The National Register.
London, England, 1808-05-23 00:00:00

REVIEW OF POLITICAL DECLAIMERS.

No. XXII.
SIR FRANC 'RDETT.
IN a ,tIbSCqUCTIt part of our Paper we have given some ac-
count of the dinner which Wab held on Monday last at the C I.ls‘‘
and Anchor, to celebrate the anniversary of Sir Francis Bur-
detts's Westminster Election. We will here s,:y a fe‘% ortlN o!-
the speech which the Honourable Baronet delivered on that Ms*
casion.

The principal topic on which he dwelt wai the necessity of
a Parliamentary Reform. It is a little provoking to hear sir
Francis Burdett and so many of his followers esclaiming ri
loudly for a Parliamentary Reform, at a time when the dane-rs
of the country are so great and so many. that it almost become.,
a question whether we shall long have a Parliameut at all. Sit
Francis anticipates and denies this ment , declaring that time
of great peril are most peculiarly the times for reforming shat
is wrong. Ile puts the case of a Captain of a ship, who w hen the
vessel was going into action, should insist on keeping every
on board in a state of confusion till the engagement was in r.
" What is it," says he, " that we, the stigmatised Reformer,,
say upon the present occasion ? It is only this : Let the vessel he
cleared out for action : let every obstacle that would eneumb.l
us in our defence be removed."—W It ill answer this case by
another. What would Sir Francis Burdett think of a Captnit.,
who in the midst of a dreadful storm, should take little care for
providing against the immediate dangers menaced in the ele-
ments, bat walk up and down the deck, tinkling curious con-
sultations with his men about maritime niceties, and trying new
expel intents, Lind Stantropes for instance, among the rigging
and sails that ought to assist the ship in action ? Vet such is
exactly the conduct which Sir Francis Burdett prescribes to
the Government of Britain. We are agitated by external
storms, and he recommends it to us to enter coolly on the trial
of domestic experiments.
Now, if the measure of Parliamentary Reform were a mea-
sure that to ali parties seemed clearly advisable, and likely to
be attended with no very material disadvaista.te, ns is the i':t
with the proposal for clearing decks before a battle, we should
say at once, " Let us have a Parliameutury Reform." ,taut
wile!) the great majority of thinking men are decidedly of opi-
nion, that purity of Representation, him ever magnititentl
it
may sound in theory, is absolutely impossible in practice
.I‘e
awn that we should be sorry to see a reform introduced,
woula go to establish the iutluence of the rich is a degiee much
more dangerous titan that in which their influence t pretc!it
exercised.
•It is always to be remembered that the mischiefs which at-
tend the present SVFtelll of Parliamentary Organizatiou, air ba-
lanced by certain very considerable advantages. As ma tiers uo
W
stand, a great number of able and independent men conic nim
the !louse of Commons by means of the Boroughs. S.onle "f
these Boroughs are entirely at the disposal of certainrieli and
great individuals : and of this Sir Frauds Burdett and hi, ft 'coo
very loudly complain. But it must be observed on the H.lar
hand, that these rich and great men, fur tkcir ono sakes, .ire