The National Register. — London, England, 1817-05-26 00:00:00

MAY 26. alienation of the Commons from their constituents; and bow conk! it hi• o therwise, when the people rund tog down to that noese Nish statements ot their L:rieyarres, u ere met by bill. of‘eyerity ? The advocates tor r.forool were neither few tool „mote,' among then, Chatham tool Pitt. nioimportain ; they Rorke, although he 10.00 l been alarmed Woo opinions contrary to those ct'a previono.ly lime life, ha 1 lift behind hi m smo ',. remarkable °loser% atimos ono the impolite nature I,t' the I loose trf Coonoarons.--Belo Sir Francis Burdett read a low; pas sage from Jr. Borke's works, the sobstanee of which na , , that the Flown. of Common's was a runt rood fur the people and not ozo i dt i them; and that it nookd be better that the House s o or od be 11(•.V aml obezo seized with an epidemic phrenzy in imnpalloy with the people, than that it should be estiamted from them. 'Vise !loon. Horonet conehoded by moviole, That n Select Committee be appointed for the purpose of a general enquiry into the ,dlegatiots of the petition .if 1793, partici ! . lnoic as to the influence exercised by Pecos in the election* of Inlf milers of that Hons.." Mr. BRAND seeonded the motion. Sir JOHN NientiLf. rose to state the groneds of his objec thin to making aoy alteration in she cosistit union. Those who proposed it Were, he said, hound to whew the evils of the pre sent system of representation. There might be sonic small evil attendant on it, 13111 lie wonlil enquire what were the be nefits we at present enjoyed tinder it, and then he witild ask -whether those small e, its could b^ removed without endan• Kerins those h"nefits? That the nation dill enjoy great bene fits, few would be found to deny; that the coostituti (((( did produce much happiness to those who lived under it, he need not attempt 10 establish by argument. (Hear, hrur;)—And before blessings of this ina :nitittle were put to risk, h 01011 ght the House ought seriously to pause, especially when it was considered that the constitntion was not a simpl e mac hi ne . but one that required to he manageii and altered with the greatest ditficulty. A rude and unskilful hand might bring it to a stop and to destruction. (//cur, !kyr ! 1-- This the House knew, that nt present it worked well. (Ifear!)—% h a t, h e would ask, worked snore admirably than the trial by jury the iiiiperfeetion of which, however, might be, that one ob stinate person might starve the rest into unanimity. l'he present system had the argument arising from experienre in its favour. •- parliament for its wisdom should have men of the greatest talents, bir its information it should have com tuereial men, professioral mess, and members cf the army sod navy--and w•as not this the way in whirls the Horse was at Kett:nit eaustittfted , And Is id not boroughs brought into the House as ediglee•ued members as those of more popular representation? (Hear!) —At present all the interests of the -state erne well balanced, and even the very lowest classes of society, though having no nominal representation, hail their interests as fairly attended to as it' ever so much reps e sented. Nay, in latter times, it had been au object of the House to take oil the burden of taxation from the poor, though it fell the heavier on the higher classes. The constitntion worked by two great pasties, one having confidence in the Yr:vecutive (overnment, and the other beiag composed of those members who watched it with an 11044111 jealousy. The. Hon Baronet had not proposed ally thing specific, bet vari ous theories were afloat, the greater part of which went to the extent of demanding universal suffrage. This was going, much farther than hail ever been proposed to the House be fore. This was going •h farther than had ever been pro posed to the 1101151. before. This system would demi Ity the preponderating influence of• rank and property ; and if this branch was desire.) ell all the rest would billow, and the end would be res•olutionary anarchy and military despotism. It was to be recollected, that the tpiestion of reboil' was in dif fereet hands out of doors to what it was in 1782, or even in lilt:. And looking at the chat acter of reformers, amongst other reasons, he thought it better to submit to a trifling evil than