The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-04-18 00:00:00

a 411:

is Ihjects discussed, in which the vicious
which they acted must necessarily be
terms of animadversion.—lndeed, if he ..
• roof of that disinclination he should find it in tlte
empty benches, which presented themselves to ~ his eye the Three. estatvs as acting each as al-
efinitional
offered 1P tise.opinion of Blackstotte on the faerits ,
1
on the opposite, side—(most of the member' on the check upon tbe other, am! observed that this control;
t operated in favour of the people was now entire y
toinisterial side were absent.)-7--And if as i
fir.. i
teen now to carry is mot on withont aprevious exa- lost. The majority of the Members were returned to
Initiation of ifs indits hving_ taint. place, heit.neur, atet.l. foam Ay means the most improper and isicontti-
r
' *not that he ifitiftthilififer, 'nit.' conclude Ills speeet iu • . •
tweet It was a notorious fact, and he was ready
tit chi: mittitein,enit taite the•sense or the Abuse upon to prove it at the bar, that one hundred and eighty
bit question; 'bring tolerably well assured, that individuals gave seats to three hundred and fifty Mem-
the orimber of his honourable friends now
,present, hers.—(Hear, hear.)---Would it not be naturally ex-
- would outvote the chosen few he saw seated to pected that those who were so returned would vote iis
oppose theme-L(Hear, hear, hear!) Ile would not, favour of the.ir pitrons? Nothing was more common!,
however, have recourse to such an advantage. If the than to hear it said, that Mr. such a one had accepted
absence of his opponents was intended as a personal the Chiltern Hundreds;
so,n. and ad
he whenreason enquiassryigned w was sited*
insult to himself he should treat it with the contempt who he was had done as,
it deserted ; but if it was meant as an insult to the that he could not vote contrary to his conscience,
po.nt of honour which prevented
people whose cause lie espoused, he should tell it to and this was a i
yet this point of,
the people with indignation.—(Cheers.)—Yes, if they him from opposing his friend ;
intended by their absence to treat the people as nn- honour never called upon him to support the cause
worthy of attention, lie should loudly proclaim it, and of the people. A certain Noble Lord, not
now( in
he now informed the Right lion, twins opposite— the House,
.had ne right to exult from a mdi-
(A laugh)—(Mr. Bathurst and the Chancellor of the lion which his fame had acquired as connected with the
Exchequer were sitting near each other,)—that nothing present system. It was not necessary for him to quote
particular instances of the corrupt manner in which
could dissuade him from doing so. Ile would ring the members gave their votes te that House. They were
fact in the ears of those Right Honourable represents- innumerable. One, however, he would mention t it was
tires of the oyster dredgers of Harwich. But to come the instance where a majority sanctioned the infamous
to the question ; lie assured the House that it was with expedit .
ion to Walcheren. it was a fact upon record,
the greatest diffidence he bad risen to introduce it,
.thaadt that majority had voted for a question syttieli they
lived on.le an hour before. In order that the
when lie reflected on the many eminent individuals win. n
people should he 'fairly represented, the elective frau-
b.' preceded him in the same cause. And lie wa
chise ought to he given to all householders pyieg direct
veil aware that he bad to contend against the over- taxes. lie should also propose that all corrupt borongloo
whebning eloquence of a Right Honourable Gentle- should be done away, and that there should hr a rector-
man on the other side, whose powerful talents were rence to triennial parliaments. It would not hr expectrii
too frequently employed, in direct hostility to the in- that he shotild, on the present ocra.siou ente.r into. a
tyres sof the people, or to any thing that could tend long historical a crount of the constitution ot Valli
to meliorate their condition. Once more he would beg went, as the subject had already been so often brol::Iii
under consideration. lie might, however, lie perusittlei to
leave to declare, that nothing but a ilue sense of what
make a short allusion to it. In the reign of Edward
he owed his country, and the desire he felt to do all in the third an Act had been passed, enjoining that Par-
-I.k power towards removing the prevailing spirit of rautain should be annual : and this Act had its rise
discontent. could have induced him to offer himself to in the
inordinate desire of power on the ouo baud,
the consideration of the Howe upon a question so much and in a total apathy on the other. 'lite people were
beyond his hand le powers. The different classes of the i unwilling to send representatives at regular periods :
community were loud in their complaints, and they at- j and th's being displeasing to the Crown, an Act was
triboted all their misfortunes to the bad system that pissed obliging them to do so. By the IGt h of Charles
exis rd in returning members to that House. The die- 1,. . naro 1,
I laments were to continue for three years; and
satisfaction of the public was loudly announced, and in the 6th of William and Marc, the Triennial Art was
sUilv inereasing in every Tenter, yet it was not to he passed: the preamble of the Bill stating, that it would
removed by a systematic opposition nu the fair demands he cosily advantageous to the Clown and the Feople
of the nation. It wasqnite impossible, from the rapid that the duration of Parliament should be litoo:tel to
progress of education, to conceal from the people that period. The lion a leniber next adverted to the
those acts which related to their interests ; and he had first of George I. in whirl' year the Septennial Act
a high authority for saying 30, in a (I ocument which
was passed ; which lie contended, was a !Joss derir.
