The Sun.
London, England, 1831-10-04 00:00:00

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LONDON,
TUESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 4, 1831.

The debates on the all-absorbing question of
Reform commenced last night in the House of
Lords. Earl GREY, who at the opening of his
speech was so overpowered by his emotions that he
was compelled for a few minutes to resume his
seat, opened the discussion, and rivettel the atten-
tion of the House for upwards of two hours, while
he dwelt in -a. calm, statesmanlike, philosophic spirit
on the necessity of Reform, and pointed out the
dangers that would almost necessarily accrue to all
classes of the community in the event of its rejec-
tion by their Lordships. The Noble Earl psrti-
cularly addressed himself to the Episcopal Bench,
on whom he observed an awful resporisilyiliry de-
volved, and concluded with the cheering announce-
ment that he would stand or fall by the Bill, and
would never quit office so long as there remained
even the slightest hope of its success. In other
words, his Lordship is resolved, through evil and
through good report, to persevere in his favourite
measure, even should a further creation of Peers be
necessary to ensure its triumph.
In urging the necessity of Reform, his Lordship
very happily contrasted the theoretical with the prac-
tical Constitution of the country, and showed how
LOCKE, BLACKSTONE, and others, had eulogised the
one, while they unequivocally condemned the other.
Nothing indeed can be more admirable than the
Constitution as it is expounded by such able legi-
slators; or worse, as it is defined by the
borouglimongers. The latter quote it, as the
Devil quotes scripture, for the purpose of pervert-
ing the text so as to suit their own views. The
consequence of this is, that our youth, who should
be brought up to reverence the Constitution, learn,
from the earliest moment at which they are
capable of forming an opinion, to despise it;
they see that it_ is not the same Constitution
that has beer► so lauded by the great law-espounders
of the country : hence they denounce it as a fraud, a
mockery on the people ; or if from circumstances
compelled to disguise their opinions, and publicly
eulogize what in their hearts they cannot but con-
demn, they acquire the art of dissimulation, and be-
come apprentices to the trade of falsehood, bound
by the Ifrietess of indentures, at an age when the
reeling and the understanding should be frank,
enerous' sts►d sincere. W:tristarer may be , the
vase it the Constitution of LOCKE and
BLACKSTONE, it is clear that, by the Constitution
of the boroughmongers, no honest man can be a Mi-
nister; we will go further, and add, that no honest
man can even be a supporter of Ministers. Is it not
high time then that this demoralizing system, the
influence of which, making itself felt through all
classes, taints even the lowest, should be put
an end to ? Who can sincerely respect the
laws if the very source from which they ema-
nate is itself corrupt ? Eatl GREY has long
seen the necessity of a material change in
the Constitution, and has come forward at a season
not less auspicious for himself than his country to
effect this alter►tion. That in so doing, he will
have many serious difficulties to contend with,
we are well aware ; but that he will ultimately
triumph, we have no more doubt than that the
Hon. Member for Preston is an arch Ignoramus.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE opposed the Reform Bill, and
moved, by way of amendment, that it be read this
day six months. His Lordship spoke long and learnedly
on the subject, and argued that the people were in-
different to the Bill because the Bond-street shop-
keepers discountenanced it. Excellent logic ! Most
consummate statesman I As well might he refer to
the theatrical saloons, or the chaste recesses of Soho,
for samples for the morality of our British females!
Yet his Lordship knows quite as much of the state of
the public mind as the rest of his Ultra brethren;
indeed much more so, or he would scarcely
have volunteered to lead their forlorn hope. Let
us examine, then, the force of his argument a little.
If it mean any thing, it amounts to this. The Bond-
street shopkeepers are the polished mirrors in which
the feelings and opinions of the people are repre-
sented—ergo, if they disapprove the Reform Bill,
it is quite conclusive the country must do so too—
Q. E. D. But Bond-street is only one small
contemptible atom of the great whole. No mat-
ter, it is situated at the West End; and as
all wisdom, all purity, all wealth, all gentility, all
patriotism emanate from this favoured quarter : as
the men here are all LYCURGUSES and the women all
LUCRETIAS ; as CROCKFORD'S is here, and ALMACK'S
Hamilton-place, and Constitution-bill; what can be
more decisive than that the West-end represents
Great Britain, and the Bond-street shopkeepers its
inhabitants ?

