The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-27 00:00:00

I of MAIM* lootitutioso throughout Eagload sod

LIMA. AMJLTON asked s ineedos respecting the Scotch
allitrODD ADVOCATE. The Acs of Oedema ere now
nub* tiblo.
aN. W. ITGATOD mowed for the production of certain do-
eidealre to incurrence. on the Moviuito shore, up to the

IRELAND.
Lima ALTHOMPN give notice of his intended cultioa on the
•rJ Ivelenifer Tuesday, the I Ith May.
Mr. EIZRRIES awn al that the resolutions of the Chancellor of
e =secoracfottodad on the earns in the Itudget should be

.----.....----
fiC4 tTe 'II C. E lIIIIIM.
AIDLACS.OII/31. moved, that the petition be presented
from the lahaltitud- of Edinburgh, relative to the defec-
eOrtation a tle-t rity, emelt' ~e read.
uetiuri being roe by the I lerk,
AMID:110MB 1 rove to tiring forward his promised mo-
oed in Join to. he ohswrved, that in obedience to the wash of
aZaSlalaa, intelligent, and respectable portico of his fellow-
owsisloymen be lost year presented the petition just read to the no.
aim of th
eHawse; but as he then found the House otherwise °cas-
h*, in the asercist of hie discretion, did not thin press its
dreutdseatlon. The 'memo was respectful and In conlidirg hut-
=, and If the discussion should defeat their bor., he must at-
it, oat to the wont of strength and truth of the cause, but
•elt this tableaue of the advocate. Ile knew he had difficultice to
ereeteed neater of a foneidable nature, and although that which
leo elleald pe.pose would tae of a limited nature, he yet had spry-
hinelom of .resew. Still those fears were nut unmixed with
t?fitlec he ir.a sat 'Ailed that the petitioners were suppurted by the
of public opinion, anal would prove ultimately facet-viral.
The 'nod was ~termby a numerous meeting, though the Chief
II trate of the city of Edinburgh did nut unction their pro.
...:fri,
lags. The petit cunt/tined the sentiments of • very respect.
able body in that city, and had also the concurrence of the great
proportion of the people of Scotland. The petition was signed by
abeve7oolperrions, and for that aloi.eit WM entitled to respect,exeln-
atm of the truth and learning whirls it contained. The householders
of Edinburgh amounted to 21.1.1111, and 10,101 were rated above
dm mounds ; deducting one-fourth from that, it mould reduce the
number 1o72711; and of those persons, an rated, full three-fettrths
et the whole howielnddery of Edinburgh signed this petition.__
These petitioners were eminently entitled to demand the test atten.
non of this Mouse. Ile cor.feeoll the object to be, to have the pe-
tition signed by permits rated above live roods, in order to show,
in the tint place, their r.spertaltiloy, and, in the next place, to
skew this House that they were therefore entitled to atter.tioo.
They did Lot wish to preebide other persons.frons signing it, but
Ow al that nietluel mid mum with a view to skew that they
p the advantages of education and pmpirty, giving them
an interest in the peace and tranquillity of the country. If lie
knew this House, he thought these reasons would induce tbein to
listen to the petit' rti with the more attention. l'he population of
Edinburgh was 11.111.11911: the pertains returning a Member floolitially
were 33, but, in point of 1.1, only 19. (Cries of Hear.) The
Town Council massaged the return of the Alenther, and this Co.to.
MI itself was self-elected. The prineipl, of self-election was the
prim paid by a succesmir to get into 011ie:, which he afterwards
made over to mine tine else, anti so on. Nineteen persons peach.
rally elected the Al ember, although there were helmet: Deseons
also, who were elected by ;en persons of the incorporated trades.
Those fourteen composed the Council. Such was the state in
which the Corporation of Edinburgh was placed at this niouietu.
fie could not conjectare on what print iple this arrangement could
he defended ; it was not on a principle of property, mw at' liberty,
We of extent of suffrage. Ile a dint to avoid throwing any ridi-
cule an demo genilreleti, asoi lie Id Id Sesame forbear to talk of
their love of iiidependence Led of the absence of all sell.interest.
On one principle only cool,' they continue such a system—ilailiele,
to Improve Ste cunipesit ion of this Wane. ,iiid yet alto would really
believe It ? who would Islieve this those 19 persons would al.
ways act foe the 'Pistilli, good. and not be swayed by private interest?
Did they choose an independent mait? or a man who had ready scam
to the Treasury, and who could procure for these 19 some of the
gond things which all men were anxious to enjoy ? Who was it
likely these Gentlemen a wild el, ct ? Why, certainly, mit a pa-
trioe--nota titan 'Truk ing the feeliegs of the people—tint a rum who
did net see in every in, uoirevilltzt I ;imminent what was right. The
Member for Edinburgh was elected againat the eminent of the Ilia-
potty of the people. The whole history of that city stk.:ell, that
the Town Council anti the petiole were at issue, and that the me-
an allied their reprosetitatircwas in the same situation. When-
ever any new underreking was commented in Edinburgh, Whigand
Tory united in begging to be treed f lie Town Council. In fact
it wed may Store the time shin the pimple got rid in some degree of
those nineteen mde, that Oily trgan to date their improvement.
Why should the peolir of Edinburgh be denied the exereise of the
highest privilege of civilized men—the election of their Kiwi-pen-
tane, ? The people of that city never knew any thing of hint till
his name was. In the r:e.,eite ; he might defy the citizens of Edin-
burgh; he ninth' thwart the iitii.t et licrons views ; he might do in
fact, as he pleased, pn.vid.ll he war strongly hacked by these
nineteen people. Why %Mudd the people of Edinburgh be sub-
jected to such a serum of insults and degraidillitals ? What patriot-
ism or virtue superior to otters slid these nineteen persons paress,
to give them such a right above their fellowaitizens ? Such a sys-
tem mimes mold he et lung duration, and never ought to be. The

