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at this moment we bad the last treiptottt to tow
thoight, scarcelyA dckulffed. 141o.novernment, he
.atitikesapleee the disease ; for we had the pain. The distress
• by measures which would never have been
ventured to assert, could be stable, which was not
foundedlipon. at least tzuality with the state of adopted under a true Representation of the People,
• the4)VMK.itkislie bar to be an evident truth, Ibe was aware could not now be effectually relieved
though a different theory had found its way into the ' by a mere alteration ; but that alteration might serve
walls of that House. It had been argued by a Right us for the future against similar measures. After
Hon. Member of that House, who was remarkable some observations on Mr. Pict's conduct in Parlia-
for the general liberality of his opinions, that the ment respecting the question of Reform, the Noble
proceeded shortly to notice the Antijacobin war,
increase of knowledge among the People was a rea- Lord
son for keeping up offices which would otherwise be the peace of Amiens, and the following war. This
unnecessary. s was to say, in effect, that cor- brodght him to synch upon the Walcberenetpedition,
ruption should increase .with public honesty, and so far as in its consequences it bore upon the present
ua tion. An expedition more marked for ignorance
that the more the People became enlightened, the
less ought the system of Government to be able to
in. its Lan and incapacity in its execution, had never
disraced the councils of this country. It had been
bear examination--(Hear).—When it had lately g
been proposed to abolish a certain office, this_ had followed by disgrace and calamity of the worst de-
been the only real objection offered to the abolition. acriptieon ; yet,_ had the then House Commons pro-
-If such a preposition were to be avowedly adopted nounc d a formal.euiogium on Ministers for having
by that House, the Government, he would venture planned
. that expedition. So strong a fact as this, at
to say, must become universally odious, and the a time when the people were calling for the punish-
people would become indifferent to Monarchy. He
thatment of all who were concerned in the planning of
would now proceed to look at the state of the Par- eeyy expedition, could not but make a strong
Bement. Blackstone admitted the defective state of impression on the public mind as to the state of what
the Representation at the time he wrote, but observed was called the Representation of the People. The
that he thought there was no one free agent in the House, however, thanked the Ministers; the chief
glanner of the expedition was at that moment the first
country who had not, in some respect, an influence
ver a vote. This was at variance with the fact even inister in that House, and the General who corm-
over manded the expedition had beenrewarded with one
at that time ; but at present there were at least a
million of persons, free and independent, who pos. of the most lucrative foreign commands in the gift
sessed not one vote among them. It had,
been con- of the Crown. The Spanish war followed shortly
fidently stated, and he believed was not denied, that after this expedition, and as that was a popular war,
a majotity of that House was returned by eight thou. Ministers were enabled to divert the attention of the
sand persons; but if they went mere into detail, they people from the present important subject they
would find, that in proportion to the increase of know- continued to sanction every abuse, and to avail them-
ledge, had the bases of the House been narrowed. selves of every possible means of increasing their in-
This was net the case with the whole, but it was suf. fluence. The war having ceased, it became a ques-
ficiently so to ensure a majority able to influence the tion with the country whether they would have an
decisions of the House. And first, with respect to expensive military or a cheap civil government. Had
County Members. They were elected, undoubtedly, the Commons represented the People, the latter, no
by a great number of persons ;'but in England and doubt, would have been chosen, but they voted the
Wales there were but ninety-two of these Members. keeping up an army of 99,000 men, with correspond-
The manner of carrying en elections, and the great ing establishments; yet he found on examination that
'expense of them when contested; roistered a contest these votes were not carried by a majority of County
very rare. A compromise was therefore in general Members ;among whom there was a majority avinst
agreed upon ; one Member was returned by the in. Ministers proportion of three to two. A Noble
fluence of each party ; so that although the right of Friend of his, the Member for Yorkshire (Lord Mil-
voting remained, the object of it. became nullified, tdn), brad made w series of calculations respecting se-
The county was in substance, unreplesented. Aoother veral votes of the House within the last five years.
