The Sun.
London, England, 1831-03-05 00:00:00

SPIRIT or TIT tlittSC

a of the rittion at large now become as interest-
ingiCaliSe'ttole°;lln;grilarnent on the subjects of the Reform Bill. The
petitiqnsfroM the city of London, as with propriety they may, pre-
cede all others in support of the measure. That from the Common
Council was presented last night „,:with Usual formalities, by
the Sheriff• and the Meeting', Tor the same purpose, of the Li-
very take., ?ace o'n mcnclay next. The whole nation, in fact, is
in rnmets.le .t,—not factiously or turbulently, but peaceably and
conlititutionally,—for the sake of petitioning Parhatnint to pass
the Bill. What, ye enemies of Reform, can not le get Up one pe-
tition in support of your wretched cause? not one I Not even
a little one? No not,* little O t It is, beyond all question, the
most prodigious th!.ng that ever occurred Parliamentary history,
that upon the most important question that ever has occurred
since tile Revolution—a question upon which myriads and my-
riads—(we hope that all our readers understand that a myriad is
ten thousand)—when myriads upon myriads, we say, are pouring
in petitions, anti the people are free to make their wiettt known
on either side, not one pctitioni signature, comes
from any one quarter, soring ti Parliament—" Do not reform
yourselves: do. net ICp Oft your rotten boroughs; suffer Peers
to nominate that* Vassals as the representatives of our rights, and
dealers in boroughs tosell seats among you!" What can the House
of Commons mean, then, by hesitating? It does not hesitate!
The debate on the Bill goes fotWard as it fthoUiddo. It succeeds,
and will and must succeed. Petition, then," we say to the
people,petitiozi,"--against the Bill, iithere be a man in Eng-
land out of: the two Houses who is hostile to it, which we
have not yet discovered • but, at all events petition ! Sir Robert
Peel's speech on Thursday night was a trimming and shifty one.
He did not dare to say that he was an enyny.to: a5l Reform : in-
deed he could not; his honest .natUre r.)rbad him—(he was no
partner in the Duke of Nyeli!Vi:;ton s foolish declaration to that
effect, which ftvevStiV;-,* their joint Ministry) ; and therefore he
nibbled frttfuoy at the proposition to Reform now before the
House. He expatiated on other subjects, on which we join him
cheerfully. What have we to do with tri-coloured flags ? Ours,
as he justly said, is the union jack—
. The flag that's braved a thousand year~
" The battle and the bfeezel!,'. .
Our emblems are threes intle.Al:; ,b,st t are the Shamrock, the
Rose, and the Phistle,; add tbpstitution is, in like manner,
a tripartite kt..ltig, Lords, and Commons. We have
nothing to 40 With revolutionary badges and c 0191.48 we only
want to litinove gross and flagrant abuses. But the present mes.
sure, it is said, is revolution. Gracious poWers ! flow ? It
meddles with but one branCh of the l'...gislature—that of the
people ; and it onlyTreventS r.A.!!'r.ii who are not of the people,
and have rights of their own which we do not want to touch,
from interferiq With our rights ; and beyond this it merely
facilitates our manner of exercising those rights which are
acknOWledged to he ours. What harm or danger can come
of this ? The Bill does not teach of prerogative or
_pri-
vilege of the Crown or of ,the Peers. It leaves to. the King
his army, his na,. 014 all the appointments ,in them; and in
the state : to the i"eblet, their House. an., the legillatiVe power,
as one of the
the
of the realm: to the kingdom, its church.
In fact We delY,the racist scrutinitiug sagacity to point out one
single thing *Mat it Mteri, Cept merely bringing the House of
CommOni More O,,atly to that state which is represented as its
naturaan'd rant state in all well-written books on the Constitu-
tion. i this be revolutionary, in what is it that constitutional
taW Consists ? But it may lead to a revolution! Why" Proper
warmth is one gradation towards,rxt'rehte heat, but there
is no reason why a matt that tial bzi a flannel waistcoat should
therefore th-roW hinsselt. hitt) the fire to be roasted alive. Of
what chara'cter are the hew electors to be? Certainly not such
lofty 'one wi those who now sell our rights and pocket the
Money, mid then tell us we are a free and happy people,
because they make very free with us. But the truth is,
that the elective franchise, wherever it is now conferred
afresh, will be conferred on those who have Mort to lose
than to gain by a revolution, The Bill, therefore, every where
inspires contentment, and We hail with satisfaction its progress.
