The Sun.
London, England, 1810-06-23 00:00:00

SAT UR I) A 1, 23, 1810,

BRITISH REVIEIV

REFORM WITHOUT INNOVATION : OR, CURSORY
THOUGHTS ON THIS ONLY PRACTICABLE REFORM
OF PARLIAMENT, CONSISTENT WITH THE EXIST-
' ING LAWS, AND THE SPIRIT OF THE CONSTITU-
TION.

The suhje& of a proposed Reform in the Re-
presentation of the people in the House of Corn,
mons, ha's induced' many persons to offer political'''
theories which have generelly been delusive, im-
practicable, or dangerous. As our Constitution has
so long secured to us the possession of every politi-
cal blessing, and has rendered us the object of ad-
miraeon and envy to all surrounding States, not-
withstanding the complaints which the advocates 'for
Reform have alleged against its practice, and the
'Speculations which they have proposed for its im-
provement, perhaps it would be wise in us to ad-
hete to the homely, but judicious adage, of " Let
well alone." However, as euhlic opinion ought
always to'haVe great weight, and as the purity ofe
the representative body is an objea of the highest
importance, it becomes the duty of the Paeibt and
the Statesman, to examine with au- entire) every
pl .n calculated to accoreeplish se desirable an end;
The elegant little tract before us appears to be the.
most liberal work which we have seen neon the
suejeet in question, and the-phin whico the author
holds forth, certainly recommends the safest measure
that can be devised for the attainment of the uhjeet
in - view. After the author, who is well-kn Own
fur learning and taste, and whose situation places
. him hie a . above all Interested t oneiderations,
has briefly touched itporr the probable c ng q;:ience-
of Universal 'Suffrage, one of the re merit. s field
forth by our' political theorists, he adverts et? the
proposed abolition of all Boreugli Intee-e,_ and then
.. suggevs his own plan of Ref rm. The iello e -
ing passage will shew that he view the sehject with ,
the eye of a philosopher, and the •,.a 'ical politician,
who underastends tine petere or maraikind, end the
true principles of soetety, and is wisely' adVu Ise to
ail bold innovations, st• 'licit, t i °ugh specious in the-
, ory.smay le deg', u:-.lilv_u tn eti.ct. ..
,g With regerd. to the Borough system, it • seems
Cie nx al ,1 end necessete consequence of, the ordi-
nary progress of human affairs, that certain parts of
a gtelecotiteirainity should wont in the scale of po-
eueition tend opulence, whilst other; proportionally
sink to it ; and if evey 'city, town, and borough,
in the klogdorn, were to have their chartered and re-
pre eriteti,.e rights done aw.y, the' moment their
comnaereee their inanutatiures; or other sources of
population and opulence began to decay, there-would
be no end to each changes in the mutecipal. bodies
of the State,' as they illust in that case be forever
necessirily varying, aCcordingeto the ever varying
condition of the different pants..: Independently of,
' thes.e con-ideratione which cannot fail to have their
weight With et erf Chinking man, is it reasonablee to
suppose,. that an agsertably,''sO constltuted as the
lowet.Hoese of Padiamemit now is,. would submit,
without the compulsioes.pf- external force, to any
such extraordinary modes of refertn, as either of
those aeove alluded to, by which one. Moiety of he
Members, at the. least, Would be irantuAlietely de-
prived of ' heir s4s, and with them of the.greater
part cif their per-onel consequence e and the other
moiet, be rendered the alakfillite slaves ist a wild de,
4nocracy, without a power of judging, or 'acting, lor
thetneeleee; but be compelled, like puppets, to play
such,peree in the political drama, as, from weed, tert
week, and froth day to defy, should be arbitrarily
assigned to ditch by their l..:otistitireitisi "-Let any re-
.
fleeliog .mind be turned for use wourcat to- theeview
of the subject, and the total impracticaUility of such
a nieasere, without such (Alters of external cons-
pulsion as should-tend to overturn everfeart or the
existing Constitutive, must beeethciently apparent
_to render All .oilier steterneot.s,. cued
.all ether argue
inents on the subject, unneceesery. What then, it
will be said,' retniini to be crone, or attereipted, with
any .probability ofsuecess ?' Variouseibtries Nie Sup-
posed to hat e been discovered., which iethatid a re-
medy, and if those who have been guity of them
will not apply it, either the people musf take tlie
-power into their own heeds, or 'sortie conCiiiatoiy
„measures- be adopted by those who possess that
power, calculated to ameliorate future prospeet, and
'to afford a sort of eat nest to the people; that the nu---
authorised cOminiesion of such supposed abtises will
‘hereafter.be provided Against. This,.in the humble
opinion of the writer, is po otherwise Le be prac-
ticallY effeeted, 'than by rendering the lower House
of Parliament as respectable as the spirit of the ex--
t istipg laws and constitution of the comely will ad nit
of, without abandoning, first principles, or exciting
any violent convulsion ur the State. And this every
one must allow ' to be desirable in the highest de-
gree, though how ,to be effected may not be so im-
mediately apparent. The very short and simple
plan, tile. writer hasto propose, will, he humbly
submits, untie the Gordian knot, and salve the dif-
. .
fieelty at once ; .not only without :altering the spirit
of a single existing law, but merely_ by.a.striet ad-
herence to, and, enforcerßent of, the geepineprin-
cinles of 'those art'detly-iii existence; the spirit of
which has been shamefully Violeted, eiteilly to the
• evideee cleiliviroueot,the revesentative, and the just'
dissatiefection of the constituent bodies, A___ viola-
lion by Whicli, in direct contradiction, or, at least,
.
eovasion, of one of the plaineSt,itild most clearly 'ex-
, pressed ,acts, . which the, lesislet ore of
~ this_ country
ever framed, the lower House of ,Patlietnent, in-
t .stead of being, Cone itue d of individuals, each :rand
1 .211 of them
,possessing a'e.ertain d, tined 'seralte. in
1,4104 great national ,interes's, is bet:ow an 'a:.; kiln
Ifor men of
.rtiMp4 'awl ,des,, rate .fixt,pes, who
seek thcir seats -in it at' any etrense of hoeour,
or tuoiley, or other friJans within 'their teat:!,,
, .;or the pureose eer sheh.ering Ilverause:lves *frorli the
i e!etnands of thee...east se:deers, ant eet :obtain-
jefingelastsidee eseiretlett NC LIAR atta4c all tl,4e vacua
, . -.; ~,,.• :.:. ~.),......c,-.,.

