The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-04 00:00:00

REFORM IN PARLIAMENT,

Mr. CUTLAR FERGUSON said he had'Several peti-
tions to present, prayittg fol. Reform in Parliament, and
he was serry he did not see in his place his Hon. Friend
the Member for Edinburgh, who, if he had lately visited
that part of the kingdom, must be much surprised at
what he had heard and seen, if he still itaintained his
opinion that there was no feeling in Scotland in favour of
Reform. Fran all the information which he had re-
ceived, the feeling in favour of Reform was spreading
most rapidly, and was almost universal. He must say,
that the meetings in Scotland had been so numerous, that
gentlemen must see that their own private interests, if they
had private interests, must give Way to the public good.
The feeling in Scotland Was, that the landed interests, the
re d 'Owners and occupiers of the land, were not suffi-
ciently represented ; and that the large population of
wealthy towns were not sufficiently represented ; and
that feeling would, he supposed, have great weight
with the House in giving the people a full and fair re-
presentation. The first petition be would present was
fecal the Commissioners of Supply, Justices of the Peace,
and freehold,rs of the county of Kirkcudbright. These
petitioners stated that they had nit Wore petitioned, be-
cause they had no hopes that their petition on this sub-
ject
weni i be attended to ; but that not' there was a Mi-
nistry pledged to Reform, they had hopes that their wishes
would be gratified, and they trusted to the Ministry to re-
ticem their pledge. in theit hopes and in their confidence
he participated. As a representative of a Scotch cannty, he
must say that he was willing to see en extension of the
elective franchise, but he was not willing to support any
extension of that franchise which would militate against
the political condition of the landed interest, particularly
in Scotland: lie hoped there was no plan to militate
against that interest—if there was, he should oppose it.
He conceived that the representatives of counties should be
sent to Parliament by the lauded interest, and any propo-
sition of Reform which Weht to give that interest such a
power, he Would support. The petitioners also prayed
for retrenchment, and they called on the House to reduce
all salaries, and to retrench every unnecessary expence in
the most unsparing manner. They considered it a great
hardship, when the price of all their produce had
fallen one-half, that the salaries of persons in office should
be continued to the full extent to which they were
formerly raised. They begged the House, therefore, to
institute an inquiry into the subject, and also to abolish
all sinecures. They recommended, that person• who bad
retired front the public service should be Lilly remune-
rated, but they prayed that the House would reduce the
expenditure to the lowest point possible, consistent with
justice. lie cordially concurred in their prayer, but he
hoped Reform would not attack the bosoms of families.

lie wished to see the services of all public servants pro-
perly considered, and he hoped all persons who had duties
porforin would be adequately rewarded. The Honour-
able Member concluded by presenting the petition from
Kircudbright, which was read and laid on the table.
That petition, the Honourable Member said, was from
persons who had already the elective franchise, and they
prayed that it might be extended to those who possessed it
not.—The petition he had then to present was from par-
ties who had not the franchise, and prayed that they
might have it. This petition was from a place called
Kelton, we be:ieve, and was from the heritors and occu-
piers of land in that p irish.—He also presented a third
petition, from another part of Kircudbright, and stated
that there was no part of the country which did not
share the same feelings expressed in these•petitions,—
Petitions laid on the table.
Mr. KENNEDY presented a petition from a place in
Scotland, praying for a repeal of the duty on candles.
Mr. HUNT rose amid the greatest silence. The Ho-
nourable Gentleman could assure the House that this duty
was of the greatest importance to the labouring classes.
He should therefore give the petition his support. He
would take that opportunity of stating, that it was his
intention in a short time to bring before the House
the injurious monopoly exercised by one great house in the
article of tallow. The Hon. Member for Westbury had said
that thegreatest distress was occasioned by the accumulation
of property amongst a few individuals. Now, the house
to which he alluded had, at the present moment, 600,0001.
laid down in tallow. The consequence was, that article
had risen from 365. to 48s. per cwt. There was no
scarcity, but this advance had taken place entirely in con-
sequence. He was therefore determined to bring the subject
before the House.
Mr. WARBUR roN denied that the rise in that article
was owing to monopoly. The war in Poland, and the
disease that had been raging in Russia, were sufficient
causes for an advance. It was not, he would contend,
the large purchases that had been made, and neither could
he see bow that House could interfere with the private
business
of individuals.— (gem., L"ar-)
WEST INDIES
Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS said h . e hesatd toI move,_
twin tain papers connected with the
N v
)1 understood were not objected

