The National Register.
London, England, 1811-06-16 00:00:00

THE NAT

ems—.
more than a wholesome degree of authority, essential to good
Government, but yet perfectly congenial with Freedom ; whereas
an OLIGARCHY, that usurps Legislation and the Public Purse,
bath unbounded means of Oppression.
'Fheonly remedy was, that the public voice should be loudly
heard, and that Petitions for Reform should be sent tip from all
quarters. If the Parliament were chosen-by the People, the
Minister, instead of the usual method of corruption, must, in
order to he supported, study the interests of the Country ; but
while Parliament was under the command of the berotieh fac-
tion, the Minister had only to study the interest of that faction.
That great good would result from cleansing this Aegean stable
he had no doubt. The example of France certainly afforded a
great ksson to the Crown, the Nobles and the People. To the
Crown it was a lesson not to drive the nation to a state of despair,
by maintaining a corrupt, and uncontrouled system of Govern •
ment—to the higher orders it was a lesson, that it was their own
interests to consult the interests of the people—and to the people
it proved, that violent and intemperate proceedings were destruc-
tive of real liberty.
Mr. M. BURGOYNE—Gentlemen, I should be guilty of the
grossest hypocrisy, if I erdeavoured to disguise the satisfaction
I feel in appearing here an advocate for Parliamentary Reform,
which I consider it not 'only the cause of good policy, but of vir-
tue and morality, not merely the cause of Englishmen, but of
mankind. We look forward to temperate Reform, as the only
means of saving our Country ; we disdain revolution or any in-
novation ; but we are convinced that Revolution can only he
prevented by Reform. Twill, by every legal and constitutional
means, to the latest hour of my life, oppose that usurpation of a
few individuals, which is equally hostile to the independence of
the Crown, and the rights of the people—that usurpation which,
consisting of 154 persons, returns a decided majority of the House
of Commons—that usurpation which is the fruitful source of all
the abuses and grievances under which we labour, ar.d the con-
stant state of war which h.s marked the present reign—that
usurpation which degrades our Representatives into the proxies
of an overweening aristocracy; ti'at usurpation which places in
the House of Legislation men the most unlikely to sustaiti the
character or fulfil the duties of Legislators ; men who have no
other pretence to legislate, than that they happen to be connect-
ed with some borough proprietor, or are enabled to obtain his
patronage by the length isf their purse. If Lord Chatham, I.ord
Camden, Sir Wm. Jones, Sir Geo. Savile, Lord Erskine, Lord
Grey, Mr. Burke, Mr. Gisborne, Mr. fox, and Mr. Pitt mis-
took the principles of our Constitution, kt us hear their errors.
If modern politicians have any thing better to propose than the
declarations of Magna Charta or the Bill of Rights, let them
come forward and sate their opinions. It is not my design to
make us.. of any invective against those who have or have had
the misfortune to lie the Ministers of this country. I say mis-
fortune ; because, if he who hes been called the great Statesman
and the heaven-born Minister, is correct in his opinion, thee no
honest man can, with the present system, continue ainister, if,
as we know to be the case, his titoe and his abilities are more
emplovt d in the work of corruption than in the business of the
state, l had rather sec my son, my friend, or my brother,. culti-
vate his native soil, in possession of his integrity, than adorned
with all the insignia of ()slice, at the ex pence of honour, sincerity,
and truth. Gentlemen, a Reform of the Commons House of
Parliament is equally issential to the independence of the Crown
and the rights of the people ? If we still doubt, let us ask our-
selves, what has occurred in the present Session. View the forma-
tion of the Regency ; see a fourth estate erected ; sec a Minister
presume to recommend to his Master a military appointment in
favour of the fetiler-in.law of a Noble Duke, because the support
of that Noble Duke in Parliament was most essential to his Ma-
jesty's Administration. The dignified refusal of his Royal Hh
ness can never he forgotten ; and if he continues to act on such
principles he will reign in the hearts of a free and loysl psople.
Mr. Jon rs, of Hampshire, said it may not be right to term
their object a Reform, perhaps it may be more justly calledll a re-
storation of the English Constitution. In this country, sove-
reign power was divided between the three estates of Parliament ;
each must be separate and each independent of the other
Peer
. We
have an hereditary Crown, and an hereditary House of s ;
bet the House of Commons is elective, and its essence consists
in its being freely elected. Have we, he would ask, that Con-
sail-talon ? ( Cries of No, uo ! ) If, instead of a free house of Com-.
mons, 157 individuals have the disposal of it, and if those indivi-
duals should be more disposed to sacrifice than to preserve their
' country,. what seeprity have we that they will not carry their
purpose into execution ? (Hear / and cries of none !
Mr.W.e ern MA N paid some cornpliments to the former speak-
er, whose language he said appeared to come spontaneously from
the heart.
The second Resolution was now put and unanimously carrkd.
Mr. CANNING, of Warwickshire, rose to propose the 3(.1 Re-
solution. He said many flagranteibuses had hitherto disgraced
the country—be meant the conduct of the contending parties in