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

THE REFORM BILL.

Earl GREY then rose for the purpose of moving the
order of the day for the second reading of the Reform Bill ;
and the House, which, during the discussion as to the
future hour of proceeding with the petitions, had been
in some confusion, almost instantaneously subsided into
the profoundest attention and silence. The Noble Earl
, paused a minute before he commenced, and then pro-
ceeded to address their Lordships in nearly the following
words :—My Lords, in the course of a Ling political life,
now extended.—[The Noble Earl here again paused,
evidently overcome by emotion at the task that had de-
volved upon him for performance, and several Noble
Lords perceiving his momentary incapacity to proceed,
exclaimed, ' Sit down !—Sit down !" The Noble Earl,
adopting the suggestion, resumed his seat for a minute,
and then again rising and advancing to the table to address
their Lordships, he was received with cheers from both
sides of the House.] My Lords, in a long political life,
which has now extended over nearly half a century, it
has often been my lot to propose to this House and to the
other House of Parliament—in moments of great diffi-
culty—in seasons of great political contest and violence—
many questions of the most vital importance to the poli-
tical interests of this country, as well as to the general
well-doing of Europe. If at such times—under such
circumstances—and with such interests at st ike, I have
felt that awe and trepidation which the importance of
those occasions must have naturally inspired, and
which were no more than becoming to me, speak.
ing as I did, conscious of my own inferiority, in the
presence of some of the greatest men this country has ever
produced, and sensible of the important duty which I had
to discharge—if, 1 say, on such occasions as those I felt
awed, yet still were those sensations nothing in the com-
parison to the feelings with which I am affected at the
present moment; for I ant about to propose for your
Lordships' consideration a question involving the dearest
interests of the country—a question for bringing forward
which I more than any other individual am personally
responsible—a question which has been designated as
destructive of the Constitution, as revolutionary in its
spirit and principle, and as tending to produce general
confusion and misgovernment throughout the country.—
Your Lordships will feel the weight of these charges
against which it is necessary that I should vindicate myself.
My own belief is that the measure which I am about to lay
before your Lordships is one of peace, prosperity, and con-
cord--(Cheers.) I observe that on this question de-
pends, on the one hand, the peace, prosperity, and concord
of the country ; and, on the other, the continuance of a
state of political disaffection, which threatens all those con-
sequences that must arise when ill-feeling is engendered in
the people towards the Government of a country.—
(Hear, hear.) I have already stated that I, more than
any other individual, am personally responsible for this
measure ; and it is therefore necessary, in the first
place, that I should set myself right with your Lordships
on this point. My opinion on this question of Parlia-
mentary Reform is well known to such of your Lordships
as have done me the honour to observe tle course of my
political conduct. I have uniformly supported the prin
ciple of Reform. I voted, soon after my introduction into
Parliament, in the year 1786, for questions of that de-
scription. I voted with Mr. Pitt for the shortening of
Parliaments. I voted for a measure of Reform introduced
by Mr. Flood at the commencement of the revolution, and
before the beginning of that war which ied to such dis-
astrous consequences. I myself, on two different occa-
sions, brought forward a proposition of this nature, be-
lieving, as I then did, that some change in the representa-
tion of the people was necessary to give new vigour to the
Constitution, and to make the House of Cotnmons in fact
what it professed to be in theory—a full, free, and efficient
representation of the people.—(Cheers.) I stand, there-
fore, now before your Lordships the advocate of princi-
ples, from which I have never swerved. But it is not
enough that a public man, pretending to any claim to the
character of a Statesman, should be able to prove that he
has been consistent in what he has done—that what he has
proposed is in conformity with opinions long established
in his mind, and that it is from a conviction forced upon
him through all the changes and chances of a long poli-
tical career, that he brings forward some measure of this
description. He has a still further duty to per-
form. He has to prove that he has not forced into
notice even a beneficial opinion, either rashly or at an
inopportune season, but that he has done it under a
sincere conviction that it is essential to the well-being of
the country, and that it could not be longer delayed with
safety, if it was his object to make it a measure that should
unite in affection towards the Government and the Consti-
tution a loyal and confiding people.—(Cheers.) To show
what my course of conduct on this subject has been, a
short detail only will be necessary. Your Lordships can-
not have forgotten what the state of the country was at
the commencement of the last Session of Parliament.—
(Hear.) Your Lordships cannot have forgotten the ge-
neral doubt and anxiety that prevailed throughout the corn_
munity—that society was almost in a state of disorganiza-
tion—that tumult had taken place in the manufacturing
districts—that the influence of certiiin Political Unions,
which had grown out of the discontent of the people, was
spreading in every direction—that there was the most
alarming insurrection prevalent in the southern counties,
extending almost to the very gates of the metropolis.
Neither can your Lordships have forgotten how that situa-
tion of fear and destruction was exemplified by the remark-
able circumstance of the then Ministers thinking it to be
their duty to counsel his Majesty not to expose them to
the danger which must ensue—a danger which I most
sincerely believe was groundless and unreal—front paying
that visit to the city which it has been usual for the Mo-
narchs of this country, shortly after their accession, to
pay to the great, loyal, and opulent city of this empire.
These things must be fresh in the minds of your Lord-hips;
and you must also recollect in how great a degree, at that
very-time, prevailed the desire for the adoption of some
measure of Parliamentary Reform, which waded still more
to agitate the feelings of the country, anti recurred to
men's minds more strongly than ever. My Lords, that
was the revival of a question which had at times slum-
bered, but had never been extinct during a period of eighty
years—(Hear)—that was a question which had always
agitated the country; more especially in times of difficulty,
by which the necessity of its settlement was the more
clearly evinced.--(Hear.) That measure, then, had begun
to be felt as so necessary, that svhen I -arrived in town
at that Period, I found many, on whose opinions I most re-
lied—who had never, indeed, dissented from Parliamen-
tary Reform, but who could not previously have bsen
reckoned among its most energetic and sanguine supporters
ss--I found, I say, many such as these convinced that the
time had at length arrived when that ques'tion most he en-
tertained, with the desire and intention of bringing it to a
close. This was my conviction also—(Hear, hear)—
and your Lordships will not forget that on the first day of
that Session, i took an opportunity of diScussing the ge-
neral state of the country, in answer to a Noble Earl whom
I do not now see in his place; and who, after describing
teen,
nt aprt.is Reeift:
the situation of the country, had proceeded to insist on the
necessity of strong measures—such as arming and others.
I then stated—using the familiar illustration of putting
one's House in order for the coming storm—that Parlia-
mentary the best security that could be de-
vised, as security Was wanted ; and it was the cheapest
defence the Government could adopt ; that it was the
most certain shield that could be held out against any
foreign or domestic—(Cheers)—that
Reform in the representation'of the Comunins' House of
Parliament, with which the people were no longer satis•
fled, and without Which there could be no reasonable hopes
of reconciling them to the measures of Government,
would be all tie things that were wanted, and would pro-'
duce more safety than any other scheme that could be de-
veloped. These were the things that I stated on the ,