Neither ought We to pellet the respectful mention of those who,
in the morevhain'eht stations of life, are ready, not only to pro-
mote the 13111 by word and vote, but to make considerable sacri-
fices for its success. Such, particularly, is the Duke of Norfolk,
in the House of Lords, whose speech of last night we recotit,
mend to grateful notice ; and Mr. John Smith, we believe, in
the House of Commons; ar.i. other's of both houses. The
speech of Mr. Baring has, We Confess, disgusted us. It is Cal-
lington thrbightilft t the voice Of the litirough Monger; not Of the
independent legislator. It would be ,vain to inquire about the
motives of a gentleman who has said hiniself oh a former occa-
sion, that he is accustomed to support one side of his argument
and another with his vote. Perhaps he may act so on the present
oteasion, We hope so : he will thus do something towards put-
ting down the scandal that he is divided between disappoint-
ment of a peerage from one Ministry, and hopes of it from an.
other.—Times.

In the House of Lords, last nlglit, the puke of Norfolk fol-
lowed the example sit tin a Mimes evening by the Marquis of
Cleveland, " I iii.l:self," said his Grace, " have always been a
NOV Reform. I have been so from an early period of my
lift, as is well known to my Noble Friend at the head of the
Administration. lam one of those who will suffer some loss
from the adoption of the plan of Reform now under considerss
tion ; but still I rejoice that such a ineasore.hal beOs brought
forward—(Hear, hear/—atil will fejOice still more if it should
be passed into a tai.. I 'Would gladly sacrifice ten times as much
—(lfear. htar)for the sake of a measure which will form so
Isii:table a safeguard for the liberties of the subject, and is so
well calculated to promote in every way the best interests of the
nation."—(Hear, hear.) Men of rank and property may be as,
sured, that rank and property are never so safe as When their
existence demands no sacrifice cf tlle rights and properties of
others.—Morni..g C.trcglide.
The Reform Debate is adjourned to Monday. The people seem
td Make very light of the great privileges, the loss of which Sir
Robert Peel lamented so much on Thursday night. " All classes
of the community (quoth the Right Hon. Baronet) are now en-.
titled to vote, and will not men consider it h ttpkoadh and a
stigma, if by this Bill of thelgohle Lord they are disfranchised?"
It will be thought; ‘Ne suppose, by the Right Hon. Baronet, that
the milith of the people are oddly constituted; for they are much
inOre alive to another consideration than to the loss of the ho-
nour they derive from seeing a few miserable pot-walloppers,
selling themselves every six years to the highest bidder, and in.
dulging in the most beastly intoxication, or at miserable tools
prostituting themselves to serve the 'DUI-poses of some rich in-
dividual. " All elaSstSt of the community (say the people) are
now liable to be plundered ; and ought we not to consider it as
an insult to our understanding to be told that the degrading
spectacle alluded to is deemed of more consequence to us than
the securing the liberty and property of all classes against cor-
rupt and interested jobbers, who wish to compel the Government
to be carried on in subseaviency to their views ?" Every
where the people are rallying round his Majesty's Ministers. On
the presentation of a petition from the Lord Mayor, Aldermen,
and Cohimon Council of London, in favour of the present mea-
sure of Reform, Mr. Alderman Wood said, " He could assure
the House that the support was not only sincerely and cordially,
but almost unanimously given ; for out of a most numerous
meeting of the members of the Corporation, only one was found
to hold up his hand against the measure—Hear, hear)—and
that gentleman was known to be one who would oppose, not only
this measure of Reform, but all Reform whatever." Lord Mor-
pcth said, at this season of the year there were a great number
of Yorkshiremen in town on business, and they cordially approved
of the measure. Lord George Lennox said lie should soon have
a petition to present from Chichester in support of the Bill, " and
he begged leave now to thank his 'Majesty's Ministers in his
name for the Bill they had thus Introduced ; and he, in the
name of the Corporation of Chichester and his own, expressed
his sincere hope that the Government would fearlessly pur-
sue their course." Mr. John Smith confirmed the state-
ment of his Noble Colleague, and said " he believed that the
whole population of England, from Sutherland to the Land's-
end, entertained but one opinion on the subject." Mr. Sykes
said, in a few days he should lay on the table a proof that the
population of the part of Yorkshire with which he was con-
nected, were, to a man, in favour of the measure. Mr. Calvert
made a similar statement with regard to Southwark. Mr. D. W.
