The National Register.
London, England, 1819-02-22 00:00:00

POLITICAL DISQUISITION.

ON THE WESTMINSTER ELECTION.

It is certain, that nothing win a greater imp to West-
minster, to the people of England, nay, to humanity
itself, than the death of Sir Samuel Romilly. We are
now beginning to feel it. The Electors of Westmin-
ster sever did themselves more honour, then by their
rhoice of that great and gond man, and by the manner
of their choice. His worth would have ra Bel their
charaeter, and their character would have given ad•
ditional weight to his worth. But he is gone, and we
now begin to feel that he is. We-tminster can find ne
name worthy to fill the ear after his Two youn; men
are proposed, who are justly designated as novices ;
end an old one, who, though very hOnest, and upright,
is much too visionary, too little of a prattical man, to
be of any use. He would, indeed, with the best in.
tentions, be worse than neelesa,—he would prove
detrimental to the cause of rational Reform.—Mr.
Hunt says, he alone is up to Mt monk —Mr. Hunt's
commendation is itself a miguster and the feet is.
idejor Cartwright is much hyoid the mark of any
thing that is either desirable, or, if desirable, that is
attainable. tie would, indeed, be a good inembe. for
those complainers by profession, who wieh to have
something to couipla it of, and whose factitious impor-
tance would meit away :iku mist, w tre the abuses of
the ('onstitution tti,be retnedied,—mee who, like the
lute Catholic Board, live by complaiaiiv and having
reason to complain. With respect to the other two
untried men, who have nothing w offer but profeeions,'
they are doubtless neither of them such us might have'
been wished. As, however, none else start, the choice
lies between them. Now, notwithstanding the loingliv
etplruisttion of Mr. Hobliou.a., which betrays the mean-
i.r; it was memo to conceal, namely the abandonment
of the principle of lin:venal Suffrage, it's, trus that the
lectors will beta t onodt their own in teiests by choosing
hita in preference to Mr I.atr.b. His aisav siva' of the
nrincipleof Unieersal SuTiNe will be a recommends-
16r1 et theeketors, if not to the mob at the hustings.
though his evasive manner of disavowing that doctrine
will not; fur it was any thing but manly', and may
Lirly be ealled shuffling. Had he distinctly said, that
I,e was r.ut an advocate fin Universal Suffrage, but for
the right of election being extended to all payers of
direct taxes of a certain amount, or whatever is his
notion on this head, he would have acted much more
emdently, as well as boldly. Mr. Lamb professes
ki.uself a Whig, and a follower of Mr. Fox--lot might
he nut be a.hed, which set of principles. of Mr.
Ton's he admired—those which that great orator
r2.'ked of when in opposition, or those which he practised
when in power? The fact is, the IA higs at a party ate
ceentisny aristocratic., and ought not to be supported
at tech by the people. Many individuals who have
belonged to them, twit as Romilly, have liven most
worthy, and most deserving of support ; not as Whigs,
however, but on their own individual merits el, nus
Konaiih w.ts himself. It was not his being a Whig
which brought hint in for Westminster, but Iva hr ng
idler Man a Whig. Of inslividuul merit Mr. LamL
ran beast nothing—for he has not been tried--sal his
very professions only amount to this, mysterious wor 1
Whiggism, which the people of Westmismter witnessed,
in 1806, meant a very different thing when its torero-
ems were Hight Iforiourab!e, front what it ditl when
they were only men of homeir. Mr blohhouse is fie
an extension of suffrage scniething short of universal,
and for Parliameuts of as short•duration as two years,
ea shorter. Nut withstutuiiig the foolish verLiage and
melon of his declaration, this is its meaning ; and it
item a very good waning, though, we repot, it