`^,* cer-

6tineellor of the exchequer. Of such inaportance
was the agitation of the present question relating to West
. India property, that he hoped before many days elapsed, the
Noble Lord (Althorn) would &plain to the House the
views of his Majesty's Ministers on the subject.
Lord ALTHORP would lase no time in doing so.
But be could not now pledge himself to bring forward
I the subject of West India affairs Ott any particular day.
Ile only rose theh to say, that he had no objection to
'the Hotise being in poisession of the papers moved for:
Sir J. WROTTESLEY
,presented a petition froM
Wolverhampton, praying for Reform'. The Hon. Member
supported the Petition, and stated that he himself bad
been a 'reformer For 30 years.
Mr. LITTLETON would not trespass on the House
further than to say that the petition apresied the
general sentiments of all the perstins in that popilloti
town, and that it bore the tignatitreS of many persons
Who had all their lives been, until lately, opposed to its
prayer.
Mr. HUNT—I rise, Sir, to present a petition from
Thom Falcon, in Sotnersetshire, and as the prayer is short
I will take the liberty of reading it. It pray/
for a totnmutatioh of tithes, an abateineht of taxation,
particularly the malt tax, the abolition Of all useleSS
places and sinecure's, Reform in Parliament, and Vote by
ballot.--( Hear.) # need scarcely say, Sir, that with the
prayer bf this petition I cordially agree. I think, how_
ever, that the petitioners have, in the preseht instance, pht
the cart before the horse, for it appeal* to hie, that hitless
they get Reform and vote by ballot, the other evils they
complain of will never he redressed. The petition comes
from a-class of agricultural labourers who, although greatly
distressed, have behaved in the most peaceable manner;
and out of the several hithdredb that have signed it
only three can Wri* their own names.—(Great
and continued laughter.) After a short pause the
Hon. Member proceeded. 1 must apologize to the House,
as I am but a young member—(Laughter)—but I am
informed by my friend of a mistake that I have fallen into
—instead of only three persons whti bigned the petition
being aisle to write their names, Y should have stated that,
there were only three who could not do so —(Hear,
hear, hear.)—l am of opinion, Sir, that if the in-
tended Reform in Parliament is fol. tho object
of protecting the landed interest, already so well protected,
it will never batisfy the country. 1 am, Sir, and always
have 'been, a Radical Reformer—(Hear)—and I shall
always continue so. With respect, Sir, to the Corn Laws
I shall give notice of a motion on the subject. I think it
unnecessary to go into a general statement of my principles;
they are well known. I must, however, say that no
Reform will be of any avail Unless it is aecompanied by
ballot. /am happy td see that that principle is becoming
exceedingly fashionable. 1 can assure the House that
in all the towns I have travelled through the universal
wish is, that unless the ballot be established they would
rather not have the curse of election at all.—(Hear.)
Mr. C. FERGUSON had no wish that the landed
interest should be protected at the expense of others,
but he was a decided enemy to universal suffrage;
for if property were not to be represented there would
be no security for the country.
After a few wbrds from Mr. C. PELHAM the petition
Was ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. HUNT presented another petition from Manchester,
and could assure the House it expressed the senti-
ments of the majority Of that great and populous
town► It pre) ed for the abolition of the Corn Laws,
Reform in Parliament, universal suffrage—(Laughter)--
and annual Parliaments. He fully agreed With the peti-
tioners) and he thought the House ought not to exclude
the right of any one of the electors. He would
take that opportunity of stating that his (Mr.
Hunt's) constituents had been grossly misrepresented
It was stated, that by the late election they had shown
their hostility to the present Ministers. Such was not the
case, neither were they actuated with the least hostility
to their late Member. During the wholecontest not a single
word of an offensive nature was addressed to him.
He would disclaim for himself and his constituents all hos-
tility to the present Government, and if the intended
measure of Reform was not exactly according to hill views,
yet, if it included vote by ballot, Ministers should
have his hearty support. (Hear.)--He could, however,
tell them, that without ballot they might as well do
nothing► at all, for the country would be less satisfied
then than it was now. The petition was then read.
CORN LAWS.

Mr. HUNT gave notice that on this day month he
should move for a total repeal of the existing Corn Laws,
and the admi,sion of all grain free from any duty what-
ever—(Hear, hear.)

Mr. CAMPBELL presented a petition from the inhz•
bitants of St. Andrew's praying for Parliamentary Reform.
The petitioners venerated the Constitution, and, at the
time they prayed for Reform, they trusted that whatever
alterations were made would have the Constitution for
their basis.

Mr. N. CALVERT presented a petition from Hoxton,

in Hertfordshire, against the duty on coals.
Lord MORPETH presented a petition from the town-
ship of Long, and another from Milton, in Yorkshire,:praying
for the reduction of salaries and Reform. The Noble
Member presented a petition also• from Yorkshire, praying
for the abolition of Colonial Slavery. Ilia Lordship also
moved for certain woollen returns.