t isilanger the loss of a certain good. The influence of the Crown had not been on the increase, indeed there were not above half the persons connected with it by office, that there were less than a century ago. The introduction of any change would pot to hazard the safety of the constitution, which had grown up out of the wisdom of ages, and become endeared to us by the perils and dangers of tweni) -live years, and by the prosperity and happiness, which after all it haul left us in possession of', and he should, therefore, give his decided opposition to the motion. ( //ear, hear!) Lord COCHRANE observed, the Hun. Bart. had said, that all interests were represented in that House, but he had for got to advert to an influence which might preponderate over all those interests—that of the owners of• boroughs, whose po litical inclinations must necessarily he consulted by those who were sent into that House by them ; fur, said the Noble Lord, are we st all ages pure ? Hear !) Corruption would des troy itself; it was like it dead carcase, the maggots would cat it up. (Laughing I) "11 c are the maggots of the cus:stiW• lion." (Laughing!) " There is nothing of wickedness bi t what may he found here—bribery, corruption and perjury." ((great cries 1•0* hear! hem•!) If the !louse was not reformed, be considered that the country WAS lost as an independent cation. Mr. CURWEN supported the motion. Mr. W.tutn comic Tuned as most pernicious—most danger ous—the measure which the Hon. Baronet proposed, With. out imputing to that lion. Baronet any sinister motive. Ills view of a motion for Parliamentary Reform, was as a motion for revolution—a motion which *cut to change the frame of the Government, and the old established fabric of the Consti• tiation—( a:.) --to destroy that finest, if not the milv eflecti%e system of rule the world had ever known for the happiness and freedom of the human race. The attack was not easy— nothing a ;is more simple than to tell the people th, y were not represented. (Hear, hear !) This wits language, a hich. how ever illogical, could not fail to please a certain portion of the people. It would be a proposition equally palatable, that they ought to be represented, to. whoever talked of right was sure of a favourable hearing. But to defend tic Constitn lion as it exists, to relate and expose the imputations cast upon it; and to appreciate the value of such argument when used—the-se were operations of the mind which demanded (and he did hot say so from any feeling of presumption or of insolence) a certain degree 4.f reflection and of education. He *mild t hevish that constitution which enabled the !attire to resist the current of public mischief, and public clanger, *hick gave the people time to reflect 'lron th. ir si tuation, awl retrace their steps, without having sutierml from their own tit-stakes. Reform ill Path: nt !! Who heard of Reform three wars ago, as a measure of the least interest to the people i ho world hear of it three yearn hence ( Ilear, ks or ! ) The lion. Baronet carried his researches as far back as the Norman connuest. The authority, however, of that pi-tied, was rather unfortunate fur his argument; f then it was pretty clear, that an assembly of the Commons of the !Gitlin wan unknown. The great council of the natiou was formed exclusively of the Nobles. He could not con ceive therefme, that the law, or the practice of annual meet ings miller William, the Nllllllllll, could go far in convincing the Hum of the legality or expedkucy of a ,Refutui in the THE NATION.% REGISTER. Comennus House of Pailiteinclt at the present day. (Mar, ar Animal Parliaments, in the lauguar,e ana intent of the ancient law, meant only animal meetings •.f parliament. such was the e a n s titietioii of 0111' forefoiliers, and upon that ground lie would readily argue the question. lie would con tend for the wu•ient constitution of our forefathers, and if he were told that it w•as unrensonable that the county of Rut land should equal that of York, that Gallon should repeal Bristol, lie would ear, • if this be absurd, it is the ahstirelity of nor not ours ;'lt is the constitution, and must therefore stand unmoved.' ( Hear, hear.) The reformers weli knew the revereuee• of the English people fur their ancient laws, and this is the vet y !lottery which they have eontimially directed agniest the people, representing as the ancient con. stitntion of this country, what was nothing but a new (angled system of theirs—a monstrous innovation ! Why was their whole force directed against the House of Commons ?