[PRICV SIX.PENCt ITALITtNNt.

Scramble, according to their several measures of taii
lent, or want of principle, Ntrhich chance too seldom
turns up a blank, if well supported by both those.
constituent parts. PerfeCtly aware that inv.olability
of person is absolutely essential to the freedom of
Parliament, the writer would be-one of the very last
to propose its infringement in the most distant
way ; so far indeed is any such infringement from
his intention, that it would be the warmest 'wish of
his heart, that every member should -f+ot only bri
free in his person (so far as is necessary to. the exe•
cation of his public funCtions), but be equally so in.
thouights and his aCtions, and alike respeetable
throughout, in his conduel, his character, and his
situation. This the writer, upon the best found
conviction, not only believes, but knows may be
done by a rigid adherence to the sense and spirit of
the Qualification ACis, as" they now stand.--By thi
act of the gth of Queen Anne, Chap. btli, it is;
for the better preserving the. freedom and coostitu.
tion of Parliament, ena,leit, that el no person shall
be capable to sit or vote as a 12.-unbei of the House
of Commons, for any County, City, Borough, of
Cinque Port, within that part of Great Britain called
.England, !lie Dominion of Wales, and Town, of
Berwick upon Tweed, who shall not have an estatr
freehold or copvhold, kir his o,vn lite, or fot
greater es!ate„ either in ItW or equity', to arid tor -
his own use and tenefit, of or in lands, tenements,i
and hereilitaments, 'over ai..d above what will ma•
tisfy and clear all • inctimbrani.es that may, at-
fe& the same, lying or being within that pert
Great Bream catled England,. the, dominion
Wales, and town of Belwick upon Tweed, of the