hail, that evening, been put into hie hands, containing tare from the principles of the Constitution, and site::
the rentiments of Mr. Justice Hest. That Learned a protest from the Lords' Journals in s.ippurt of his
Judge had said at Lancaster, Oat " as reading among
arguments. lie now procee.ied to quote various :tulle,-
all classes had become so general, other measures cities, to spew that down to the reign of Ilenry VI.
womb, be required than those hitherto existing ; it all freemen had clue right of voting. Ily the I.t ,ii
w.tuld be as absurd to continue the old customs, as to
Edward I. two knizios were to he retermel for the
treat animate beings as inanimate." This Was the county and two burgesses for a ci'y ur boron: r- .
coinion of Mr. Justice Best, and it was one in which Hating referred to subsequent Statutes estalolisiothe
he (Mr. 1..) entirely concurred. lie had frequent op- this principle, he then came ts the full of Henry
rortuitilies of witnessing the influence of education on VI. which was the statute of disqualificatiati, by which
the public mind in the North of England, and of see- it was said, that riots and battery might take place in
let the habits of the people almost entirely altered by consequence of persons of .. email substance" being
ta. Their rapid improvement in knowleige astonished allowed to vote at elections. Th • lion. Heicletnan.
• On. Hornig his 'cl loss there was nut a village, after commenting on. the injustice of this proceeding.
6
• ever remote, in wirich he was questioned as to his
014
ituents act he grievances of sloe country, and on anti on the conaequeni es resulting low it, is hich
tendril to keep the poor in a state of servile debasement,
the necessity Sf putting an end to the corruption of then went on at considerable length to enforce the ne-
l'arliausent by a Reform in the Representation. It
cessitv of restoring to the people those rights of to 'sic),
was not verb long back when the people of the coon-
they hail been unconstitutionally deprived. Ile i nst a owed
••v were remarkable for nothiug but their total ap.:thy several l'il3PS 1111141'1n the principle was itistitict4- reess;:-
a:out their own interests; the ease, however, was now I tb;s A
.., and next stated the heads of a NU, which, with
altered, and a spirit of inquiry was awakened Osiris i the assistance of ass Hon. and Le.orneol Member. he had
r.quired only a fit opportunity to be called into ac- dna n op on the subject. The Bill was divided into two
t:on for the honour and advantage of the country.— I parts ; the tiro. the householder', to whom lie should
(liege, hear.)—Was nut the necessity of Represenla-
...Xpropose; that the right of voting for boroughs should Ise
1d e eeronol to convloloer, o ho wto
ties being selected who should consult the good of
woreend ae voice inth rewriting ,Meolobiries forl tile countyere. lII-
t. eir constituents incontrovertibly proved by ilie tact i wished to inchole the ten Univereities in the principle
tt at we were burdened with a debt of .:10,001.1.000/.. of the 11;11. Ile proposed the repeal of the Septenial
ivisile the annual expenditure was :,:9,000,(011!.: Was it Art, anol that Parliament should vonlione only for three
tat prove Iby taxation urged on with increasing owve- years, according to the I,receolents to is idyll he had ad-
r -,; : Was it not proved by a Sinking Fund which w.is i vented. lie prsoposea that the country should be di v'eleil
a mere mockery? Was it not prove,' be romoserre into districts. including each a representation of sweaty-
broualit to the tart dezree of depression 7: 'Was it not five thousand iishabitan.a. of whims, from ter ,afro! o-
. prowill by the unfortunate complaints of the Aericul- lions he had made, too thousand five hundred would he
terics, who were involved in slitfietilties fretti o hich electors. The qualiticatioes reopiired, was to prove that
ace knew trot how to extricate themselves, and the they had paid taxes for six months previous!y to the elec.