—Why were there no objections to the House of Lords? That House was the only member of the constitution which they assailed. If their system were agreed to, what days of hap piness ! No armies, no glories, no Wellingtons, no corrupt miderstanding between dif f erent branches of the legislature. •I'lie golden age would return with the realized visions of re form! These were their joyful dreams; but he apprehended far different revolts. lie did not intimate that any thing could drive Englishmen into the horrors of revolutionary France ; but he could not help pointing out this disastrous example of universal suffrage to the House. He would as soon part with the county of York, as with Old Sarum, even for the sake of popular liberty. How did Mr. Fox get a seat, when he lost his election for Westininster ? ( /lear!l He was not ag. l ;i t st innovation, where he saw the fair condition of inno ation—actual grievance, and a chance of improvement ; hot without that lie most support the constitution, which one forefathers purchased and transmitted to us by their blood.— (Thar. ) . . . Sir S. Rositt.t.v replied at considerable length. LAMB denied that the authority of lir. Burke could he adduced in favour of a Parliamentary Reform, such as was now sought for, as many passages of his a orks would clearly demonstrate. For himself, he deemed stadia measure totally uncalled for, nor would he canvass for a sail) popularity, by giving Ilia opinion in support of those doctrines which believed in his consrienee were destined only to flatter and at the same time to &aide the people. (hew, hear.) A suffi cient distinction was not taken between what gas sought fm from preredent, and what Seas sought fur a novelty; and lie for one could not consent to begin a measure, milts, the way was phtinly and derisively chalked out before him. Ile could nit consent to be bound up for a time, as an Hon. Gent. had ....pressed it, and subsequently let loose no one knows where. In discussing this subject, it was generally assumed, that the petition presented to the House for Reform in 1793, was a document of unquestionable authority. That he for one, was by no means disposed to concede. Among other statements, it is set forth, that 308 members were sent into the House of Commons, by the iiilluence of Noblemen. But if true, he would ask whether the term influence ought to he taken in a bad sense? Was it not natural that persons of great pro- perty, of hereditary reputatims, and of high individual respec tability, should has e some weight in the counties to which they belonged; and if from the esteem with which they were thought of, some of their friends were returned to represent those counties, was it to be considered as the effect of a cor rupt Mid illegal influence?—tlieur, hem!) It' a man came, into the house with the view of foreiug upon them his own obstinate opinions, and by the aid of his friends pressed the Ministry for patronage, and turned it to his own purposes, lie admitted nothing, entail be more degrading. Many, however, of the greatest men who sat in that House, originally apps ared there as members fin what were called close boroughs, among wh were Burke, Pitt, and Windham. He concluded a ith saying, that if the Pleasure were approved of by the House, and produced all the great consequences expected from it, no person would rejoice at it more than himself; but until be saw a greater probability titan lie could at present perceive of its utility, he could not give it his support.