The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-08 00:00:00

ENING, MARCH 8, 1831.

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

The Reform debate is again adjourned on an understand-
ing that it would be terminated to-morrow night. The
people throughout the country are behaving admirably.
Their conduct proves to Ministers that their confidence has
not been misplaced. The promptitude with which then
have come forward in approbation of the plan of Reform,
shows how well they understand the nature of the diffi-
culties Ministers have to encounter. Interested men might

hazard the peace and tranquillity of the country for the
sake of retaining the power they now so unjustly possess ;
but the people know well how deeply they must suffer
from any interruption of tranquillity, and they are, there-
fore, determined to extinguish at Once, in the minds of the
opponents of Reform, all hope of succeeding in what might
lead to an interruption of tranquility. It is of immense
consequence that the aid of public opinion should be
prompt; and of this truth the public every where prove
themselves fully away,. Had the people been less prompt,
their enemies might have been encouraged to go further
than their prudence will now allow them to go. There is
nothing like extinguishing at once all hope in the evil-
disposed. The Marquis of Chandos, in the early part of
the evening, said "it was with deep regret that he ob-
served the friends of Ministers going about the country, en.
deavouring rather to inflame than allay the gene al agitation,
not only to influence but to intimidate Members of that
House in the votes they might give, and the speeches they
might deliver within the walls of Parliament ;" and he
complaine i of a report in the Chronicle of Saturday last,
of a speech of Colonel Evans, in which he is represented
to have stated, at the Crown and Anchor meeting, that
" he had that morning come fiom the coast of Sussex,
where two Reform meetings had taken place, and where
he knew ten thousand persons were ready to march to
London, should Ministers be defeated." We have before
us the address, unanimously agreed to, at, we believe, one
of the meetings alluded to by the Gallant Colonel (II est-
ines), in which it is declared—
. We have heard, with the deepest alarm, regret, and detesta-
tion, of an opposition being threatened to this, your Majesty's
most gracious intention, and beg most humbly to express to your
Majesty our united and firm determination to rally round your
Majesty's Throne, and on this momentous occasion to support your
Majesty's Government with our lives and property ; and should
it unfortunately be necessary, in furtherance of this, your Ma-
jesty's wise, constitutional, and benevolent policy, weshall cheer-
fully shed our blood in vindication of the Constitution against a
factious power, procured by illegal and corrupt means."
The union of the people will prevent all necessity of
bloodshed ; for though, according to Colonel Jones (at
the Marylebone meeting yesterday), some of the borough-
mongers
openly declare they will fight sooner than give up
their usurpations, we do not see how a handful of indi-
vidual', however brave, can fight against an united nation.
A hook was once written to prove that a General could not
gain a battle without the aid of soldiers ; but it is hardly
necessary now to provo that borougbmongers derive all
their power front the people, and that of themselves they
ate nothing. The people, however, sensible of the value
Id order and tranquillity, knowing that it was declared in
the outset by his Majesty's Ministers that the time was
cow come when it was necessary to choose between Re-
form and Revolution, many will be excused for the indig-
nation they feel at attempts to deprive them of the former,
and to precipitate them on the latter. We know that a
little before the present Ministers took office, it was de-
clared in a company of Tory Members of Parliament, that
it would be necessary to plunge the country into a war to
escape from Reform. No wonder that the people should
wish to see an end put to a state of things which gives
power to men who are so strongly tempted to abuse it to
the ruin of the country. Last night, Member after Member,
representing the boroughs disfranchised wholly or in pert,
expressed the satisfaction of their constituents with the mea-
sure. On the other hand, it must be owned that all the
pot-walloping places do not view with the same degree of sa-
tisfaction the extinction of their power to return Members.
Sir George Warrender " protested against the corn
11scation of just rights upon the behalf of the potwallopers
of Honiton, as he bad formerly done on behalf of the forty-
shilling freeholders of Ireland. He begeed to read a com-
munication upon this subject, which he had received from
his constituents at Honiton, and which war signed by 500
of them, many of whom were Radical Reformers. They
said,,we cannot discover why we arc to be deprived of our
just rights, merely to diminish the numbers of this House,
and we protest against it.' " The Honourable Baronet
added the wise observation, that "if men wantel Re-
form, they must Reform thetnselves—(Hear, hear, and