sem king close among them reduced to starvatiati ? Was tioos, and had newer been in a work' ow, or received
it not proved by our having a standing army sill parochial relief. This toeing a Bill of enfraiselliarnsetit,
8:.000 men in time of peace? Why, all these facts 1 Roman Catholics were of course not included in its pro-
oient to show a system of rorrnption as giatitla as 1 visions. The next point was with respect t..) a proper
roonahty. It could not 1w denied ; for it was i returning offi,•er being chosen. who was to hare a de-
cotorions, that in this great Assembly sea'i treri" putv under him. The latter he proposed should ex-
ooeniy bought and sold. 'fbey were alarmed with 1 mute all the minor duties and he a professional
accounts of treason and rebellion ; the gaols overflowed 1 man ; but the principle was to attend in person ,
with criminals, and the eyes were shocked at witness- ! during the election. 1 here was a Atone in the Bill '
ing barbarous executions, the consequence of the de- 1 authorising the imprisonment of the returning officer,l
hr was found to act corruptly in his office. This ,
. tcaire state of the Criminal Laws. This was but a ; it.
be ; rla.use wa.s. in yonformity with the fi7tb of Oro. 111. re-.
• faint picture of our internal situation ; and '.t.
1i tl ve to Soeritfit in Ireland. There was also a elanse,i
tooled to our relation with the other States of Eur..p.,. I enabling the Returning °nicer to decline the office ninon
be saw nothing to make up for our bankrupt nu.; c. 31- j p tying a tine of 200/.. and the reason of chits was, lie-1
,a;tunaaitnatiaa at I, ..iie. Onr con luct in Norway. 6.- calls' he might feel inclined to offer himself as a Can
nos, Saxony, and Parga, would satfiriently sheie in Idi late, but be prevented if o'-lilted fry any invidious
what a despi.altie light we stood in the eves t.l Eu- consideration to serve. 'file Hon. Member then recited
with respect so the period and mode
rope. We had, en a recent orcaeicn, evinced an toter i "ye" "Ii""r I"'int'a
of polling. fee. ; and ayiiinailyerteil in etrone Isoirnage
,ntlitference to the struggles of oppressed motions to
upon the general 1101i1.1; fit %flitter., and partiettlerly
throw off the yoke under which they groaned. Ilad 'you the late measures intro bored to put down seditious
we acted too aids the Italians as we soul.; lit to have i oneetings Ile next proceeded to discuss the tiro /Met-
done, the progress of the Austrians might bay- been tious, that the present system ought not to be changed,
I
arrested, and those chains broken which he feared though faulty in theory, it worked well in practice: and
were now but too firmly rivetted, and which, 1,, a 1 that this system would keep out of Parliament men of
noble resistance might have been broken asun ier.
talent, who had no property. It might he <efficient to
n state, that Parliament to as never intended to he all arena
.T;tese, and other such acts degraded us in the esti- of rhetorical contention. It was to be a place of 'loci-
. .eia:ison of Europe. Our forefathers bad fought for Hess, which rettrired only men of experience mil Ito-
'their liberties, and drew down upon them the hatred i ncsty. For his part. be would prefer !wing seri ed in
of tyrants ; but by the present !point it was not neecs7 ; his own limited establishment by a simple, anti, if you
'lry to resort to violent means to subjugate the people. i will, stupidly honest man, than the roost eminr:o ;:.
gifted rascal that retold be offered to him The Hots.
