The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-05-12 00:00:00

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had thought proper to introduces ;I=4ll' ...
Were well assured of the efficacy of thilt. Bill; .
but whether it would be effectual or not Ned no- •
thing to do with the qbestion ; that Bit was to be
earned into effect at the next election..five years
hence, but was it to be argued corruption shotild
exist in the House till thep ? Some months
sluts', when he stated this corrnptiort to exist, it • •
Was denied ; now it was perfectly undenernet.
The Hououoibte Gentleman who had lest sat
down, felt the present question pressing bard tutors
W's political opponent, and would not w!sh even
hiiWto becouse a sacrifice; hut the reason why he
oaght to adopt another course was, that this is the
flint time such practicer were brought to light.
It had been alleged, that persons out of the House
were willing to decry public chorea/till by unde-
fined charges; but ire A', forsooth, they are tot' ape-
' citie. He wished to knot'', who were most likely to
cry down public characterse—thow who brnealit
forward charges against them, or those who slut the
charge, were too notorious to be entered into? It
soy vote of tire House was likely to promote 4
distru-t of public virtue, it would be that *Mehl
should deny inquiry. After Mr. Sheplwaril
had been found guilty of bribery, the ci • •••
nating Member, received the thanks of the HouiiC;.
and the language of the Streaker upon that
occasion was worthy to be recorded, it cousaterideil
the exertions of the gentleman who brought for.
ward the ruliject, and ranked him among toe best
defenders of the country ; but the system of that
day war different to the preseut, when every Mi-
nister carried on such practices with impunity.
Those gentlemen who raised objections on tic score
of Parliamentary Reform, he would refer to the
question, old upon that pronounce their 'aye or
no. That corruption existed to a great extent
he had • been long induced to lwlieve, but never
thought it so esteirsise as it was :sow allowed upon
ull hands to be. It now appeared that ,Ministers of
State brought in Mrituberr uurier particular stipu-
lations, upon agreements so estensive, that n gen-
tleman preferred giving rip his seat, rather tiadn
rem ply ; arid lie could not conceive, unless the
dread of fear was hanging over their head% but
the Hoene would agree with the motion originally
proposed. He should therefore certainly vote
against its going to a Committee up stairs.
Mr. WINDHAM Arid, that the observations which
had fallen from the two Hon. Members who bad
brat spoken, compelled him t say • few words
ere the subject before the Heu.e. Ills Nobler
hateful had stated the notoriety of atioi:es ; sisal the
generality and aritiquity of them hall been men-
tioned. (.;roes abuses and corruptions had pre-
. wailed, and they had grown with the best timer of
the country ; if they had so aroarn, it required rte.
liberation before they were plucked out ; the effect
should be conaidereJ, and they should be sure they
were not tesnugout what was of irdiniteh• more im-
potholer.. It lied beets urged. that Parliameate
ary Reform made no part of the present quer
time We felt the impossibility of separating it
from Parliamentary Reform ; and the proof
that it involved that question was, that every
one had alluded to it. He would not, take his •
theory from what his Noble Friend had stated, but
would take his theory' from the hest times of the
constitution. Much had beau said Ilion the its.
Nuance of property on the return of Member, to .
Parliament; but the whole question we* this, that
if the prevent representation was not to be settled
numerically, but that the influence was to be
annexed to property, whether no part of it was to go
to Government But the question was not allow-
ed to stop here, they must go on to nnmerital re-
presentation, and this brought in the question of
Parliatnentary Reform.—All great men were tra-
duced on the score of corruption, and they were
to rescue themselves from popular clamour; bet
corruption existed from the top to the bottom, and
• he belieied there was a great deal more corrup.
tion at bottom than at rop.—the deeper you go, the
inure corruption is found, and the least impure part
of the soil is the surface. if they *pokey( corrupuorn
there were impure governors. 'Placer were offered to
:stale, and a variety of embezzlements, but these
were not by the Ministers themselves, but by their
servants, by throe employed; and were Ministers
to be blamed ? Who was there in private life but
expects
abuse ? Vt'hat private family but expected
depredations? And if such Was to be expected in
a private family, what was to be expected in %hit
large family ? It was merely to charge on Govero-
went cheats, while they themselves are the cheated.
So it was abuses existed abroad, in the East ladies.
but were there irleanharities to becharged to the Go-,
vernment? lie centended, that the luxuries had in-
creitied more than the wealth (tithe nation, and that
the taxer would not have been fclt,betthat the man
who kept a horse must now have a chaise, mid the
man who kept a chaise most {Lye a carnage. Hr
did not wish it to be understood. that he condemn-
ed tine system, but he thought while they could io-
crease their luxuries, they had no right to com-
plain of tunes.
Lied A. Hewn:row said, that on a former right
the objection was, that the queetton we, ton ge.
and now that 'ditto. charge hail been.broe ght
-it was too pointed, and that the Horse must be
convinced of the same kind of traffic haring ex-
isted from time immemorial: was that a reason
why there should not a stop be put to corruption •
He thought it was of all others the reairou that •
made Reform necessary. if the charges were dot
true, the parties ac,aired would i.e acquitted with .
honour; therefore the origin-al motion should }here
his support.
Mr. WILBERFORCE observed, he thuugt t the
excuse of its being a general prectree, so absurd
one, arid if the motion a the lion. Mo's'es was not •
carried, the Hnuse would Vol support Its own dig-
nay.: As a moral roan, he wits couviticed there
never was • time that the Governtrueit should be
mare ambitious of gairmig the love of the people
'lino the present, for Arch reason he would give
his aopport to the motiou.
Mr. Secretary CANNING rnse mei saint—•' If I
feel emedifflersity in giving my vote, it id beearrse
I am clavier-cif that art eNsuirnoliner at the bar of
this House reedit *illy leod to tine exculpirtion'ef .
the. Hon. Pr• ~,,, or-ewe-4. But knowing the tors
the public service would receive foam the want of
,ita.
toheiruer serytioceizay c ory if they re k
ev.inuttorarhy, Ii
irouldepbet „ Oft!,
from their putai.• freuctioris. I know not a hat
Parliamentary Reform has to do with Ili.. present

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