emnplahsta on this subject were nut new, for they existed since the
year 1116 R, and perhaps !.chore. Ttuly it might be said, there was
r.othing new under the Mill, for herr were abuses perpetuated fur
such a of yearn. What useful object was to be gained by
eon
dealed
abuses, and thereby provoking the mass of intelligence
and w into discontent and dissatisfaction ? Why deny the
tither 04 Edinburgh the exercise of a right allowed to the meanest
borough in this country ? There could he not-nose—and no cause
really tented but our, and that was, that the representative of
nineteen persons Ghoul., be at the call of the reigning dlinister, and
thereby promise for himself and the individuals who sent hint as
their representative,—not the representative of the people of
Edinburgh onto Parliament. Ile asked where was the danger
of making the representation of Edinburgh more popular, and he
would odd, more constitutionally just ? ti'ho were the petitioners ?
Were they persons to whom it would he dangerous to entrust the
elective franchise ? l'alinhurgh. it should be remembered, was the
capital—the seat of justice and the public authorities—the resort of
the gentlemen of the bar, who exercised a great control over
public opMion throughout Scotland; Edinburgh attracted a great
portion of activity, entt•rprize, w,alth, and knowledge; it was the
nest of a distinguislivel I 'itieersity. A vast nuniber of permits who
had teallsed fortunes in other places resided there; and it con-
tained, above all, a wealthy and intelligent body of householders.
These were the claims of persons who %ivied the petition ; and
from such peewits he ask. il liew could there he any rational appre•
!tension of danger i' (Cries of '• Ilea?* from the Opposition Benches.)
Waa there eomething„ le• asked, in the state of Parliament so
rotten, as to cause alarm in giving to such persons the rights in-
tended foe them by the I 'orostitution ? (Cries of •• hear") Again,
what should be the nintiv.,, for comets:don ? lle answered, that
the petitioners were insweis who held a etmsiilerable control urn
public opinion ; the question if reform lied taken deep root in all
who guided it ; and shy, in the name of common sense, give such
a body a permanent cac.se for tli..setisfeetinot and alienation? Ihil
the policy of witithohliag concissiar. balance the danger likely to
result from the continua:tee of those abuses at which ever/
honest man in that tone;, rev shed? (fries of " Hear, hear.")
The people saw that these &bums were a blest in the Constitution
of this country, anal such was the rapid stride of public oi )iiii i m,
admitting them to he so, that the fl.ivemnient of this minify
would have Mille tor regret if they d,loyetl concession much
longer. If a refistin did not speedily take place, such a holy of
abuse would be tell as to assume, tr-fore tang, a most formidable
CSlrlietrr. In order to come to, a *tie view of the particular repre-
sentation of soy one liorgh in seotlxiid, it was first renewal to
Wee a glance at the peneral system. And, first, he must say, it wits
altogether in the hands 01 an °lig:1701y; the people were wholly ex-
cluded front it, they hail 110 Inure lotto with the representation than
if they had not the slightest interim in the conduct of the person
amt to represent thin,. ( 'Scar, hear.) In short, to give a picture
of the representation of Saaland, it would be last to apply its
&Lau and condition in Scotland to this country, and thcst the