• 't I.e deed was do& with greater facility be corrupting.. I
The scheme had heen.puri , Member concluded by some remarloo upon the !moan
the House of Cow:nobs. • land efficary of public opinion. lie then toured. that
into etecution, and sui-reetled eivitely to the Ifitlies fthi, i
of tl.ose w hind dell'4•4l it. If the people now en:l whluelloluo"uesed,otorceosusolviteleritr thiel7rrasin4it''slatiaut'eititteretili:Ce trh::
• ,
eyed any tenant of freedom, they owed it not to •presentation of the people in Parliament.—(Dear')
la
I
the pnrit of their ri':fi eFei.uti ves. but to the forbear-: Mr. S. WIIII'IIIIIEA I/ rose to aecotiol the motion.
atee of die Poveltiment in snot exerting the whole of He began by some general obaervitions pointing ins
that force to. which it could at any moment resort. Ile : the necessity of Reform. in animadverting, upon she
railed upon the house to look at the legiori of lax.; impatience of the louts tip listen to any reeintittien-
gatherers which the !Minister had ready at his coo: i tiation for Reform, he cowparetkit to a woman of I 34
reat.d, and also to the Ft:or:opus civil force of 10,1100 j character. who alas ready tohear is n 11:45/1 stir sigh-
ilsett,lelt4lllll to strengthen the influence of tioverii. ! ject, except that of bow frailty.—(A laueli.)—The
initrit fiver the haileual represeotatives, .while it wai Illon. 51ember glanced at the historical changes, which
&LA to 'the LapplueSs and prosperity of the 'Siate.l thetonstitation of Parliamenfunsieroo et.t, and declared
• *IL:n.1110 great resources of the Crown were con:, ! imarlf at all tinoes ready to support any /elan fol.'
sidere.l, cau:d any man be surprised that the Satioual I bortenito.; the duration of Pa. iiantessi.
. ..

. _
li't consideroak Ow plan of Reforie no"
an -sweeping an alteration of the Von.-
...idiots. he hoped the House would mot agree_ to
enteeteitt it. It was said that 11 voting for the tom-
unlace no Member pledged himself to the particular
plan of the lion. Milinher. lie here entered into a vindi-
cation of the policy of the present Ministers, anti stated
that the sentiments of the people went hand In ham'
with them in the great exertion which they made to
overcome the most unrelenting despotism that ever I
carted mankind. lie'described the arts and machi-
nery that were set in motion in order to infuse a spirit
of discontent into the people, and a notion that all
grievances would be redressed by Parlimentary Reform.
lie controverted several of the positions of the lion.
Member who opened the question. lie said it was a
singular and overpowering argument against the lion.
letit'oer, that the Bill of Rights did not notice the
duration of Pirliament as a matter of right. lie de-
nied that annual Parliaments and universal suffrage ever
existed in this country. Ile reprobated the notion that
reform would relieve the people from any embarrass-
ments which they now were enduring, hvcause he
would contend that those embarrassments were the re-
stilt of a just and necessary war, anti if faith with the
public creditor was to be kept up, he did nut see how any
Reform could alter or amend the di flicitities under which
we lahonred. He objected in detail to the plan of the
hon. member—lle asked when was there a period since
the revolution, in whirls there was not a hotly of men
to keep up the cry that our liberties were gone.
He read an extract from a pamphlet, polished in 1693,
in which the writer, in an amusing. passaze, endeavoured
to show that corruption, in his opitti.!n, was carried to
such a height, that reform was absolutely necessary.—
Ile wonld t.ske it upon bins to say that, whatever latitude
of invective some might indulge in,there was snore prac-
tical freedom enjoyed in this country, than inlay other.
The honourable Member then read an extract from the
Edinburgh Review, on the stibket of litfortn—a work
which be sy.ss sore would command the respect of the
lionostrAle ISentlemen opposite. The passage he con-
. tesidesl, contained opinions upon the subject which were
utterly inconsistent with the Wan of Reform now 'Tema-
I mended. lie sshserved that he slid not know how to
iconclude his speech hotter than by repeating, the words
of a presirces.sor of the Bight lion. lientlesesan wlsofdled
Ithe chair. "My daisy Flyer is. for the continuance of
I the constitution, and for the preservation of the dignity
'of this lion se to the latest posterity.''—(llear.)
