The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-27 00:00:00

REFORM IN PARLIAMENT.

BRISTOL PUBLIC MEETING.
(From the Bristol Mercury of Tuesday.)

A numerous and highly respectable meeting of
the inhabi-ants of this city was held on Friday las:
in the Guildhall, for the purpose of taking into con-
sideration the expediency of petitioning for a Re-
form in the representation of the people in the
House of Commons. The number and respectabi-

lity of the names attached to the requisition which
had been sent to the Mayor, as well as the present
peculiar circumstances of the country, occasioned
the meeting to be looked forward to with intense
interest. The hour appointed for the chair to be
taken was twelve o'clock ; and, ere that time ar-
rived, the Hall was literally crammed with all classes
of our fellow-citizens. The Committee, and many
of the more respectable inhabitants, were permitted
to enter by a private passage. When the doors
were thrown open to the public, the rush was tre-
mendous, and " the ballot" was the first exclama-
tion that struck our ear. Indeed, the ardour with
which every one seemed disposed to enter upon the
business of the day, at once refuted the imputation
that Bristol was indifferent to the question of Re-
form. S!,ortly Mole the appointed hour,
On the motion of A. PALMER, Esq., seconded
by R. BRIGHT, Esq., Mr. TAUNTON, barrister-at-
law, was called to the Chair.
The Ctimasiiin—Gentlemen, the progress of
wealth has given to the rich a greater degree of in-
fluence over the poor, than is consistent with British
liberty. That some measure is necessary to protect
them, no one will deny; and the expedient pro-
posed as most conducive to that effect, is the
ballot.—(lntmense cheering.)—Gentlemen, I cannot
but be struck with the acclamations with which the
word ballot•has been raceived ; but it is impossible
that we should all agree on this expediency; it has,
therefore, been thought best to preserve unanimity,
that the ballot should be suggested to Parliament
—(Applause)—as an expedient, or any other mode
equally efficient, leaving the decision to their wis-
dom.—(Disapprobation.)—l shall conclude by en-
treating you to bear in mind the purpose for which
you have been called together. 1 will only state
that the best and most happy means of redress
would be that conceded by the united voices of
King, Lords, and Commons; but I entreat you to
bear in mind that if the Houses of Parliament
refuse to listen to us, the King, by the advice of his
Ministers, is perfectly competent to grant us very
nearly, if not entirely, all that we want.—( Applause.)
.1r,lls; HARE, Esq.—l rise, Sir, to present a letter
which I have just received from a gentleman for
whom I entertain a very high regard, and who,
ss hen in Parliament, showed himself an uncompro-
mising advocate for Parliamentary Reform. I mean
Mr. Edward Protheroe, jun.—Mr. Hare then handed
the letter to the Chairman, who immediately pro-
ceeded to read it. It was as follows :
Gaddesden, Hemel Hempstead, Jan. 18, 1831.

SIR,--It has been a• subject of serious consideration
with me, whether I should attend tlke meeting, which I
rejoice to see has been summoned at Bristol, to take into
consideration the propriety of petitioning for a Reform in
Parliament. I observe, with much pleasure, that the
nufnerous signatures to the requisition comprise the
names of most respectable geptlemen who at the late elec-
tion were unfortunately placed in opposition to one an-
other, though agreeing in general politics. It is this cir-
cumstance which decides my conduct, as my taking any-
part in the discussion of the meeting might, at.this mo-
ment, have a tendency to retive party feelings, and to
create a division of sentiment, where cordial unanimity is
so essential for the credit and success of our cause. I trust,
therefore, that by denying myself the gratification of
meeting my fellow-citizens upon this interesting occasion,
I shall not appear to act inconsistently with the princi-
ples I have so ardently professed, and I shall feel highly
iadebted to you if you will have the kindness to read this
brief explanation to the meeting.
I have the honour to remain, Sir,
Your obedient humble servant,
EDWARD PROTIIEROE, Jun.
To tl.e Chairman of the Reform Meeting, Bristol.

The CHAIRMAN having read the letter, said
" the logic of it is not easy to understand."
ARTHUR PALMER, Esq. then rose. Allow me,
fellow-citizens, to say a few words to you upon the
important, all-important subject on which we are
now met, a Reform in the representation of the
people in Parliament, now so loudly and so univer-
sally called for throughout the kingdom. In my
humble judgment the time is at length arrived when
a Reform in Parliament must take place, which is
imperiously necessary for the preservation of our
Constitution, and the rights and liberties of English-
men ; after being advocated during the past half-
century, and, among other great men, by the turn-
coat Mr. Pitt, afterwards the idol of the Ultra-To-
ries and the Anti-Reformers, who, almost fifty
years ago, when out of office, declared that no ho-
nest man could sit in the House of Commons as
then constituted ; and, Gentlemen, it still continues
alike constituted as at that period; except by the
addition of one hundred Members for Ireland, in
consequence of the union; and who, %Olen he got
into office, and continued in power upwards of 20
years, took no step to procure or encourage such
Reform. His great talents, however, can no longer
hurt our cause;, but the field is open, and most proous-
ing to every real lover of his country and its Constitu-
tion. Many persons in this hall will probably be much'.
surprised to hear the following statement, as to the
persons who choose the great majority of the
House of Commons :—Sir, there are 218 Members
returned by 87 Peers in England and Wales-31
Members by 21 Peers in Scotland-51 Members
by 36 Peers in Ireland. And there are 137 Mem-
bers returned by 90 Commoners in England and
Wales-14. Members by 14 Commoners in Scot-
land-20 Members by 19 Commoners in Ireland—
and 16 Members nominated by Government. So
that there are 300 Members of Parliament sent in by
Peers, and 187 by great Commoners and Borough-
mongers, including 16 by the Government. Four
hundred and eighty-seven Members are therefore
thus improperly sent into the House of Commons,
out of the whole number of 658, being considerably
more than two-thirds of all the Members which
constitute the House. And, to complete the picture,
these 487 Members are sent into the House, it may
be said returned, by 267 Lords and great Com-
moners. This leaves but 171 to be chosen inde-
pendently by the people, and these too, when some
of the great manufacturing and trading towns,
Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, &c., are not repre-
sented, these having no right to elect Members of
Parliament. Gentlemen, it is no wonder that you
are all surprised—every man must be so. Is it pos-
sible that any reasonable man can think this ought
to be the state of the representation of the people
in any country that has a popular form of Govern-
ment ? If there be such a man, he is formed with
such intellects, and such a mind, and entertains such
opinions, as I cannot possibly comprehend. The
English Constitution, gentlemen, in its genuine
state, is modelled upon a most nobles and excel-
lent plan. The legislative, judicial, and executive
powers, are •so connected, interwoven, and yet
separated, and form such an equilibrium between
prince and people, that one would be led to sup-
pose it impossible for despotism, favouritism, or j
faction, to disturb the ustbalance, or turn any of
its springs to sinister or pricked. purposes ; and so
it would be, if the Constitution were preserved in
its original purity ; but we see this bulwark of our
liberty and happiness almost subverted and thrown
down by the stratagems and politics of designing,
self-interested, corrupt, factious, ambitious, and