House would be able to judge if s'ene altemtion was not nee...nary.
Suppose then the cities el Liottlon,ll'estininster, and Bristol—sup.
pat Liverpool and other large towns to have thew representatives
chosen by nineteen or tacitly 1/..rsiris, as at Edinburgh ; suppose
is the counties, that the right of voting was not in the otwaer of
liter of the soil, but in he Stands of I,onle of manure, who being
detached from them fur variants reasons, sold them ow. e to liter.
&ants and When; mappose also the hereditary aristocracy buying
u:s thew manors, anti convey:tog them away with a strict legal title,
bat yet withal, .n understandieg as binding as any other contract,
ta ;Din thrill in whatysyr isse they wished to put the voles grits Mg
me of such possessiot.. to ; some, 0., that, of all the Pe.v. who bail a
ri.:ht to sit In Pllrlilliiii•M, only a t.,•w wire clir!iii, tAeelit by the
chief minister of the Crown ; sitpeos.- all these, and you will c •at
aki owledge of the elate of ri.j.res.edation id s.•,,:land. (Iles.)
There was no one case whatever, it, which the peep!; were allowa
to interfere. If thy noose were s i.e. they scull rseinsfy mid, itn
evil. Hot it might he said eta:. athisitting the troth of all I e
stated, stHl it was a step towards reform, and shoal.'., thcreti.re, he
resisted. II is answer to that was vent s. pie.-- iii.il it wits, 11.0 it
might be perfectly consist:cot in kali Liner to :our for ref,roi in
Scotland though they would mot 1,1 1•:liglit• 41. lie asked, if Cat:
liagliah representation were like I'm Seo, eh, would any man lilt no
his voice against reforin ?l II eAr, tie.o.) lit Seo.land the pea;ol.:
were studiously included from all share whatever in the represeii.
tatian ; whereas, in England. it might be, as it haul repeatedly been 1,
coateedeil, that the people hail a mitlicient ceer.i,e of eight in th,.
use of the elective franchise. It might also 1,, ...id that Scotland
was virtually repreactoted by the Englosh member. in the !louse of I
I :0111111101e • but when Girillellied !Coil Si'. doe.; fore a so, l. ‘1.1.1.:
important distinctions—thi•y furgibt Ilia the lA% a i•l Sciitt,•ll a os. '
-Ol like the laws of England, tom the I'M:tell of :se.ii!st.:l oolet tol
os the same footing with the I htirei of Eitel eat : di
.so d;sti "
taint formed matter of vast and :et i;:iity cons,d,:ath,a. Iv. 00nm
conceive very well that if virtual representatie I were tfi • eclair of
conversation between the thirty.three go-ed.-nem of s Lett the
oinetisti were the choosers, for ritnrnitig a liii-iiii..l. to Varliallient - • I
be could conceive, if those gentlemen weir; iliscussim; tile subject t
.yver a good dinner, prtiiid,si at the public elpente, that Cory TOO(
Is?, they were represented, and don: nu..; tilitst be tat-tetts and
improper persons whit alibi telt...raise. Voile nineteen gentle.-
one : might say 00 wi:h truth, for they, no ti nth•, were rerre.
tented; but was that the state or re:iresciii,iiiiin which orelit
• i satisfy the pimple at large ? 'rinse ni.ae.en gcr.•lent..:l
~turned a niemher who first provided for himself, fled then for I. 7A
nineteen constituents, while the ithenets of the p apple wire ne. •
elected, their wishes unattended to, and their libeeti-, cmopramised, •
If not (Alen literally sacrificed. (!le..e, le.ar.) The ease of the
.•oieens of Edinburgh strongly rormiimentled itself to the most fa_
~,,,,,,,ble attention 07 ow 114,1,,e. No addition t , the number of.
meads:vs was called fur, end, therefore, :ft: 3l::tist.:r :teed lie: