The Sun.
London, England, 1817-02-19 00:00:00

ECONOMY AND jtErOllM.

Lord 110t.t.-Asln stated, that he bad a Petition
to present to their Lordships from the Lot d Alayor,
Aldermen, and Livery ot.the City of London, itt
Comment assembled. He thought Petitions
drawn up and jauthenticated as.the present, should
be favourably received by their Lordships, parti•
elderly when, at at present, the country was in
such circumstances of diserew Ili. irettly were,'
only from, the statements of the Report just read,
that Ministers were culpable for having so long
delayed calling Parliament together, particularly,
as at all the Meetings which were held it was
agreed to petition tartiament. The langtiage of
the Petition Was temperate and respectful, and he
(foamed it the more worthy of their Lordships' at.
tetttion, as it disclaimed all wild and visionary
theories upon the subject of .Parliumentety Re.
form. For his own part, he should deem univer-
sal suffrage, were its adoption practicable, as sob.
tersive of the best interests of the -=.a'
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sentiment, however, which he was not prepared
to extend equally to the consideration of 811111141
Parliaments. The ground upon which universal
suffrage was called for, he regarded as still worse
than the wild and impracticable theory itself.—
namely, as a matter of right conferred by the
Constitution itself, a proposition which he could
by no means subscribe to. lii his sentiments re.,
specting Reform, be was removed from either cx.
treene. He did not think that all the good expect.
eit could be accomplished by Reform, nor dig he
think that no good could be effected without it. ,
The Nnhla Lord having presented the Petition,
it was read 'MI (Mitred to lies on rhe ruble.
His Lordship then presented a Petition from
the inhabitants of the, Ward of Aldgate ; and also
another tram the Borough of itutherglen, io
Scotland.

Far► thttiy, then rose to presents Petition from
the Lord Alayor, and Commons of the
City of London, iu Co'ninon -Council assccubled.

The Noble Dirt made a Vari;ty of AnrVat;ollS Ott
the subject of Parliamentary Reform, and mustily
' of a. similar tendency with those of Lord Holland.
He expressed hitnselfequally opposed to measures
of universal suffrage ,and annual parliaments
such never did, nor, he trusted, ever would make
a part of the Constitution of Parliament ; though
he was far from imputing ill designs to those who
entertained such principles. Though still a friend
to the principle of salutary lleforni, he would not
deny that his sentiment' on that topic had un-
.dcrgone some change from what they once were.
Re Was ready to stare his present opinion, that to
make so siolden and extensive a change in the fa-
htic of our rvprtsentation, as was once propo.ed,
worth' certainly be to expose the whole to danger.
Still he thought a moderate and temperate plin of
Reform could be advantageously acted upon.—
Such a measure, however, could not originate
with their Lordships. He should, the' efore, re-
serve the full delivery of his hentitnents until
Mil (if such a measure should take place) upon
lie subject, were sent up to that House.
Petition
,teas laid upon the table.
Earl GaosvEnton briefly observed, that the sett-
'intent which so extensively seemed to prevail;
that it was from Parliamentary Reform alone
that good could be expected, appeared to him to
arise from an idea on the part of the people, that,
judging front what passed, no hope whatek.er
could exist, and therefore they wished for the de-
wired Reform.