The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-22 00:00:00

duty to continue the opposition tvhich he gave to the mea-
sure 01l its introduction ; and he gave it on -the • same
Founds. Nothing had occurred during the discussion to
increase his predilection for a change in the Constitution
of the country. He was quite ready to admit there
hail been a sufficient demonstration of public opinion in
favour of the Rill, to induce him to regard that opinion
with respect, and RI ask himself how far he should be jus-
tified by his sense of public duty in yielding to it. He
regretted to say that the result of that inquiry was a con-
viction that he should be wholly unjustified in doing so.
It was on the ground that he believed the measure would
be most injurious to the permanent interests of the country,
and not on any personal feelings, that he opposed it. It
was because he feared that they were about to substitute a
pure democracy for the mixed form of Government which
the country had hitherto possessed, that he felt it to be his
duty to resist the Bill. He still hoped, however, that the
authors of this new plan would maturely reconsider it.
Ile understood, notwithstanding the declarations which
had been made of an increased feeling in the country in
favour of the Bill, that there were souse pretty strong in-
dications that the reverse was the fact. He did hope,
therefore, that his Majesty's Ministers—he did hope that
the people, would ponder well before they took an irre-
vocable step. He hoped they would look at what
had taken place in foreign countries. He did not ask
the friends of Reform to relinquish their sympathy with
those who were called " the heroes of July" in Paris.
But he would ask them well to consider what had been the
effects of the efforts of those heroes on the liberties and
happiness of France? Had they added to the security of
freedom and property ? Let the people of this country
inquire why, when there was a fair field open for their
exertions, the philosophers, and ardent lovers of liberty in
France, had found so much difficulty in re-constructing
the social edifice in that country ? Every week brought
intelligence of some new movement in Paris ; and it was
necessary that every National Guardsman in that city who
was engaged in any occupation should hold the instru-
ment of that occupation in one hand and a sword in the
other. There might be no fault in that. But it was evi-
dent, that having once unsettled all the institutions of their
country, they found it extremely difficult to re-establish
even a temporary authotity. Let the people look at any
other country—let them look at the South American pro•
vinces, and they would behold a similar spectacle. They
would see how difficult it was, when once ancient institu-
tutions were subverted, to erect any permanent system on
their ruins. Nay, he would ask whether, since the question
of Reform had been broached in that country, the effect had
not been injurious on the employment of capital, and on the
encouragement of industry ? Had it not been also injurious
in other respects? lie bad never been an advocate for
restrictions on the liberty of the Press ; but when a news-
paper, supposed to be friendly to his Majesty's Government,
and in some degree to possess its confidence, dared, for
the purpose of influencing the decision of the House of
Lords on the Reform Bill, to bold out encouragement to
the army to neglect their duty, it was surely high time
that all cormeetion between such a publication and the
Members of his Majesty's Government should be disavowed
by the latter. And why bad an lion. and Learned Gen-
tleman revived the scenes of pillage and massacre to which
the French nobility had been exposed ? Why had he re-
vived the recollection of their ruined castles and deserters
hearths ? Was the Hon. and Learned Gentleman unaware
of the wide difference of the situation and character of that
nobility and the nobility of England ? Or, did he inrroduce
the topic for the purpose of introducing the latter ? If so,
he would tell him that any acquiescence in the plan of Re-
form extorted from the House of Lords—any acquiescence
obtained from them by any means but those of a convic-
tion of its expediency, would be fatal to monarchy in this
country. lie had done ; and he had many apologies ti
make for having trespassed so long upon the attention to
the House. If the people of England, on a review of all
the circumstances of their situation, were so satisfied that
they were suffering a practical grievance as to he impatient
for the adoption of the plan now offered to them, let it be
so. He differed from them ; and he was ready to submit
to the penalties to which that difference subjected him.
But they had no right and no power to compel him ts
acquiesce in what he honestly believed to be an error.
" It is my duty," concluded the Right lion. Baronet, " to
maintain my own honour. lam not responsible to any
man for my opinions; and being, like others, a life-renter
in those institutions which have hitherto preserved the
tranquillity arid greatness, and happiness of my country, I
wilt not be an instrument in cutting off the inheritance
from those who are to follow me."—(Loud cheers, which
lasted for several minutes, followed the close of the Right
lion. Baronet's speech.)
Lord J. RUSSELL replied, in a very luminous, argu-
men:ative, and eloquent speech, which was loudly cheered
in its principal points. lie combatted with great force the
different Arguments that bad been advanced against the
Bill, and concluded by expressing his decided conviction
that the measure now proposed, so far from creating dis-
order in the frame of society, would add to its future wel-
fare and security--(bear, hear.)
A general cry of " Quntion " now took place, in the
midst of which
Mr. HUNT rose, and, as we understood him, declared
that though he would vote for this Bill, still he was con-
vinced that it was not a measure calculated to meet the
feelings and sentimerts of the great body of the people of
this country. The Hon. Member said a great deal more
amidst much interruption, that, so far as the noise would
allow us to form a judgment, had nothing whatever to do
with the question before the House,
Alderman WOOD then presented himself to the House
amidst an almost indescribable turmoil. The lion. Al-
derman braved it out, and, when we heard him, he was
defending the conduct of the Livery of London from an
attack which the Member for Preston had made on his
brother Liverymen, with reference to the proceedings at
the late Common-ha%
The cries of "question," and "divide," now became
overwhelming-. The gallery was cleared for a division, and,
after a very long pause, the numbers were declared to be—
For the question " that this Bill do now pass
Against it

Majority in favour uf the Bill
A loud cheer followed this annunciation.
The Bill was then passed atnidet loud anti reiterated
acclamations.
The other Orders of the Day were then read, and the
House adjourned at Half-past Five o'clock.