— (Hear!) Mr. TIERNEY said, that the only argument he hail ever heard against parliamentary reform resolved itself into this : • All things were well as they were, anti that is well known," (a laugh)- - -but the fact still was, that the people remained unrepresented so long as a peat majority of the House aas returned by so small a 1111111110 - of persons. He did not go so I far as to expect theoretical perfection in the state of the re ' presentation; but he thought it could not he controverted that time had made several inroads upon the representative system, and he hoped it was yet practicable to repair them. (War, hear, hear!) He had indeed changed his opinion as to the probalulitv of success attending any plan which would be o ff ered to the . House for operatical or general and radical change in the system ; but he believed that it could, and he was sure that it ought to be done by degrees. He considered it a great grievance that the monied interest of this country had it in their power to get themselves into parliament by the force of their wealth, and to have a map,' ity of members in that House. This was a dreadful evil, that a man alto had made a fortune by a lucky thin of a loan, should have the power of possessing an influence in that House superior to that of the first load-omit , ' in the country —t hear!)--He was altogether hostile to the proposed plan of universal suffrage and minuet parliaments. But that was no reason ahy the state of the representation should not be ioquired into by a Committee. Lord Ilit,ToN thought that no ease had been made for al tering the• constitoot:ou of the ii.mse ut• Commons as it now stood; and there Moe lie must oppose the present motion. The gn•stiou was now loudly called fur, soul the House di%itleol—For the motion, 77—Azainst it, kW—Majority, I St.l. —T he House adjourned at hall past two. vEnxr.w.tv m 21. The .Metropolis Paving Rill vent through another stage. THE SEPTENNIAL ACT. llr, rise, Sir, to give notice that I %hall on the sth day of June, as the first open (la), submit a motion to the House, for the repeal of the Septennial Aet."—((:rita of lhar, hccir ! from the Opposition)—Mr. Brom:4llam then oh• acned, that tearing the notion on the day lie had indolent d might interfere with a motion ttlueh alt. aay stood for that day, he should defer it to the loth tit*J tine. CATIIOI.IC It 1... BL sr, few remarks, moved, "That this House do resolve into a I.,:tmaailtee of the %%hole llonse, IA ilh a view to e. plant and amend the Laws of Ireland, so as to ie stia e the rights and 11l iv ileg.•s of the Catholic population, at if tht y had been riutestent for hl •. en yam s." This limit...la wax given nit. Mr. PCEL obtained leave to bring in a bill to continue the Gish lusurrectius Act which bill was afteraarili, read a hest 11111 e. The I'oor Emitlo3ment Hilt was re-ruhasti:t, ments made. The 31illlinnk Road Bill wag rend a first time , and to e stone Bottles Bill passed.—Adjourned. TIIURSDAY,_7IIIAv Y 2. Mr. BROUGHAM moved, that the commitlre of last pear, appointed to e‘amine into the state of Education amongst Chi lower clavqes of the Mt.trepolis, be revived. The object v as to enable those examined before to correct or add to the infor: motion already adduced by them; and that the parties niiat he prepared, the Committee tt mild not commence its labour fix about tell days bad elapsed.—Mution agreed to. .1 FiTI.NTS AID. The CRANCELLOR of the EXCf/EQVER obtaine!l !rave to bring in au excellent Bill to regulate the Issues of Extent ii The Chief Jnstireq in Eyre Bill ; the Irish Offlees the Exelieiliter Offices Bill ; the Hoard of Trftar 0 (Bee Regulation Bill ; and the Exelirquer (hikers Mil, wets read a third time mid passed: Adjourned. • . . FRIDAY, Mar 23. The Greenwich Conl-meter's Bill, and the Savings Rank Bill, Bill, were WWI a tided time and passed. On the motion for the third reading of the Bill for enlarg ing the Church-yard of Christ Church, Surrey. Sir C. MONO( complained that this measure had been hitr riel throngh Parkianiciit contrary to the sense of the great body of the pariskioners of Christ Church. •• Mr. H. SUMNER licrend4l the Bill, because, in the present state of the clinrelt.yard, they could nut go six feet %Biwa' cooling to the water. Sir .1. YenthE said, it appeared to him very indecent to have a body lying above grlitillti until the sexton could find by potting the ground a tit anchorage for it. This burial ground seemed to him to be fimr-decked—q had an orlop deck and three tipper decks.—(A burgh.) The House then divided—For the Oki! reading, 101— Azi.inst it, 9—Majority, 93.—The Bill was then read a third toile and passed. 