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Subject Area: Political Theory
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J. B. Say to Bentham. (Translation.) - 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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J. B. Say to Bentham.

(Translation.)

“3d May, 1818.

“I see with much grief, that the Panopticon constructed at Petersburg, has been the prey of the flames. When you are no more, Panopticons will be built by hundreds. Your bust will be in each; but, in the meantime, the original will be persecuted. This is the order of things; and Chamfort was right in saying, that ‘our moral world is the result of the caprices of a devil run mad.’ But for a few men like you, there would be nothing for it but drowning.”

Of the rule of the elder Bourbons, Say gives a striking picture:—

“The abettors of abuse are alone privileged to speak—to dispose of power and of money. We call them the belly of the nation. Our Civil List, which is called ‘the allowance to the Princes,’ represents only a small portion of the sacrifices which the people make to royalty. There are appanages, (revenues of national lands given to the Princes;) there are salaries for useless places and offices which they possess: the Count d’Artois, is the Colonel-general of the Swiss troops in the French service: the Duke de Berry, Colonel-general of the light troops: the Duke d’Angoulême, Grand Admiral; and large emoluments are attached to these and other titles. One portion of the royal guard is paid not by the Civil List, but by the Treasury. The revenues derived from gaming-houses do not appear in the Budget, but are paid to the Duchess d’Angoulême, on the pretence of serving her for alms-giving. A portion of the Pension List, goes to bribe the creatures of these people. The public authorities, having no real control from the self-called representatives of the nation, pays out of the public purse a host of vampires, who, far from rendering services to the State, are, for the most part, horribly pernicious to it.

“Garnier, made a Count by Buonaparte, has been made a Marquis by the Bourbons. So has Laplace—so has Fontanes; and they have deserved them, for they are obtained by baseness. The public interests have no bitterer enemies, than such corrupted and corrupting men. In fourteen years, Buonaparte managed to set aside all that was pure and honourable; and when the Allies came, there was not a public man to plead for the public. The Bourbons had the matter of corruption ripe and ready at their hands. Beware of French reputations. You would be astonished at the stuff out of which they are made.

“Persecutions are raging against the press. Our judges would decree that the sun rises at noon, if the court wished them to do so. Dunoyer is put into prison at La Force, to be transferred to the Chouans at Rennes, for his ‘libel.’ The said Chouans being judges and parties. Comte* has concealed himself—a dozen of the first houses of Paris offered him an asylum. It was, who should have him.”

Among the exiles of the Spanish Revolution, and one of the most distinguished of the supporters of Joseph, was Cambronero. He was brought to the notice of Bentham by Lady Bentham, in a very interesting account of their acquaintance at Toulouse, where Sir Samuel was then staying, on which Bentham immediately wrote to M. Rivadavia, the Minister and former President of Buenos Ayres, entreating him to engage Cambronero in the service of that Republic. Rivadavia promised to do everything that depended on him. Of the representatives of South America in this country, Rivadavia was the man of whom Bentham thought the most highly. He professed Utilitarian principles, and was occupied for some time in translating the works of Bentham into Spanish, but the translation has never seen the light. Cambronero rejected the proposals made to him. He thought there would be no forgiveness for a Spaniard who should attach himself to the American Independents.

In that active spirit of benevolence which distinguished Bentham—which was limited to no locality, nor to any particular class of men, but which rather embraced all countries, and all mankind, he addressed the following Proposal to De Witt Clinton, dated 29th September, 1818:—

[* ] Charles Comte, who married Say’s daughter. A well-known political writer. He and Dunoyer were prosecuted in the same indictment for seditious writings.