Star.
London, England, 1810-06-14 00:00:00

a necessarily result from the timely adoption or
rimet-s.tlartyeaprilinyciple of Reform, which would gra-.
proceed to the correction of those
dually but steadily d
the progress of time must unavoidabll
hab:e9r; birth to. But that principle of Reform
should°:-
tici!ie,e
oerp t within the line Marked out by the Con,
exceed the wholesome limits which ex-
am.'
rrience points out, and public utility dictates. As
on respecting the reform of the tither
House golfleVilirliartrent, he' knew not how he could
makethatthe subject of anyobservations in that House,
without perhaps transgressing the bounds of that re-
spect' h tsarwue to an integral branch of the le-
lslaterc.R nothing could be done in further-
_u
°
mice of that object, without the concurrence of all the
brandies of the legislature ; as the question itself was,
e
of the highest importance, not alone to the branch
f the legislature more immediately concerned,
but to the other two branches, and m the nation at
urge ; as it was of considerable
importance to him
poi to be nosrepresented to the public ;—he felt
it necessary,hurnhle an individual 'as he was, to
:elate, that he still retained the same senti-
ments he had ever entertained on the subject ; and
t:at it was now, a s it had formerly been, his convic-
that a tempera. p cautious, and judicious adop.
Itt
,ea of reform, was the most desirable for the come-
ticn of those defects in the other House of Parliament,
iectred such scandal with the public, and fur-
eishel &signing men with a pretext for inflaming the
ions of the multitude, to mislead them from the
foe of their duty. To such a Reform, whenever it
should be proposed, he would ever be anxious to yield
ready and zealous assistance. But he never did,
laver should, propose any plan of reform, on the
Ind of theoretical perfection. He never did, nor
should, propose any plan of reform, which had
t fur its basis the practical correction of existing
muses. To that extent, and to that only, was he
zd to Fo; because no reform that did not pro-
on the principle of practical correction of abuses
be productive of any safe or salutary result. It
teen frequently of late objected against the Con-
'mien and the privileges of the other House, that
were not to be found sanctioned by any public
lZe, or in any written code. But upon all the best
cideratlon he had been able to give the subject, •as-
' too by the authority and opinions of those great
eitutionel Statesmen: from whorls he derived his
itical principles; he found, that what had been
stated as an objeedon, was by him considered
highest recommendations It was the folly and
presumption of the present day, to decry every
:cg that was not to be found in a written statute.
nation was now told, that unless every salu-
pcwer possessed by the different branches of
Le„islatuie could be found recorded in the
tten coee, it was therefore illegal ; and the
doctrines were-again promulgated, which had
alreiely nearly subjected this kingdom to an
'eery Government. The convulsions and ca-
',;es ' period bad, however, happily, since
in:o a system of mild and regular go-
which, tie ugh not perhaps co;sistent with
theories of political speculators, was yet practi-
v adapted to the spirit of a free people. If any
e cruel more than another confirm him in the
lions he entertained on this subject, it would be
concurrent authority of a late great Statesman
suppee: Mr. Fox), whose views respecting Re-
he LI freqeent of portunities of learning, in
course cf various debates. It *as the opinion
thet great man, that the whole of the Consti-
.mof this country was a system of practical in-1
; and he had often declared, that, if
the ablest, and most virtuous men,
had ever lived in.any country, could be brought
and seated round a table, for the pur-
ofdevising the best constitution for a nation, be
eet believe they could form a system which it
old be possible to live under, without some prac-
del rations and alterations, accommodated to the
of times and circumstances. This opinion
accustomed to 'enforce by an apt but homely
.ion : that he had scarcely ever known an in-
in the building of houses, of any one having
provided in the first instance wi;11 all the con-
ores which, in the occupation of it afterwards,
. found practically necessary. To the principles
practical reform, he was therefore determined to
; and these he should be always ready to sup-
, whenever the question should be agitated ; but
trust again repeat, that such reform as he was
to support must provide practically for the,
:ion of the abuses of the constitution—muse be.
.e.l within the bounds of the constitution —and
launch nut into the extravagance of theories,
Ives no new opinion of his ; and if eheir Lord-
cold consent to attend to any statement re-
ine an inelividuel so humble and inconsiderable
flie.ll, he should prove to their satisfaction, that
had ele•ays been his opinion. For this purpose,
sheioe ao so far back as 1792, a period when
cpinions were mede the subject of more po-
' and conteation than at any subsequent
At that time, a society was formed to pro.
. the cause of parliameetary reform, of which
had been a merraee. That society and its dif-
n"' llbt:rs collectively, and individually, had
thee b en much misrepresented, and subjected
as the triethis of temperate reform were now, to
'14`311-''e Oiloque They had been held out as no
:re friends te reform—no real advocates fa- the
tits of ti
ntion—because they were nut prepared
suFPert.; ve.at lea then, now, called a radical
'm•'hese c4iarts had been communicated to
by a society formed about the said time, forl
cr)ti.ig c,..ls::tteicual information. The answer
.:nicatioa would spew what principles of
stellailisi:.carlili and his hisf.iends entertained at that time.
been signed by his Noble Friend
un (Lind Erskine). and, with their Lordships'
he shoul ; ;fad some passages from it.
Herr the Noble Larl read various extracts from
up-r, to the efft•cl. that the society never enter-
the Nish that the plan of Parliamentary Re-1
ail.l be carried into effect on the principles
Aired by the other society ; that they would
:ricourage the. probable consequences
1.0 wisdom could foresee, nor no skill',
or put a stop to :,that they wished no change
`h
as xvoulti be consistent with the principles of
nnstaution ; that they desired to reform the con-
'011: because they wished to preserve it ; and the
:',•nded with a statement, that they would break
t.. 11 tiler connection or communication with dig

declare, '
inentb he i
that i! wiz;
tion that a
tion of ref(
tien of tho
iall'a aci'
wished tiesi,
pasiturlS Of
line of the
should be i
i,is ready a
nd never
ground of
ever shout
tint for its
:buses. 1
iisposed tt
d on th,
cull be p
I d been I
stitution as
they were
statute, or
nulidcrati
fisted too 1
DLifitUtio
litical p
' us stays
e 11:;,hcss
e presun
Icg that
i'be natior
1::- pcwe
I,e I,e,isl
rater co
e doct
:ce alrea
I:;trary i
sities .4
ibiicled i
anse-t,
le theore
iiy adap
'..-.1 crUl
'alions I:
re COI.CU:
ve suppt.
:In he
,t cows,
d tLI f
itMll of
sf...tut.ors
• 11 tie I,
at had
',crier,
,
?se old
il,,t I
ould be
11 det i.
urge of
• was :IC,
'astratiol
-ice in 1
I ,11 ptrov
.fences
re foun
practic
'sere ; .
rt, wht
roust ..1
epared
irm retie,'
,;te.l w
if 61111 C
lis was
ps cr L:
cling ;
IhinssLi
, lild
1.10,0,
ti cpii
'al he
.e. il
• 4te the
had I
cat TT
• the ti:
en, as
sid,:r
tlcere i
ghts 0
suc pi
.or m.
,en- h,
-Toot;
taw,: c
'rra
is ara
' 7 iiln
_ - 111..i.51
,Herr
ti pr,
.I;Cd tl
'Di Si.
iir,uil
t true
,:vtill
t suet
on,
',ition
sie;.,,
i
44 r.