change had taken place in consequenceoltheisirease He (Lord J. Russell) had galad tome calculations
in the number of Peers selected from the Country upon the subject, and in hiculation he had called
Gentlemen. This had been a part of the improvident Opposition Members all those who had given three
policy of Mr. Pitt ; and, at the present day, it was votes in favour of popular measures, and this be
too evident that the Members of the House did not thought would be considered a fair calculation. His
represent the landed wealth of the country, and were Noble Friend had taken the two principal votes, one
often compelled to guide their votes by the directions, upon the motion for reducing establishments, and the
or at least the influence of others. Indeed he really other respecting the proceedings against the late
thought that if that House were abolished, the other Queen. It was found that out of the Members for
House would soon become very popular; and he 33 Boroughs, containing less than 1,000 inhabitants
could not but observe, that on the Taal of the late each, 12 voted against Alinisters, and 44 in their fa-
Queen, the other House had shewn in attention to your; out of 35 Boroughs, containing less than 2000
the feelings of the people which had never been ob• inhabitants each, 13 against Ministers and 45 for
served in the proceedings of the House of Commons them; out of 76 towns, containing less than 5,000
—(Hear, hear.) He now came to a view of the state inhabitants, 43 voted against Ministers and 93 for
of the representation in the 4rest towns. Some of them ; out of 25 towns, containing from five to 10,000
them, unquestionably, were independent, but in a inhabitants, 22 against Ministers and 27 for them; and
greater number, the elections were artfully managed, then it was remarkable, that out of 31 places, con-
and the elective franchise itself had become much taming upwards of 10,000 inhabitants each, 38 voted
confined—partly by decisions of that House, and against Ministers, and only 21 for them. The cal-
partly by gradual usurpation, so that popular elec- ciliation which he (Lord John Russell) had made led
tion had become very much narrowed. He would to the following results—Out of the Representatives
instance the town of Plymouth, which, ache time of for places containing less than 500 inhabitants, one
tie Restoration, contained three thousand-inhabitants only voted for reduction, and 19 against it.—From
and seven hundred voters, and although the popula- places containing more than 500, and less than
tion had incte.oed to sixty thousand, the voters had 1,000 inhabitants each, 12 for redaction, and 33
become reduced to two hundred. Bath and Cam. against it. From places containing upwards ofl,ooo,
bridge were other examples of this species of attack and less than 2,000 inhabitants, 17 for reduction, and
on the right of election. He now came to the great 44 against it. From places containing upwards of
abuse of all. The smaller boroughs of England be 2,000, and less than 3,000 inhabitants, 19 for reduc-
would take at one hundred and forty, returning two tion, and 46 against it. From places containing be-
hundred and eighty Members. These very often tween 3,000 and .5,000 inhabitants, 25 for reduction,
formed a majority of the Ikuse : and it was not to and 45 against it; and then (and here lie begged the
be forgotten, that one hundred of these boroughs attention of the House), when they came to places
contained less than three thousand inhabitants in containing more than 5,000 inhabitants, it was found
each. In these boroughs corruption and bribery pre- that 66 voted ter reduction, and 47 against it. The
vailed nototionsly and openly. He might go into general result was, that at the lowest point of popu-
minute detail; but as the practice was acknowledged, Litton Ministers had a majority of 19 to one, and
he did not think it necessary to trouble the House that as the population ro-e, their majority sunk to
with particulars. It was observed last year, by a three to one ; and at List they were, at the higher
Cornish Member, that of the forty-two Members re- points of population, in a minority of three against
turned by Cornwall, only five of them were natives five. These facts, he submitted, were a complete an-
of the County ; and on a late occasion, in another swer to volumes of argument in favour of virtual re-
place, it had been said by the Prime Minister that presentation. But the most convincing proof on the
Cornwall represented the general commercial interests subject was to be collected from the votes of this year.
of the country. And this was a system defended in Ile would take two questions of reduction—one was
a great measure on account of its elasticity ; its power that of the Salt Tax, and the other was that relating
of adaptation to circumstances. He begged the to the office of Postmaster-General. On the former
House to look at the consequence of such a system. of these, the numbers were 169 and 165, leaving a
It was a violation of the laws of Parliament, and majority of four for Ministers. In the minority, there
therefore commenced in perjury, and it was con- were forty-two County Members, and fifty-five Repre-
tinued by drunkenness and every sort of immorality; sentatives for great Towns—there being only fifty-six
and after all it was anything but Representation. of this description. In the majority there were only
When_the money was paid the voters cared not a fourteen County Members; but there were sixty-one
farthing whether the person they elected was Whig placemen, only ten of whom could be said to repre-
or Tory, or whether he supported the Brunswicks, or sent a County or any great Town. On the question
the Stuarts, or the Nabob of Arcot. It included, of reducing one of the Postmasters-General, the num-
therefore the most intolerable of all grievances, power bets were, 159 for, and 154 against the motion—
without responsibility. It very often happened that leaving a majority of 25 for Ministers. In the mi-
a Member for one of these Boroughs represented nority there were 29 County Members, and 40 Re-
some great commercial house ; and one of them had presentatives for large towns. In the majority there
told hint (Lord John) that lie had no desire to obtain were only 11 County Members, and only 23 Repre-
a seat in the House of Commons for himself; but that sentatives for large Towns. The proportion of the
his yartners desired it. But many advantages were majority against Ministers, on the point of popula-
derived by the proprietors of those seats, especially tion, was 69 to 34. Surely, if anything could snake
during a war, in the course of one of which, a Meat- an impression upon the House, it was the statement
ber had cleared £15,000 by a single trading license of these facts. The Representatives of the People
granted to him for bis support of the measures of Go- were merged into a minority in that House. The
" ...vernment. As to the very small Boroughs, they doctrine broached on a late memorable night, that
were very often disposed of to the Government, far useless offices should be kept up as a counterpoise
:few persons were dispostd to purchase the privilege against the increased intelligence of the People, should
of being in a minority. Some of these were actually not be forgotten—(Hear, hear!)—This was a doctrine
over-run by patronage ; and he would only mention, which to the Honourable Member for Knaresborough
- way of example, the place which had the honour (Sir James Mackintosh),, whose historical and coast'.
send the Chancellor of- the Exchequer to that tutional knowledge was so great, win new, and at
use. Ile had a list of several persons, voters for which the Honourable Member for Lode Castle (Mr.
lilt place, or connected with it, who held situations Banker) was alarmed. It was sanctioned by those
the Post Office, the Custom House, and other pub- who were not the Representatives of the People, and
establishments ; and this was the real state of the the question it was meant to support was carried,
Representation compared with that of the People. It whilst the real Representatives of the People we
bad been said by the late Mr. Wyndham that no sub- not in the majority. In this state of things beggede
stantial evil resulted from all this, andthat Right Hon. the House to look at the confusion which must arise
Gentleman bad compared the complaining people to from the different uses to which power was applied
the man mentioned in the Spectator, who said he from what it was granted for. Let them look at the
lead every symptom of the gout except the pain.— single effect of those granting money who were after•
low, whatever might be the situation of the country wards to have the benefit of it, and the powers of
rhos that obserrailea was made, it was too wit that oat* and 'miry junk the eivsorgent of
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