Mr. HUME gave notice that he should move to-mor-
row far a list of all the pensions that had been granted
under the 57th of George 111. and the 6th of George ll'.
Also that be should move fora return, shewing the aggre•
Rate amount of money paid to the different branches of the
oyal Family (with the exception of the Civil List),
with the several Acts and authorities under which they
were paid. The Hon. Member presented a petition from the
parish of St. Anne's, Westminster, signed by SO house-
holders, and another from the parish of St. Luke's,
signed by 2,000, praying for the repeal of the Assessed
Taxes. With the prayer the Hon. Member cordially
concurred. He considered this tax ought to be removed,
even if his Mijesty's Government should have to im-
pose same other tax in lieu of it. lie presented a peti-
tion from the inhabitants of St. Philip and Jacuh,
in Bristol, to the same effect. The Hon. Member presented
petitions from the city of Perth, the corporation of Perth,
from the Magistrates and Council of the Royal
borough of Arbroath, from the borough of Annan, from
the royal borough of Forfar, from Lanark, from Dingwall,
from Chichester, from Marylebune, and some other places,
praying for Reform, and the greater part for universal
suffrage and vote by ballot. The Honourable Member
agreed with the petitioners, that unless there was this ex-
tensive Reform the country would receive no relief. He
wished, on the subject of taxes, be could influence the
House to repeal. all except those that fell on landed gen-

tlemen—(Much laughter)—fur the purpose of punishing
them for hiving occasioned the universal outcry against
axation which had now been raised. It would be but
justice if it were so.

Lord ALTHORP said, I rise to inform the House that

his Majesty's Government will be prepared to submit to
the House their measure for Reform on the lst of March
next. I wish also to state that his Majesty's Go-
vernment have determined to entrust the bringing_
forward of that measure to my Noble Friend the Paymaster
of his Majesty's Forces. We have selected that Noble Lord
because of his perseverance on the subject of Reform, at a
time when it was almost impossible to bring forward the
measure. My Noble Friend has proposed various partial
measures of Reform when even partial measures were
looked upon with disfavour. Now, therefore, when the
cause is prosperous, the Government thinks that, on ac-
count of his perseverance and ability, the No‘de Lord
should be the person selected to bring forward a measure
of full and efficient Reform, instead of the partial
measures which he had hitherto proposed.—(Hear.)--
I understand there is in the order of the day a motion of
mine on the subject of the growth of tobacco in Ireland.
I beg leave to give notice that I shall defer bringing
forward that measure until to-morrow fortnight. I also
give notice that I shall to-morrow lay on the table the
proposition which his IVlajesty's Ministers mean to submit,
for the purpose of making up the Civil List. I
shall lay the papers on the table to-morrow, and
at the same time explain the nature of the mea-
sures intended to be adopted. On tne 3I of niaich I
shall bring in a Bill for consolidating the Customs, and
also a Bill for consolidating the Stamp Acts. It is not
my intention to propose any addition to the Stamp Duties
in Ireland.

Sir CHARLES WETIIERELL took the liberty of
asking whether the Paymaster of his Majesty's Forces,
whom the House had this moment been informed was to
be deputed by his Majesty's Government to bring forward
their proposed measure of Reform, was or was not a
Member of his Majesty's Cabinet ?
. -

Lord ALTHORP—The Paymaster of his Majesty's
Forces is not a Member of the Cabinet. But if the Hon.
Member means by that question to impute that the measure
to be brought forward by my Noble Friend may not have the
full concurrence of the Members of his Majesty's Cabinet,
one and all of them, he is mistaken.—(l,oud cheers.)—
This is not an unprecedented step. There are precedents
for it. It happened accidentally that the same course
was pursued when Mr. Burke brought forward his pro-
position respecting the Civil List Establishment. But if
this were not so, it must be apparent to Hon. Gentlemen
that if his Majesty's Government chose to depute any gentle-
-n holding an official situation to bring forward a alea-
"'" gentled= lolenaly pledging himself to

~_

be responsible for the Measure, it could make no
diff,•rence to the House whether he were a Member of the
Cabinet or not.

A Mcatiaa wished to knOw whether it would ndt he
Getter for the Noble Lord. to postpone his measure
respecting thb grdwiug of tohicco its Ireland to a more
dist !tit date, that the pre'ence pi' the Irish Menthols
might be insured on the discussion?

Lord .ALTHORP said he should not delay it fuither. He
had every reason to relieire that the Irish Members
would be-preseiit then:
Another MEMexe, under the gallery desired to know if
the measure of Reform wag intended to extend to Scotland.
Lotd ALTHORP hoped be woied be excused for
Raying that he shoUld decline answering any further. question
reipbctihg the measure until it was brought forward.
Thb Measure wag intenti,il to eivend to Scotland.