Star.
London, England, 1823-02-21 00:00:00

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industry, and research, rather than its accuracy. The'
appointment of the Committee, however, was still a
precedent in point. A Committee had also been ap-
pointed on the motion ()Ibis Hon. Friend, the Mem-
ber for Shrewsbury, for ascertaining what Members
of that House held places under, or derived emolu-
ment from the. rown ; and the motion itself had
been • made by the recommendation of the Chair.—
The Committee, for which be should move, would
!rave :the Means of ascertaining, .froth the different
*dinning odcers, all the particulars required ; and
athotigb there would, donbtlesi, be greet difficulty
in getting a Return perfectly accurate, the Committee
could gain its object ; for a general Tteturn .made
with JOleriible accuracy would be sufficient. ;The
House would remember, that when the Committee
of Education was appointed, they wrote for infotma-•
tipn to the Clergyrnen of every parish in the kingdom;
that they obtained many answers, some satisfactory,
and others not; that from some they obtained no re-
turns at all ; but still they were enabled, by the in-
formation they actually did obtain, to compile a most
valuahle. document, commonly' called 4, the Educa- !
tion Digest." The information which he should wan:
would be very material ; and lie bad no doubt it
might: be gained by the same means and in the same
manner. 'He had heard, however, that what he now
asked. would tiiit be granted by the opposers of Par-
liamentary Reform. He thought those opposers al-
ways took higher ground. He thought they had
always said, We admit your facts, but we contend
the House iu its present state works well." Would
tkey now, at a time when all Public Institutions and
Constitutions in general were so minutely scrutinized,
would they conceal from the Public who were their
Coriatituents? To refuse this motion would be to
abandon the ground they-had previously taken. Not
only would their opposition be an abandonment of
that ground, but it would little avail them ; for the
Returns for which be called were already before the
*mid, though not in so correct a form as he wished.
:They were stated in books extensively circulated, and
Omer-4y relied upon. These facts were known, and
others were divulged not less hurtful than the former
bi the-reputation of the House. It-was well known,
for instance, that at a recent Borough Meeting in
Cornwall, a letter had been read to the Corporation,
from a Noble- Peer, then the Patron of the Borough,
declining to be 'such patron any longer ; and report
added, -that he bad so declined, because he was so
diigusted at the numerous applications which had
been made for his patronage by the voters of. the
Borough. When 'this letter had been read to the
Corporation, one of its-Mei:niers, a Member,'too, of
that flouse( gear, hear)—rose and isropased drat it
iilitsuld be .orferedio,anot4ic Noble Lord, a Whitler
also of the Upper HOuse—(Hear, 'bear);-and iiith
regard•to-this infer, it seas'to be &served, that the
last-mentioned noble Lord 'had iso property or elan-
mid= within 1C) miles of the Borough t so that
the-argument about the fair influence of property and
edenection Wm the ground,. and there was no pos.
• Ole doubt'
.that the, transfer Of patronage was to be
fora plain, sUbstintial; valuable consideration. All
thitairas notorious; smdfits notoriety could not but
confirm the seepicions of the People, respecting the
constitution of that House. He feared that what was
proposed 14.. one side of the House, was generally
opposed by the other. But yet, he submitted to the
char 'information besought was necessary,
in Order:that they might come to a fair consideration
.13ftheijirestion of Reform. Whatever might be the
opposition made to his motion, or what its result, he
was convinced he should have the vote of every un-
prejudiced man; and that, if the motion were to be
riveted, the country would be satisfied that die House
was afraid to have its own constitution knoivn to the
Pubiie. The IsToblicLord concluded by moving—.
44 That a Select Comniiitee be appointed to inquire into the
iriihrof Voting on dm Election of Members to serve in Parlia.
saiitt-for Cities and Dorouglu, and the number of persons Leer-
eia!ng that right." •
-•-•`Mr. Secretary 41414641 G said, he was sure the
:Viable Lord -would adMit 'that he (Mr. Canning) had
,tenet only tilfornned hi* that lie should • oppose the
'minion, litit that lie itad also stated the grounds of
his intendfci Opposition. He should not enter into
• .1-oAer question which was connected with this
-.tuition, but, should coitemt himself to the merits of
itre'tpecifleiliOtitin *fie knew, however, it would
lie*felt• by the Pnblie, anilthis must he acknowledged
by the noble I:ord,. that, if this motion were carried,
it would be, thought that the general question of Re-
. Itirnkliad'imade considerable progress, .and that the
'oppolition hitherto:made to it had in a great measure
rlieeu -withdrawn. 1-le believed that in one, he was
sure that iu the other of these suppositions they would
• be mistaken.
..He should, however, guard himself
against drawing any. inference as to the possible con-
aeqbences of the motion; and, as he before obServed,
should meet it on its own grounds. So meeting it,
. he bad not the feast hesitation to say that the motion-
involved the most arbitrary and tyrannical principles.
Many of the points to which the examination of the
proposed. Committee would be directed, had already
been ascertairied and decided by the House. The .
right of-voting upon contested elections Stood re-
corded upon the journals. As to these, therefore, the
proposed. inquiry was unnecessary, because the Jour-
nal themselves could be referred to at Once: But,
as to those Boroughs, the right of which was not .'io
aseertained,• many. of theta were held by_ Charter;
and were these prarteis to be exposed to eilleha-
tiod, and conscqpently, perhaps, to forfeitire?'Stids
a proposition had, never, he believed, Veen
that Haase since the reign of Jinies the SeCOnd. '-jt •
vitilla be a s 'great. err stretch'of poem? in the Waist to
call for such an.esaluipatiOn„ as it would be in there
to calf for. stn eikaitliatibotif tire itlb'fleis'ofèststes
(—;-:(isekeeiset2velie troi4irox..eiltb;d. #3, Miiiis.
• pi iv'ateYiMits were finitided •
upon :chlrterki, fear rnstmek acid 'Mani
*them' Mir* "Tor the
; to-rot*Atkails,
to ookblepootio; soireeattorney irbistid.noisttc-
-ile!ii... Wit ;tilteli•spirli at NuirY, to the 'rights
OF indirr2riVlillOfirtibiiii? • . .
• itilril()KgßElSSEltt, Said, did hots
prOpOiac the- 04.irtii(ifift% r Charters. ,
• 'gr'*rtkOrr. OAI4II'II.NA 'laid, it • certiihtly
;40 'stated- 40iiite.of iltiotkow given by the Noble
:turd; .:ilitc;ltikhritan,-S&tietary- here 'referred to
• the fierce 440%40011a 'Charters.") -He world
•
-,:thealateit• as, e -Nab' le .turd'e motion-nbw
He did not propose the exignination of Charters--
Then how was the object of the motion to be 0b...