respective annual value hereafter limited, %it.
the annual value of SIX hun'ired pounds above
retort-es, for every knight of . a shire; a,ad the
aneual v •lue of three hundred pounds, above re.
pree4, ter every citizen, burgess, or baron of the
Ceoeie Ports ; nd :hat if any person, who shell be
elected or returned to servo in any Peliament, as a
knight of a she—, or as a citizen, burgess, or baron of
the Cinque Pens, shad not, at the tene-oi sect) elec..
Lion and return, be seized et., or untitled to such an
estate, in lands, tenements or berelitaireens, as for
such. knight or for such citizen, burgess, or +arona
respeelively, is herein before required or limited,
such eleelion and return shall be void."
In eider the better to ensure the observance of
the aboVe statute, another At passed in the 23:1 of
the late King, chap. eo, by which, after reciting the
former Ad, it was enaalcd, that " in order 10 enforce
and render the said Al more effectual, "every per-
son, who shall be elected memb.tr of the House of
Commons, shall, before he presumes to vote in the
House of Commons, or sit there during any debate
itt the said House of Comm Ons, after their Speaker
is chosen, produce and deliver in to the clerk of the
said House; at the table in the middle of the
said House, and whilst the- House of Commons i 4
their 'duly sitting, with their Speaker in the Chair of
the said House; a paper or account signed by every
such Member, containing the -name or names of the
parish, township or precinct, or of the several pa-
rishes, townships or precincts, and also of the county,
or of the several countries, in which the lands, tent:.
ments; or hereditaments do lie,where he makes oat
his qualification, declaring the same to be ot the an.
emal Valtte of six hundred pounds above reprizes, ifa
• khight of a shire; and of the annual value of three
hundred potieds above reprizes if a citizen, busis
gess; or baron of the Cinque Ports ; and shall also,
at the same time take and subscribe the oath there-.
in set forth 'to verify the-face." -
cßithe second section of the last mentioned AM.
the eleCtien of persons prtsutuieg -to at with-
out being so qualified, is declared to be void.
Now it should, be observed, that the etiantem of
this qualification svi-e: fixed in times when.money by
its pelevion .1 scarcity ,• was in faa equal, in reS-I
vahe, to theee or four ti ties the same !mining
amount in those we live io e so that a fair denten-A
might perhaps he made by the people for its pro-
pottienal increase ; but as !hit would 'be attended
with various difficulties, as to the preeise ascerfaid-
' -Merit of the now proportional equvalent, the writet,
whose sole objeet is to attain'inuch, or at least as
much as he thinks at all necessary, at the Smallest
possible expence, consen's :to wave that considera-
tion altogether, and content himself simply with
the spirit of the law as it now stands; the evasion
of which is notoriously, and every day, pradised
• without the smallest notice whatever. Men with-
. out a single foot of land in the world, without a
single guinea they can justly claim as their owe,
borrow qualifications as they purchase seats in Par-
lament, and frequently of the very same parties;
. the furnishing a qualfication being made a specific
-part of the contract for the seat. - .Now to do awe'
• this evasion altogether, and render the representatite
at least as independent as he professes :o be, and
• ought to be, the writer's proposal is, that every qua•
difieaCon, whether real, or borrowed, shall remain
.liable to the dernends of the Membees creditors
dieing the whole period of his sitting in Pailiainem
instead of its beeig lept, as is frequently. the case et
. present,. for four. and twenty liours, for the nreet:
purpose of enabling the Member to take his stet,
acrd to .be then returned to thereal owner (eller
words, if.a person leally choose to aceoluinoda!e a
Member with a qualification; let- him do it at
the peril of being 'liable' to that Metnbei's clebtse
In or&r to avoid all possible inconvenience, respeele
ossibl -
ing doebtlul or disputed demands, the writer pro-
poses, that the dailies of .creditors should riot ate
tacit, orbecoMe alien upon the quaitifidc ion, unlit
a jticigmpoi shall tave been aanally recovered at
law fer tire amount and that immeetately after the.
recording of such judgment, the ineinuei should
have three mole ..to ItiM to iurnish an
astslitioisel, or -new qualificaticat ; ece that' he Mesita
at all times possess a clear uniecunibered qualifica.
IPstic'rin:ai6rn'et:3ips, tared lg't amgitb " while lie pits is
audit► cleat,.'.thereof; that his seat should
become, ipso facto, •aed irrevocably vacated. By
itinoTation on,- et