And is it to this puerile, this contemptible
jabber, innocent of sense and unalloyed with the
slightest mixture of reasoning, that the great mea-
sure of Reform is to be sacrificed ? Is England to
be precipitated into all the horrors of anarchy, be-
cause the Bond-street shopkeepers, hopeless other-
wise of the payment of their long aristocratic ac-
counts, are opposed to a question in which all Europe
is interested ? Is Reform to be lost, because a set
of tradesmen, with pens behind their ears, at
the West-end, will have it so ? Oh my Lord
WHARNCLIFFE, my Lord WIIARNCLIFFE, fatal was
the hour when you broached this absurd argument 1
Endless the ridicule to which it will consign your
name ! Henceforth flourish in connection with your
protegees, the Bond-street shop-keepers, for be as-
sured the one will never be mentioned, without con-
juring up the recollection of the other!

" Congenial names, and memorable long,
If there be force in satire or in song.'

After a lengthened discussion, in which the Earl of
MULORAVE eminently distinguished himself, and
soine smart skirmishing on the subject of the amend-
ment, between Lords HOLLAND, MANSFIELD, and
CARNARVON, the debate was adjourned to this day.
The adjournment will not probably be a pro-
tracted one; bat whether it be or not, Reform,
the people may rely on it, is secure. Their

Lordships may look big and bluster, but they
must swallow the pill. They may probably try to
get it gilded ; but even this will not avail them
Their physician, kinder to his patients than they
are to themselves, knows that the dose is essential
to their safety, and will insist on their dispatching it.
Courage, then, countrymen, and all will be right.

In the House of Commons last night, Lord AL-
Tlloßp, in a Committee of Ways and Means, moved
that there be granted out of the Consolidated Fund
1,800,0001. to meet the supply for the present
year. The report of the Scotch Reform Bill was
afterwards taken into consideration, and the House
adjourned at a late hour.

There is little important news in the foreign Jour-
nals. The Paris express says that the capital is at
length tranquil ; that the cholera had reached
Anhal,-Bernburg, on the left bank of the Elbe;
that there is no truth in the accounts of further war-
like preparations in Prussia; and that the hostile
armies in Poland were making every exertion to con-
tinue the campaign. The following is a letter•
addressed by the late Governor of Warsaw, to the
EMPEROR :

4. SIRE,—Being at this moment commissioned to address your
Imperial and Royal Majesty in the name of the whole Polish na-
tion, I apply through his Excel'ency the Field-Marshal Count
Paskewitsch of Erivan to your paternal heart. While we submit
without any condition to your Majesty our King, the Polish na-
tion knows that you alone are able to cause the past to be for-
gotten, and to heal the deep wounds that have been inflicted on
my country.
(Signed) " Count KRUKOWIECKI.
" Warsaw, Sept. 7, 11131, Six o'clock in the evening,"

The following are extracts from Brussels Papers
received this morning:—

BRUSSELS, SEPT. 30.—His Majesty the King arrived last
night from Antwerp at
the Palace of Lacken.
The decree re-establishing the jury requires the President of
the tribunal of the place in which the assizes are held, to draw
by lot the names of 36 persons, which will form the list of the
jurymen for the whole sessions.
An English Cabinet messenger set out last night with des-
patches for London.
Generals Grundler and Belliard are gone to inspect the different
regiments of infantry under their command.
A foreign legion is going to be organized at Mons, it seems
certain that the command of it will be given to Colonel Prince
Achilles Murat.

The Me;sager de Gand published the following news ; it is un-
necessary to observe that the authenticity of it is. more than
doubtful, and that we publish it merely to make our readers ac-
quainted with the various reports relative to our political
situation:—

Oneof our correspondents'at Paris:who, is in general well in-
formed, tells us that several negociations have been opened be-
tween the cabinets of the Hague and the Palais Royal. It is
stated that King William has made advantageous proposals to
France which the latter is not disinclined to listen to. Two for-
tresses not indeed of the first rank, but yet the keys of the Ar.
dennes, Marienburg and Philipville, to be ceded to Louis
Philip, with a suitable district round them. France to recover
also the district of Chimay ; and all the Belgian fortresses to be-
molished, except the citadel of Huy, the fortification of Liege,
Maestricht, Antwerp, and Fermande : a treaty of commerce to
be made between Holland and France, one of the clauses of which
should allow French vessels to be admitted in Java, and the In-
dian Archipelago, on the same terms as the Dutch vessels, pay-
ing only a duty of three per cent., in addition, on goods im-
ported by them.
.‘ elgians, to be governed separately from Holland, but with
an act of federation, and a Constitution given by France. The
existence of this state of things to be guaranteed by France and
England. Lastly, it would be stipulated in the treaty, to which
all the Powers should accede, that Holland and Belgium, though
under a different Administration and different laws, should al-
ways remain under the same sceptre.
Though we have no doubt, that proposals have been made,
we cannot warrant that the clauses mentioned by our correspon-
dent, are literally those which are thesubject ofthe negociation."
The French garrison of Mons, and the division of General
' Ranois quitted the territory of Belgium, and returned to France
on the 28th.