The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-01-28 00:00:00

V,l J y

allysidril to Ministers the most efficient assistsnce. ile
tlig/iitfore contended that the system of election was not
in the same state in which it formerly was: hat even if
it were, that, in his opinion, was no reason for opposing.
reform. Tile pro; le were not now the seine that tiles
were 130 years ago. They had more- knowledge, more
itarliigenee, more information.—(Dear) They all knew
that knowledge had WNW a.eelerated in a, prodissious
rotiii, and he would ask whether a people, wilieg„isem.r
informed, and consequently more capable 'of leaking. foe
themselves, were to be put on the tame tutting with'
their predecessors, ttho were not equally well informed,
and were; therefore, less capable of forming a correct
.InOment ?—(Hear.) His opinion war, that the mode of
eleeting members of theibiuse of Commons otiglit to vats:
accortling,to the intelligence and Information of those
who elected them, and whom they were to represent. (Ji
these grounds !testiestd contend,that it was a most unfelt:
argument, even if it were true,and he had medearoered to.
prove the contrary; that a reform in the mode of elec-
Lion was not wanted now, because the same Epstein et
election which hod prevailed in form. r times still eon..
tinned to be acted on. As alterations had 'taken plsee.
in the knowledge and information of the pee*, there;
for., it was necessary that chmleilA stmutd tilt* place in
the mode of electing Members of Parliament. He world
suppose that any gentleman present had a son of teml. F.
years; he would give to that son a certain degreeoß
freedom—he would suffer hie; to go a certain d 1 ian'e
from home. This might be Very lit while he was of im-
mature age; hitt when he grew up to manhood, and
was able to look after biii fisther's affairs,' would it not
be considered very rifficnrons, if his parent continued
the same system or restraint?—(lleac; heir.) Am! was'
it not proper that the pebtile, *hots seepaneion of intel-
lect and increase of knowledgeenahleil tiiiimt•te
and to intlge correctly of their owns ants\ should he
allowed to decide on the merits of those who were to

represent theta in Parliament?—(llear, hear.) It 'had
been well observed by Lord nacos. that time was the
greatest of all innovators. Time did indeed innovato
upon every thing, and upon every body.; and a wise l%e
gislature would take measures to keep pace with thy
changes made ht- that slow but certain innovator.--
(Hear, hear.) 'there was only one oilier argatuirt r
which was used by the opponent of reform, to which II I
would revert at present. It hal heels advanced by Mr.
Stuart Wartlq, and also by Mr. Canning, that great
apostle of autt.reforitters, its the House of Coulinons.—,
'the argument was, that reform would lead to revolutien.
Now, if they went to the exact ineanitig of words as laid
down in the dictionary revolution want eltatwe, eed
that was exactly what the reformers wanted. They want-
ed &change of the present 'system—(ll,w.) The prop:,
were extremely discontented with their present 'theistic-,
and they wanted to be made free, happy, and comfort .
ble. (Hear, hear.) lint that was taut the nleaninz
which the opponents of reform attached to the ward.
They wished to promulgate the id-a, that reform would
create confusion in society, anal overthrow the emit•
property of the country. This was what they meat t
when they spoke of revolution. He, however, did not
think that it would lead to any such events ; but this
he would say, that if it were likely to produce sach
consequences, the longer it was put off, and the mare
time that was given for the grontis of abuses, the more
likely would it be in the end to create that violence and
confusion of which some individuals were so apprehen-
sive. (Hear, hear.) The more glaring the abuse whirls
demanded a change, the greater must be the reaction
when that Change was accomplished. lint he would
ask, on the evidence of these •gentlemen themselves,
ivhether any change could create a greater revolution
than bad taken place with respect to the tiocernment,
and was in progress with respect to the property of the
country. As to the change in the Government,' he bad
only to dernand how much the House of Commons, in
modern times had encroached 'pun theveher branebee
eff,the constitution ? On that point be would quote the
etc etc Aelicered by Mr. Canning at Liverpoub—a
'ape aus9S. atlitegids,eefs: pet Perliamesalihyy ,
reforia. here Was one'patagrapY in which he con-
tended against the assertion, that-the power of the
House of Commons was not sufficieat. ' Ile there stated,
that the House iof Commons had trenched so exten-
sively on the powers of the other branches of
the Constitution, that,. like Aaron's rod, it had nearly
absented both its fellows—useaning the House of Lords
and the King,—(Hear.) Could there be a greater revc-
lusion than this ? 31:. Canning had been the person
most prominent in opposing reform in Parliament ; and
when he told them teform would produce revolution, lie
ought n-t to have forgot the inomitrous revolution to
which he (Lord F.) called their attention. He never com-
plained that the House of Commons was not sufficiently
powerful. He agreed with Air. Canning, that it had al.
sorbed the authority of its ,fellows—'hat monstrous re-
volution bad taken place, and front it bits) flowed all the
grievances of which the people now compluined.—The
powers of King, Lords, and Commonsoreire not kept dis-
tinct; they were all amalgamated in the last branch of
the government, by which the balance of the constitution
was destroyed. (Hear.) With respect to the revolution of
property which was now in erogress. be would as•li,
what was the present state of things? All those coy-
! nected with the soil were plunged in the deepest dis-
tress. The landlord could not procure his rents, and
the labourer was badly paid, because the farmer was
not remunerated. Was not this almost as great a re-
volution in property as could possibly be made? Did
not every gentleman know that there was at present a
greater change of property than was ever experienced
at any former period ? Were not mortgages daily fore-
closed, and was not landed property hereby passing
from the possession of the country gentlemen sad get.
tine into the hands of jobbers and loan contractors r.—
(War, bear.) Was not that a revolutiow? There was in-
deed no fighting about it, but a silent and gradual transi-
tion was undoubtedly going on. That revolution affected
Ireland still more than it did this country, because
they hail less capital in Irelattif, anti the distreuis
was much greater than it was here.—(Hiar, hear,
hear.) If affsirs went on in • this manner fur a
couple of yeses longer, there would ben greater chatty
of property than had taken plate daring the
,whole of
the French revolution. What was the 'present distress
to be attributed to ? It was occasioned by the change
in the currency of the country, the .sespenslots of cash
payments in I'M, the continuance of that suspension
for many years, and the return to a metallic currency
without making those rile:rations which the new sta'e
of things required. Who pa:sed the laws by which
those changes acre effected ? The Moose of Commons.
They were responsible to the people for all the miseries
they were now suffering-, and therefore they ought to be
changed. By the measures which he haul mentioned.
they were bringing about a greater revolution of pre.
petty titan took place during the civil war in this coun-
try nearly 200 years ago, and theretore he contended
that the specious argument, that reform would produce
revolution, fell to the ground. They already had expe•
rienced a revolution. Their sufferings were occasioned
by it, and that revolution they could trace to the lees
entitled by the House of Commons.—(Hear, hear.)—
The Noble Lord concluded by expressing his hope that
the petition would be unanimously agreed to.

- -
Mr. HALLETT, in a Speech of consi.ler.rble length.
advocated the cause of reform. Ito expressed himself
strongly in favour of short Parliaxi.•nts, ;lid a greater
extension of the rte.:five franchise. lie weal also have,
in his view ut reform, a certain number: of members, a
fourth or a fitth of the members go out every year, not
by rotation, but by bail° ; by which the chance
of beinir called before his constituents at tte
end of tl:e year, would operate poiverfully. ir.