The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-11-02 00:00:00

12711DIENCrof PIRLIAMENTAR r REFORM

The purity of our constitution many enlightened
men have conceived has been contaminated, and there-
fore a radical reform should take place. first, by a
more equal representation of the people in the House
of Commons, and lastly by an immediate reform in
the domestic economy, by the abolition of all sine-
cures, useless offices, and unmerited pensions, etc.
• Chagas nation doit se gouverner scion le besoin de
see anima et la conservation du Bien publique:"—
" Secii-nation ought to govern herself according to
late Sumas anti the conservation of the public good."
Thits ides also coincides with the popular sentiment
that has prevailed many years past ; which has by
soma been deemed indispensible to our national wel-
fare, and particularly as our tides at this present dme
art necessarily very heavy. It is therefore hoped
that the Committees of the Moose of Commons will
be prothietive of much good. Every candid person
must admit, that when Ministers themselves acknow-
led (by certain newspapers) that the sale of seats
in Parliament has been the practice and established
canoes of their predecessors, as well known &e. as
that the sun do:h shine at noon day, it is time fur
oath a subject to be again and again discussed (if
necessary) by their delegates In Parliament; for when
an innovation of this dangerous complexion begins to
foal the spring of purity, we know nut to what ex-
tent the stream may be tainted with it in process of
time, if a remedy be nut soon applied to the bleeding
monad. Montesquieu says, " When once a republic
Is tempted, there is no possibility of remedyiog any
athe rising evils but by removing the corruption and
mitering lost principles: every other correction is
either useless or a new evil." And again he says,
" When once the principles of government are cos-
elapsed, the very best laws become bad and turn against
the state."
It must be recollected, " moribre antigaie star
Reiss,"—.Rome stands by her ancient morals ; but
who the renowned !alert could nut he drank without
a MI profusion of roses and perfumes, which intro-
deem! e•eruption and civil wars, she fell by her oN n
strength: "Sri, et ipso. Roma viriluis ruit."
Whatever veneration the people of the present day
stied have for the practice and precedents of their
atteeltark yet when the former is bad and the latter
laappileahle, measures and resolutions founded on then;
dial's' be justified. As to precedents, both states-
men and lawyers, In my humble conception, pay too
much deference to them: and Certain it is, that one
president eta rarely be found to he completely appli-
cable w two eases at remote periods ; therefore,
Omagh precedents might assist and be useful, implicit
deftest* ought not be paid to them ; for if we do,
(Met a time) we shall become mere mechanics, and
be apt to adopt precedents for principles, and thereby
newer surds. ear own judgment sufficiently, and
canon sense would be shouldered oat of the question.
lea 'chisel sad important case of national moment
cow bathe, our present ministers, I should hope and
Netter* they are fatly adequate to display as mach
wletiont in their measures or resolves as any of their
pretimpeolors s and why should we dot..it it ? lam
nil itsetieced that NM of the present age (take them
neerally) are inferior in rapacity to their fore-
faints,: that certainly the exigencies of the times
should be Arm considered before precedents.
By way of strengthening my argument, I will now
Wit the liberty of quoting a sentiment from Sir Thomas
''echo's speech os the question of the regency; he
said, the absurdity of acting implicitly upon prece-
dents brought to his recollection some lines he bad
leotard at school :
" Hero stands a precedes.,
Who pet it dere t
A better sea than ou.
Tame it If you dire."

Bat I. fakirs M my position oa the subject of re-
teem. The cry. of inaeration, cad these are not the
time. by the opposeets of velem, seems absurd when
the eseilter worm is supposed to be still consuming the
very vitals of oar eoustitution : and I believe no na-
tiessal consequences can arise by taking away certain
privileges. the loaves and Ashes, from a few close
cringing ministerial boroughs and rich monopolizing
emplaced's.. (with respect to returning Members of
Paidiameat). sad pasting sad distributing the same
prleileges ad fromehises elsewhere upon popular and
strand coalitational prieeiples.
Metygeedsmen who choose to attach themselves to

essiliatehrwa, are unjustly otigneatized with the
Aloes epithets of lereliers and jseobies, who de-
servedly merit the name of Inn patriots, and are in-
dZithe rimy host friends and protectors of the
c tattoo. and would. in my opinion, be the grit
aid forommat to rally round and preserve the sacred
et~Hee.(ssr moostitution inviolate from the shock of

(Miles and the insiJious attacks of lurking cor.
rafiles.
The fear of a revolution In accomplishing this great
end of ridbrin even at this juncture is, presume,
grosetileas sad imaginary, although 1 bare been lately
tartrate—Hsi pulpit, by as old divine, that this re-
leasers aesi their demagogues have nothing to lose,
sad that their sole object was to produce anarchy and
confissien Is the state, and an equal partition of pro-
perty! Pray have Sir Friuli Barden, Mr. Nob-
home, and Sir Charles Wolseley nothing to lase?
lard Treasurer Berleigb, kaowing the revenue of
Raglasi he be so lasmantse, says, m itogland can sever
be rained bat by the sorreptkut other Parliament."

- • • ' • • •
It it imesho one held byte wise in all ages
" that whim the morale of a Prise, are corrupt, the
Plebeians generally follow tha.same evil propensities;
mini Ohne slse nation gradually slabs into effeminacy
and isemsetsent decay."

I have gusted this academe •atetely to shew the
coStagisji of vim sad the .4as/brow eonseqneact of
ern •eseesplot sad is sey II Ws opiaies if a public
Aimee" of task sad forum falls and indulges him-
self Is vise mai Polly, suck a perms sins doubly ; or
ov l bays Jae 'MIMOSA, vulgar salads are generally
inibenood by the ewe of their superiors in rack.
Much Is vela L Si.ipapi preached from pulpit. to
the peer. if OM d illiasenvaid elevated sinuitioes
is Rh• Mae aR lie prapia.slllo issigaileutes sad
I have Wilms Os R Jos*. esnapdos Pairadi"
star. decry, sad malty. but i se Mere happy to