• Oise-I,IIW alteration of, the existing laws, the end
;ied ebjeet of those at present in force, for designat-
iog the qualifications of representatives would be
preserved ; and every ruined, or much incumber-
ed, individual, instead of seeking refuge from the
claims of his fair creditors in the Hothe of Com-
mons, would, from the publicity of the measure,
fly from it, as from " plague, pestilence, and fa-
mine ;". and the body at large thus purified, become
at once the most respeaable, and the most respett-
ed• too, of any that history has handed down to us
in the annals of the world. Every player would
then have a real stake in the political game, and not
be.liable to be driven, by personal distress, into mea-
sures injurious to his country, and dishonourable to
himself. The writer is well aware, that' so mode-
rate and. plate a mode of, reform, as is here pro-
posed, cannot hit the tastes of all alike, The Crown
and Anchor reformers will probably; on• the one
hand, consider it as.nothing : a mere drop in the
ocean of corruption, which could neither purify its'
waters, or alter the course of its current ; whilst the
men of ruined and desperate fortunes, now baskirig;
in the sunshine of representative immunity-, would_
proclaim it one. .of the most visionary, impractica-
ble, anti
.inefficieat scheines, ever subm tte.l
to
the. consideration of the public. Visionary, how-
( ver, and inefficient as it may appear, nothing
eau .be more easy than its execution ; and
not-ping mere certain and salutary than' its elects.
Without either, altering or infringing the spirit of
any. existing law, the representative body would thus
be i.t once purged of its, most objedienable and de-
stredive parts; afa new life and. vigour in Conse-
quence, be restored to what remains. ery
indi-
.occupyiug a seat in the lower iieuse of Par-
liament would then .be, in cireutustances at least, of
some hadependence : and whatever germs of cor-
ruption might be.discoverable in him, must be.co-
existent' with his natural frame and constitution ;-
and not derived from the circumstances of external.
situatien.- It
!will be asked, perhaps, how, in such
times as the present, when the, prices of every ar-
ticle, essential not only to the comforts, but even
the necessities of life have experienced so immo- •
derate and disproportioned a rise, could the posses-
sion., of a deer three hundred, or six hundred pounds
a year, place a man beyond the reach of corrupt in-
fluence ? The answer is, that, though it might not ,
do so- wholly (whip i probably might be the case),
yetweuld it be well worth the experiment ; for
surely one possessing either of those incomes, .or
the moiety, or even the,quarter of them " above
rekrizes," would stand upon much more respectable
ground than another, who does not possess any in-
come at, all, and., is induced, by that very circum-
stance, ao seek an asylum in Parliament from the
just demands of his. creditors. The former may
prove, it is true, a verydishooourable and unworthy
member of Society ; 'hut the latter, ernost neces-
sarily, is such before he would aspire•to a seat in
Parliament, on the grounds, and for the purpose
stated ; wed should any spark of honour lurk latent
in-his frame, is liable to have it extinguished by the
'very tit stairon from the phial of temptation that is
poured upon it. How many individuals do we not
know under this. degrading predicament How