Ir. HOIIIIOVSE began by taking n.) ice of some
point* advanced by the lion. Jtemhrr who had just
sat down, Ile showesi.that. the present tonstitntion
of Parliament was s!ifferrnt front what it anciently was
is the untidier of members. in the retest of the fran-
chise, esti in the duration of Parliaments t and con-
tended, that with respect to these three points, there
was a principle of variability in the constitalon. The
character of the Parliament aim retied at different pe-
riod,. That of the Plannigenets was different from
that of the Twines; the latter again from that of the
Stu-le:sr and since the slays of the sway of that fa-
mily, it had varied again. And when he considered
thus ate of the reseal House of Commons, he was
astonished at any one would ,ay that i!, in any re-
spec*, resembled the character of any firmer (louse of
Comment. 'limy, therefore. who proposed to change
the s Isararter of the Hotter of l'otnmons from its pre-
sent state were not to he met by the charge of innova-
-1 tis.n. He contended that the,Honse of Commons, in
its present (corm, was a body Odependent of the peo-
ple, and having no synspath •ith them. If this was
not the acknowledged st of that House, wky
were the offers to prove ti tent of corrupt iefittetwe
so repeatedly opposed' le exhorted all re-
formers to tweet their petty differeners, anti join to-
gether far the arc sniplielement of some alteration in
the represent stion of the people. lie couteroled that
the patrons of the I orottAs were, in fact, the rover-1
non of the country. and the monopoly which this
1
o igarchY enjoyed, was must detrimental r • the ; iih!ie.
With respe.o to the proposed plan. he than Ih t it an
lextremely moderate one indeed. Ile contended that
Iby ancient pea lice we were entitled to animal Perlis-
- meta'. Front the period before the Comities . np to
Edward the Second, Parliaments were held twice a
year. The Parliaments of Henry the Eighth destroy-
,ed the ancient practice. In ('harks the First's dose
provision was made for the frequent isoldirg of Partia-
lutents. At the Rtvoiuti 4444 the necessity of short Par-
liaments was formally recognized. Ile refereed to
1
several authorities since the perio.! of the Revolution,
to allow that a demand for annual Pitellatitrllt% was ant
a novelty in the history of the country. Ile nest ad-
verted to the subject of the proposed alteration of the
suffrage. and cited the authority of several writers
who lived at the period of the Revolution, and who la-
mented that snout adequate means w:.re not at that'
time provided for the securing of free Parliaments for
the future. lie contended that. at no period of our
history, did the people slot* thentse:yes unworthy oil
the elective franchise That body from whom vita-,
nated the excesses in France at the beginning of the'
Revolution, were not the representatitea of the'
people. 't hr people, nosier every cireninatance of
popular commotion, respected the ri;:hts of pro-
p: sly. The Parliameut which took the lead in the
rebellion in this country was conquer.' of only $7
members. of whom 16 were seat by the counties. 6
by the cities, and the remaining 67 by the boroughs ;
so that. if there was any danger to be a:,prehended,
it might be expelled from a borough ParAament. not
from our chosen hr the people.—(hear:) lie then
referred to the ease of the Pretender. aho was sup-
vorted by the aristocracy of linglauti, and who, in his
march trout Scotland to Derby, wort joined by only
3to of the romtrion people. 'f his House had, there-
fore, mote to fear from the aristocracy than toe people.
Ihe lion. 444'11e:can thin proreeiles.l to allude to a
specs-Is said to have been delivered by a certain Right
Honourable Gentleman. at a dinner given him by his
coAttituents. in which the prineiples of the refornsers
were slisrussed at !some length, and treated with great
freedom. 'I hat suetodi vvas said by its admires* to
be '. unanswered and titiati•.... er.iltie.” He (11r. It)
did not mean now to iioitiire how tar this enloginos
was coned. Ile won id, I'M. ever, take f:orn the
author of it, Ilse orit:inality of tutor of his proposi-
tioNs. 11 hat he re:id of the ne. essity ot rontinning
tae cerroptions oi the State, 11.111 1/el4l said by Arthur
Voile:: brie's :.itn, in a %vs,: hentillvd, " A..Vjew of
:'tat re. 114 a Warning Is; Ktsgland." Mr.. Young ar-
curd Chat thy system of rotten lawsuit:los. ro s-
i•srities, all1 stneqn.sl representation, was so sown
Willi !Mt constitution. Opal it sra, hard Is: say whetters
we Ilia 11411 A:1•1 slur iiisertirs by the very toearte which'
we knit "word to get sit 411.-01eAr.)--111141 a l'ilirr

arc;,
that