The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-09 00:00:00

of instituting in these days, for the purpose of
abridging, if not abolishing, the discretionary
power with which the Constitution invests those
who sit in the House of Commons as represent-
atives of the people. We should be sorry to see
I the time when public opinion should cease to ope-
rate as a check upon the popular branch of our
Legislature; but on the other hand we can perceive
only mischlof hnd disorder in the attempt to
reduce members from the office of senators to
that of simple proxies,—frona the station of re-
sponsible and confidential functionaries to that of
mere instruments and obsequious carriers of mes-
sages. Supposing that the popular will could be
distinctly and decidedly signified on all ques-
tions, would not the House of Commons be vir-
tually abolished, if the expression of that will
were to be the law of its proceedings on every
separate occasion ? We know that the supposi-
tion is absurd, and, The Elector's Remembrancer
will supply some apt exainples,of the indecency,
injustice, and inconsistency, that would result
from an attempt to bring such a system into prac-

Nothing, as we have already observed, can he
more arbitrary than the plan adopted in this pub-
lication, of condemning or acquitting Members by

heir votes, or failure to vote on some half dozen

subjects, and that only when the newspapers or

reports happen to furnish lists of the majorities

and minorities. Ent even this test is occasionally

departed from for the purpose of blackening an
enemy ; thus Members are set down as having
voted rather against Ministers than for the QUEEN;
and one gentleman, although it is confessed that
he actually supported " most of Mr. liumE's

motions," is declared to be " more tenacious of
property than of freedom." Is the test then bad,

or he who applies it unjust ? We answer, both•
The compiler betrays, in many instances, all that
partiality which is to be expected from so violent

a writer. He applies terms of the most un-
courteous censure to Members not in favour, if

they have a habit of absenting themselves from
the.
House ; upon this subject his maxim is cc He
that not for us is against us." Yet Sir FRANCIS
Bt,aDETT and Mr. BROUGHAM, whose names do nog
invariably appear upon the division lists, even
when questions of high importance are befo're
the House, entirely escape reproof ; and the
writer condescends to make apologies for some
Opposition Members, on account of age, or ill
health, or the illness of near relations. Many
distinguished ornaments of the House are dis_
missed with the laconic Note " in office," and a
memorandum of the part they took on the Ca-
tholic Question, as if their 'being in place rendered
them unworthy of any further remark ;' and in-
deed the word Placeman is declared to be a term
so disreputable that the compiler will not, except
on one occasion, sully his page by writing it down•
Yet Mr. COURTENAY, (very justly we believe,
but not very consistenly on the part of this writer)
is eulogized in his official capacity, his salary
is defended, and Mr. Baouonam is reproved for
his ignorance in attacking it ; and again, Dr.
PHILLIMORE is eagerly justified for having ac-
cepted of a place at the India Board, with a sti-
pulation " that his professional pursuits are not
to be sacrificed." The individual stigmatized by
the term Placeman is Mr. WARREN-, who is also
branded as " a notorious rat to boot," and this
last reproach is urged against the Solicitor-
General in words which it probably would not
be safe, and we are sure it would not be decent,
to repeat. But in the case of a Mr. LANGSTON,
member for Woodstock, who, it seems, ratted
from the Ministerial side, desertion becomes a
subject of praise.
" We have been given to understand," says
the Remembrancer, " that when thiS 'Gentle-
man entered the House he was disposed to side
with Ministers. He is therefore the more highly
to be praised for having sacrificed his prejudices,
instead of obstinately resisting the convictions
forced on him by nearer acquaintance with their
principles and conduct."
The coarse familiarity with which this writer
dictates to Members, and reflects upon theircon.
duct, -is a feature of the work strongly illus-
trating the spirit in which such productions are
sent forth. The pertness of the strictures occa-
sionally becomes ludicrous. " Lord CLIFTON
votes well, but should attend oftener." " Mr.
O'CALLAGHAN attends very well." " J.
CALCRAFT should be more frequent in jas attend-
ance." " Lord ALTHORP is a very attentive
Member." (From the tone of these remarks,
as well as from the common-place Greek and
Latin quotations scattered through the work, and,
above all, from the writer's admiration of Mr.
Hoinouse's speeches, we should guess this pam-
phlet to be the production of some country
schoolmaster.) One or two Members are con-
demned as Ultra Royalists. Of Mr. MARTIN of
Galway it is said—" This man plays the buffoon
too much, but he has one good point ; we respect
him for his humanity." Mr. WILBERFORCE is
thus dismissed—" Really, Mr. WlLEtaroacc,
should you die to-morrow, we should say, it is
well, pray do not drop your mantle in your fligh..
heavenwards." The Remembrancer affects to be
very nice on the point of gentlemanly conduct,
and promises never to wound any. person's feel-
ings unnecessarily. We must therefore suppose
that he .was necessitated to go out of his way in
more than one instance for the purpose'of attack-