limey disguised under the cloaks of, patriotism,
and pretende,d zeal for the tights 'of the peo-
pl.:, %he 'are theinselves. the greatest enemies
to those rights, by an equal' disregard of their oven
freuour, aed the Claims 01 those who have just de.!
-• 'Minds oa theni 'How many,' on the other hand,
become the must aCtive and • mischievous creatures
• of inhaistetial influence; from the same degrading
and dishonourable motives ? Were men, before they
courted seats in Parliament, to place themselves in
-a clear and independent situation, and•be enabled to
enter that respectable .assembly with erea counte-
nances, andsay,..? We.e
ttlaim our seats here as cho-
se represeetatiVes of.l he'. people, to' defend their
rights, and Maintain • car own ; here are our titles
- • to.that propel ty,- which constitutes our legal quali-
firations—assail them .who may, we stan:l at all
times on our:defence, perfe&ly conscious that our
failure involves the forfeiture of that situation, which
viteliaveb en most ambitious of obtaiuing."—How •
tru;), respedable would an assembly of such repre-
sentatives ..render theMselves, not merely in the
eyes of their. constituents, but of the world at
. huge ; and, what is more than 'all the rest,
in their own ! Instead of .being pointed at, as
• is eow too frequently the case, with the gager of
,skorn, as substantially alliehs from that community
_whose rights they arebound to protea ; as fugitives
from raw and justice; under the shadow of privilege,,
. and -and sheltering themselves under the meanest
evasions,• for the basest and most criminal of pur-
poses, they would then become the true and fair re-
, preseptativestof. thepeople who eleded them, with
Ire; other bias to betray their trust, than what might.
be referred to the tailings of-our common nature, to
the total eradication of which no human institutions
can apply. Titus by. a simple adherence to the spi-
rit of the existing laws, which bad their origin both
in reason and expediency, aild.were never yet evaded
eVee in letter, without the. virtual 'breach of a so-
. leemeath, would the supposed defeds in the repre-
sent4titehody be at once remedied, so far as .t he con-
- .._etitutiop permits, witthout a dereleaion of rights,
.or incipks, oe the one hand ;or a forcible Mita-
, seee•ofthem, •,on the other. The .representative
'thus . be rendered- respectable; and the
- conStiteteof content, at 'least to all reasonable
piivpo,ts, and to • the full satisfa&ion of every
reasoabie -mind ; for- he who expeCts that any
plan 'could he termed, or. hint suggested, that
: V slioett 'equally. 'meet tile objects and wishes of all
e!ittiese would be just as weak as the countryman
iL'op,-who attempted to adjust, the management
ttl pis beast„ conformably to the advice of every .pas-
, senqr ; and with as rational a hope, as to the ulti-
.ituete result,
,its the other. of Horace, who • •
" ttusncus expectat (Lunt detlug minis, at We
I.abitur, et boetur in omne xrn vo."

tf~ICEO,
VEST I

. .
Sank Stoiko
?260
ti'l-v‘•;' per (err. shut
I.rish 5 o'er Ce.nt.
. 4 i.cr 85i 8{
3 oe-
coils. shut •
nut'? S* 4,1601 S

. • .

V- .I'7'OCKS . . ,
RDAY.
II India Stout, .. .
ndiaßonds, 215..225. 2os. pr.
Excheq. 13ills; Or, 3S. pr.
Omnium, i pr.
lmperi?al 3 per Cent.
Co. tor Opming, 7r i

HAILS... .
. , .
Ait ty —; Gottettbuigh, t New-York, t
• llublio. L.! --1 Lisbon, 2 Waterford.

F.• 1, S'q)CKS ,
' •t.
-,,kx 1.'%1'
.•
•CrillSol i'foi• Upcniag 7i I j Oirmitiru -