Harvey said, that from his own constituents of Colchester, who
would suffer by the measure as much as any body of men, he had
obtained the most general testimonies of approbation. With
breathless haste the people have everywhere rushed to their post.
Yesterday Westminster met as well as the City. Sir Robert
Peel might have heard at the Crown and Anchor the cheering
which Sir Francis Burdett received, when he paid a deserved
tribute to the merits of Ministers, and ridiculed the
miserable cant of the Right Honourable Baronet. " An
Honourable Baronet, whom he would not name, had op_
posed the measure, on the ground that it would be the
means of disfranchising some voters in a few particular
parts of the country—at least not present voters, but their
successors. A measure that enfranchised half a million of
Englishmen, and took away the right of voting from the de-
scendants of a few voters—o right which had as yet been exer-
cised with no benefit to themselves, but with great disadvantage
to the country at large, was in these enlightened times called a
measure of disfranchisement." This conventional sympathy of
Hon. Members has not produced the anticipated effect. Mr.
John Smith said, " he was one of those persons who had an in-
terest in boroughs ; but at all times he entertained a perfect
conviction that such power in his hands was improperly placed,"
and declared " that when lie first heard the provisions of the
Bill propounded by the Noble Lord, it almost took away his
breath, so much was he delighted with it." What a contrast to
Mr. Alexander Baring. Several excellent speeches were de-
livered last night. The Lord Advocate spoke for the first time.
His speech was, as might have been expected, highly eloquent and
argumentative. Theopponents of the measure are pursuing a dan.
gerous course. When one hears men like Mr. Calcraft assuming a
right of controul over the people of Englanditelling them thatt" one
of his first duties was never to give way to any wishes or de-
mands of the people, the concession of which might be prejudi-
cial to the people themselves," one cannot help being surprised
that a few individuals should so far forget their helplessness,
when not supported by the people, as to arrogate a right of con-
trout like this—two or three hundred individuals, who, without
the aid of the people, cannot even tie their own shoes,
are to be sole judges of what a whole nation shall or shall not
have—the will of the people is to pass for nothing. However,
the people, for their own sakes, will save you in spite of your-
selves. Your swaggering language, like all silly menaces, will
only excite a feeling of contempt. The debate is expected to
continue three or four nights longer. It is thought no division
will take place on the introduction of the Bill ; and that the trial
of strength will arise on the second reading, in about a week or
ten days. Both parties express themselves equally sanguine as
to the result. The people have the casting voice ; and we shall
soon see the effect of their demonstrations.—Morning Chronicle.

