time I little suspected how near we were to that period (a joyful one to me on more accounts than one,) at which official was about to be added to personal competence. The immediate object of the present address is—to take this chance for learning any wish or opinion which Mr Addington, upon your statement, might possibly entertain in regard to the publication of a plan of the nature of that which is now before you. My reason is—that should it happen to be regarded as possessing any claim to notice with a view to practice, circumstances occur to me, which might perhaps be productive of regret, were it to have been previously divulged in the way of ordinary publication. Some temporary reserve might possibly be deemed advisable, in respect of the particular interests that might be affected, or supposed to be affected.

“The French Government, in the event of their regarding it as beneficial and applicable to the circumstances of that country, (an application to which I see no conclusive obstacle,) might chance to take it up: in which event, at the comparative rate of progress as between the two Administrations, meaning of course the late for one of them, the measure might have produced its fruit in that country some years before a glance had been found for it in this. The surmise about France will already have brought a smile upon your countenance, when, on turning to the name at the end of this paper, you find it too obscure to have ever met your notice; scarce, indeed, would the idea have passed the limits of my own breast, had it not been for some proofs that unexpectedly enough have just fallen into my hands,—of the anxiety with which everything that bears that name is sought after at this moment with a view to immediate practice. Whether to suppress altogether, or, if to print, whether to print for publication, or only for private distribution, (50 or 100 copies, for example;) whether there be any other commands which Mr Addington might be disposed to honour me with on the subject, or assistance to afford me upon occasion in the way of information: such are the points in regard to which I should be glad to be informed.

“The produce of the tax on country bank paper, for example, distinguishing the magnitude of the notes. The returns that have been printed,—such, at least, as have reached me,—go little, if at all, beyond the produce of the first quarter, and without any distinction. You might, perhaps, see no objection to my being furnished with any such information on that head as could be come at without too much trouble. For these six or seven months (I think it is that) the press of all, or most of these pages has been kept standing for the chance of hearing from Mr Rose,—the patience of the printer has been beyond all expectation; but I cannot depend upon the being allowed to trespass upon it much longer. The expense thus far, according to his account, has been uncommonly great, though he has not given me any information of the amount of it. The further expense of completing for publication would, I believe, hardly come within a hundred pounds. The assurance of what, in lawyers’ language is called a fair hearing, would be accepted as a good and valuable consideration for any such expense, whatever might be the result; but without some such consideration, it would be rather too great a sacrifice for a man whose property has already suffered a defalcation to about a hundred times the amount, from the confidence he was unfortunate enough to place on the good faith of some of your predecessors.

“In dismissing the topic of money, allow me, Sir, to add—unknown to you as I am—since it may help to put both of us at our ease,—that there is not trouble on the occasion of this business that I would not gladly take upon me, nor any pecuniary indemnification, not to speak of remuneration, that I would accept for it.

“Anxious to guard, according to the measure of my faculties, against the delusions to which the subject is so particularly exposed, the chief part of my time, for about these two years, has been occupied in an endeavour to sound the depths of it. The result has not been favourable to the country banks; and whatever may be the fate of the proposed government paper, I am preparing a pamphlet, to which I think of giving for a title, The True Alarm, (in contradistinction and reference to Mr Boyd’s, which appears to me to be in great measure, though perhaps not wholly, false,) or Thoughts on Pecuniary Credit,—its advantages, inconveniencies, dangers, and their remedies. By the inconveniences, I mean rise of prices, (allowance made for the still greater, but temporary effects of bad seasons.) By the danger, I mean that of general bankruptcy. By the remedy, I do not mean the suppression of paper money,—a remedy which would at once convert the danger into the height of the disease.

“The second of the two copies is sent under the notion that, in the event of your not having at present any time at command to bestow upon the plan, you might, perhaps, find a relief in consigning it to the scrutiny of so able a pen as that of Dr Beeke,* whose assistance, were he to favour me with it, would eventually be of the greatest use. Any objections or doubts that might occur to him, I should hope to be favoured with the communication of, and in a form specific enough to admit of discussion.”

Vansittart’s objections to the plan were answered by Bentham in the communication which follows:—

[* ] Dr Henry Beeke, author of Observations on the Produce of the Income Tax.