1511 INSURRECTION RILL. Oa the second reading of the Irish Insurrection Bill, • Sir S. Ro.IILLY said, he did not think the House would dial charge its duty to the people of Ireland. witiumt enquiring into the state of that country. The clause, subjecting any person nut after a certain hour of the night to transportation, was highly objectionable; besides the authority given to a single Justice to enter the house of any frinily at night, and search if any one was absent, the absentee was liable to transportation also. He mowed that the Bill be read a second time this day six months. Mr. PEeL observed, that as the Bill had undergone a corn. plete discussion, and been modified, lie had not thou ht it necessary to state its provisions; but if he had been aware that the Hon. Gentleman would have stated them so incor rectly, he would have so done before. With respect to trans portation, the lowest term, rerun yeas, was provided. If any Magistrate should ditkr with the rest of his coadjutors, he might submit the cause to the Executive Government. The question was, whether the remedy was worse than the disease % The fact of the outrages SS as sufficient to authorise the House in adopting the Bill. Sir J. NEWPOR :IN•t1INAI to the Bill. Mr. V. Fri LGERALI) contended for the necessity of adopt ing the measure. The Bill went to regress der and out rage at midnight, to protect the poor rather than the rich, and was desired by the .Magistracy as a means of defence againg those outrages. Sir If. l'attsikm. thought there was no-occasion for this Bill. FosTen assured the House. that the necessity of the measure was apparent, in order to secure the safety of the country, and to pre% ent the murdering of witnesses who came torwaid to give evidence. Sir F. Fi.oon considered this as one of the measures of be nefit to Ireland, ascribable to the Right Hon. Gentleman Peel). He deemed it a bill of peace and nut of war, calculated to protect all religious sects. Sir W. Itunnotcns supported the amendment on the grounds that enquiry was necrsaary before passing the Bill. The Bill was read a second time, and eommitted fur Fri day next. The Poor Relief Bill was read a third time and passed. Adjourned till Friday next. From the LONDON GAZETTE, Tuesday, May eo. FOREIGN-OFFICE. MAY 20, le' IT. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to appoint James Cocks, Esq. to be his Majesty's Consul in Albania, and the adjaet ut territories of the Ottoman Empire. His Roy .I Highness the Prince Regent has also been pleased in the name and OH the behalf of his Majesty, to approve of Mr. Paul Arena, as Consul at Malta, for his Imperial High. 'less the Great Duke of Tuscany. _ _ . CROWN-OFFICE, M 20, 1 ,, 17. 3lrnthers ?darned to Seri I . in the pleseftt Porliono Borough of I)oreleester—Sir Samuel Shepherd, hut. Borough of E d e.—Robert Gittord, Esq. in the ruum of Sir William Darrow. BANK irr PTS to ~ u rrentler at C Nu T TALI, O. Nicholas-lane, merchant, Muy 30. June 3. July Att. AdLans, Old Jewry. Et.ast, E. W. Mardi, Isle of Ely, grocer, June 3, IS, July I. Att. Ilodpon, lOyer's•court. Altlernianbury. IfoLniNG, W. hark-Line, tiour-fitctor, May 24, 31, July 1. .ttt. Poole, Adam's -court, Ohl Broad-street. MORRIS, C. and T. Lambert. Leads. merchants, May 24, 31, July 1. Au. Coates. l'atil..ftreet, Findsbury-square. J 1. w xis s. T. Judd -street, Brutuovick• ail um, master-mariner, May 21 . ..1tine 3. July 1, Aces. Kcaniey and Spurr, nijlVP.ga,C"lrVet• Ilitown. J. and A. Patemon. nierchtmts, May 31, JWIC 1. July 1. Att. Poole, Adam's -court. Oki naiad-street. WEwtos, D. Nestnirun, puthampton, t:unier. May 31, June 7, July 1. Atta . Chapman and Co. Little St. 'I Loinas Apostle. Mut;GEntim I.:, B. Kingston-upon-Thames, corn merchant, May 27. Jun: 3. and July 1. A tt. Cobb. (lenient's Inn. Wisunint., B. Prospect-place, Southwaik. jest:ll. r, ....lay 31, June 7,July 1. Att. Luckett, Wilson-strtvt, Findsbuiy-.quale. BANKRUPTS to surrender in the COI 7 ICTRY. LoNnaont, G. Appleby, dtaper„ June 3, 4, at the King's Head A i 1.1,hy, July 1, at the King's Anna, Carlisle. Att. young, Charlotte-row, 31sin,ion-house. G11A11.131, .1. Fles•ket. Cumberland, Latter-dcaler, Jum 3. 4, at the King's Appleby, .luly I, at the King's Aims, Carlisle. Att. Young, Charlotte-row, Alansion-house. Nottiosci::, J. Iludston, Yorkshire, brewer, May 2K, IN. July 1, at the Dog and Duck, Beverley. Atts. Hall and Co. Beverley. prw,tl.liWa, W. Ildston. pnntet. May 29, June 6, July 1, at the Star, Helium Att. Follett, Paper-buildings, l'etupte. •