laughter)." If men want Reform, the contituents of
the Honourable Baronet will not want them ; as they
have proved more than once. Lord Cochrane took it into
his head to hoist the standard of Reform in that pure bo-
rough, but he was soon compelled to sound a retreat. "Do
you mean," they exclaimed, " to take the bread out of our
children's mouths?" Not a boroughmonger in the House—
not Mr. Alexander Baring himself, understood the question,
as it affected themselves, better than the constituents of
the Hon. Baronet. With regard, however, to the right
of certain places to return Members to Parliament, it in-
volves an absurdity—for such a right would not be repre-
seutation, but property. It is a very pretty property in-
deed, to leave the power of naming the men, who con dis-
pose at will of the property of the nation. A sensible
correspondent (P. S.), whose letter we are unable to insert
entire, alluding to the arrangements on the so called right
of voting for Members of Parliament, says—
" There are two extreme and opposite parties, who loudly put
forward this pretended right—l. The universal suffragans who
claim it, on the ground of theory, for every adult male (forget-
posed on individuals s.al?edncgtoedntal:feronirgahtuth.apn:
tog that the same principle which excludes females and children
will equally exclude the least intelligent class of male adults) ;
and 2d. The Ultra Tories, who claim the same right, on the
ground of vested interest or prescription, for the borough-owners,
trleltssaenahesdl
formia
sm noer of the community—a right,
pot-walloppers, and scot. and lot voters, about to be disfranchised.
Now, I have been anxiously but vainly expecting to hear some
Member or organ of the Government put an end at once and for
ever to this outcry from either extreme, by proclaiming the un-
deniable truth, that the elective franchise is not of the nature of
a right, and cats be claimed. as such by no one on any ground of
spfsrielosr purpose erb
yr fromeafuns: theirndthiv
principle or practice; that it is purely a trust and a duty, im-
i
empeterrfeesnnts ,anocre,exa icsedpotnhe theca under-
standingshow that it is to be exercised for the public benefit alone, and
ts are involved in his possession of a vote.
not for any private
bobjects;—that no one, therefore, can corn-
s subject, whether he be Prince or pauper,
pre-
sumed competency foriviitdsud
of reprc..sentation as shall protect and
,astaii,snhidaata:::,::::,..hicinenfeer:pthihhtriutiseyobitinft,oicr:otaws.eihnuh::ectetihhsesi
in short, to good government,_ not to self-government. And till
this principle is laid
there be no consistency in the argu-
ments of its supporters.
The same Noble Lord who appeared so indignant at
the attempts made to agitate the public against the Anti-
Refl,rniers, announced last night a course of procedure
not much calculated to allay agitation. On Lord Al-
thorp's declaring that he intended to propose that the
second reading of the Reform Bill should take place on
next Monday se'nnight, the Marquis of Chandos said, if
the Noble Lord persisted in putting off the second read
ing to so long a period, he should take that course which,
as a Member of Parliament, he had a right to do. On
Lord Ebrington asking what that course was, the Noble
Marquis answered, that if the second reading of the Bill
was delayed longer than that day week, he should, when
the Mutiny Bill and Supplies were brought forward, use
that privilege which he had the power of doing. On
this Sir James Graham observed, " I think, Sir, that after
the threat of the Noble Marquis, I cannot do better than
avail myself of the present opportunity of moving the
third reading of the Mutiny Bill."—(Continued cheering.)
However it was agreed to postpone the third reading to
this day. This is indeed attempting to carry matters
with a high band. So, because the Noble Marquis can-
not be indulged in every wish, the army is to be taken
from the King! What will follow ? All this will only
strengthen the determination of the people to proceed in
such a manner as to prevent this faction from doing mis-
chief. There is evidently no disinclination in some quar-
ters to hazard the peace of the country.—Morning
Chronicle.

We are in a position from which we hardly know how
to relieve ourselves. Our tables are crowded—are loaded
with notices of meetings, petitions, resolutions, addresses,
in support of the Bill for a Reform of Parliament. We
could ant have conceived it possible that such a quantum
of public will could have been hitherto compressed. But
now all England is in motion ; and most happy we think_
it, that it is for a definite and precise object that the na-
tion is thus in action. Nay, what do we talk of meetings
and addresses? Canvasses, on the one hand, are already
begun for the places now to be represented ; and the pa-
trons of boroughs, who have foully lived by the periodical
sale of this illegal article of traffic, are beginning to curtail
their expenees. Our advice to the people of England is,
~ mildly, but firmly."
The Reform is sure ! Reason,
common sense, justice, and prudence also, support the
measure; and against these what forces can be put in
array ? Simply one...corruption This is to thrive, what-