We ventured yesterday to address a word of advice to Sir Ro-
bert Peel, and we anticipate, from his speech of Thursday, that
he will not be insensible either to the interests of his country or
to the value of his own representation. The:qualities as a States-
man for which he is most distinguished are, caution in express-
ing his opinions on great questions of national policy, and ex-
treme moderation in maintaining his own views thereupon. Sir
Robert Peel says himself that he has never taken "a decided vio-
lent part against Reform," and he adds, " After, indeed, he had
lost the confidence of the House, and thence office—if Ministers
had felt it necessary to propose a safe and moderate measure of
Reform of some branches of our representation, he would most
probably have acted on the views taken by the Honourable
Member for Calne of the overwhelming danger to be appre-
hended from all resistance to change, and have given it
his support, as a private individual, though he might not
have thought fit to originate it in an official capacity." We are
anxious to call the attention of our readers to this important and
characteristic declaration. It establishes two points—first, that
Sir Robert Peel has given up, on deliberate conviction, the argu-
ment that the present system works so well, notwithstanding its
anomalies and peculiarities, that no change is required. This
was Mr. Canning's view of the case, and that great man, in per-
fect consistency, denied the existence of any 'grievance. Not so
Sir Robert Peel : he admits the necessity of Reform ; he feels
the danger of inexorable resistance, and therefore he does not
deny the grievance. He does not, therefore, succeed as the
champion of anti-reformation to Mr. Canning. Another Sir
Robert (Inglis) has got the inheritance; but as Sirn Robert
Inglis is only the heir-at-law to Mr. Canning, we eed not
be surprised to find so little moral or intellectual resem-
blance between them. Sir Robert Peel is, by his own show_
ing, a Reformer—the difference between him and the Mi-
nisters is as to the mode and extent of the alterations. The
second point established by Sir Robert's declaration is, that al-
though he is as intimately convinced of the necessity of moderate
as of the danger of extensive Reform, he would not, had he re-
mained in office, have laboured to prevent the danger, by intro-
ducing the remedy; or, in other words, that he would not have
ventured to be attentive to the wishes of the people, when per-
sonal responsibility was attached to concession; but lie has no
hesitation to do so, when others are to answer for the measure.
There is great prudence and self-preservation in this rule of con-
duct. We, however, rejoice that Lord Grey has been less cau-
tious, and that he has thought so much more of the interests of
his country than of his own convenience as a Minister. In office
Lord Grey has done that boldly which, as an individual legislator,
he has never ceased to declare to have been indispensable to the
future tranquillity and welfare of the country. It is rather curious
to remark that Sir Robert Peel attributes the perfection of the
present composition to the House of Commons to the two most
opposite modes of returning Members—namely, to universal
a '
uffka ge, and to absolute nomination by an individuaL Preston
and Old Sarum are, according to him, the balancing weights of

the Constitution ; or, rather, they are antagonist but conserva-
tive principles ; and, so they,inight be if there were only one Pres.
ton and one Sarum; llnt,the relativ,es of Sarum arc, numerous,
while Preston exists in sin& bicisedness, and there is no ag-
pearance of any addition to the family. We must now notice the
appearance of Mr. Baring amongst the opponents of Reform. He
calls the proposed measure a change in the Constitution, which
is now composed of King, Lords, and Commons; but will, should the
Bill pass, become Commons, Lords, and King. The phrase is cer-
tainly not amiss; but we would ask Mr. Urln ts if tie mers tospeak
like a plain rni‘n ,ofbusinesc; Witeth* ffe .tieiiivereior. of orders
in the ttat't, as to the practical manipulation of State affairs, does
not take place at present ? And why is it so ? Simply because all
Money Bills originate in the House of Commons. Surely Mr.
Baring will not deny that the command of money confers, in
these degenerate days, political power, whether on nations or
individuals. We believe that Mr. Baring is originally indebted
for his introduction and familiar 4 with the freeholders and
resident beneficial leaseholder:, being rated, of Callington—
in number fifty-two—to money. We do not in the least doubt
that Mr. Baring returns himself, and Mr. William Bingham
Baring, in a manner most cheap and, most secure; for
we feel assured, Whether Me. Baring had to contract for
a loan with a, foreign povernment, cr to purchase a
proprietary borough, that the *Mile affair would be managed
so as to make Mr. Baring quite safe. We once heard a story
told of one of those well-known personages, called blacklegs, or
in more modern language, legs. This person, on hearing that
an unfortunate gentleman standing largely indebted to him ; in
his book, on the Derby, had, from being unable to meet Oat and
other engagements shot himself", .declared that; if gentleinen
took to shouting 'ther.sc!i.-cr; there was an end of all Confi-
dence, as weir as of himself and his brother blacklegs. So it is
with the borough salesmen. They say, if the Reform plan be
adopted, there is an end of Callington et hoc genus ontne, and
of the certain, though illegal, influence of mere money. But if
the plan be sanctioned by Parliament, we again repeat, that the
legitimate influence of rank and property will remain undimi.
nished, and, to soothe Mr. Baring;, we Will add,out perfect con-
viction, that be tket-1. Binghamßaring will find
no dittiCuity in continuing to be, what they now are; most
respected and useful Members of the House of Comm Ons—
. Herald. _