The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-04-10 00:00:00

UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE Amp rag WHIGS.

FOR TOE STATESMAN.

TM Whigs bate been charged with apestacy from
the cause of Radical Reform, which, say their cc.
cuwis, they tome pledged themselves to sapper.. Ts
this sensation the Whigs plead not galley. Not only
do they dewy that they were the originators, or at
any period the advocates of the demand now sal-
reised for Radical Referm, but in a recent
" Defence," which has been pet forward by oue of
the most diitingeished and able members of the party,
they have stigmatised the former and p►esent efforts
to promote that cause us " criminal, dangerous, and
licentious." It is also well known that though
sem. of the party affected I. oppose the late Sas-
peosion of the Habeas Corp.', t►eir ackeowledged
leader (Mr. POMSONIT) avowed his entire concur-
once in the Report of t►e Secret Commitieems which
that arbitrary attempt to arrest the progress of Re-
form was founded. The Whig, thew air now become
not simply indifferent, bet really adverse te► Reform.
A. a party, t►ey have distinctly renotiaced it,
throegis their organ the Edinburgh Review. In,
the article on the State of Parties, they wareservedly
admit that they have no solicited. about the seems
of any plea of Parliameatary Reform, however me.
donate. Retreechment is in Mare to form their prin-
cipal object; that to which, if is power, they pro-
mise sedeloesly to devote themselves, no doubt with
the same ardent sincerity which characterized their
gentled is 1807. Their horror of Reform has token,
they assets es, from lb. •+ wild, visionary, de.
swats, sweeping, unsparing, revolutionary," de-
signs contemplated by t►e majority of the Radical
Reformers.

No term of reproach or condemnation has appear-
s/ to them strews 'sough to calms their di+like,
their perfect abhorrence of Anneal Parliaments,
versa! Suffrage, and the Ballot. Yet, thoegh it is
hardly credible, the Whigs did *ace pledge themselves
to the sepport of those very remedies for the disease
which is preying on nor national vitals, and actually
recommended them as the only ones capable of operat.
Inge radical care, the Duke of Ricumosio's celebrated
All and Letter certainly went as far as the most
Ultra• Reformer of the present thy desires. And in a
pamphlet, entitled " Report of the Sub-Committee of
Westminster, appointed April It, 1780, totake into
consideration all such masters relative to the t• legion
of Members of Parliament, as M. promote themes..
poses of the present Association : dated from Free-
nsasons' 'bistro, &lay 27. 1780 ;" to which are
elated t►e names of J. BRAND HOLLIS, J. Barer,
and CHABLIS JADES Fox, names sufficient, I suspect,
to identify t►e Whigs in the opinions therein pro-
mulgated, I Sod the same principles broadly main-
lamed.

Anoint Parliaments, Universal Selvage, and Ilse
Ballot are thee spoken of :—" An equal Hewes's,.
tali.. of the People in the Great Council of the Na.
ties, ANKUALELLCTIONS, and the UNIVERSAL RIGHT
of Surra.wr, appear so reasonable to the natural
(*slings of mankind, that no sophistry can elude the
farce of the arguments which are .red is their fa-
voar." In another part of the Report they declare
their conviction of the expediency of reforming the
Repremetation of this country, and of " ReCtIaRING
la the CONeTITUTIONAL PIIACTICIOr ANNUALLY CLECT.
lea the Representatives." They also insist upon the
RESTITUTION Of the IJNIexIIAL IliallT Of Surreeas,
and that the Pull of each district should be taken by
BALLOT, &C.

These extracts will perhaps make; and we (obey
they will not be very palatable to those who are so
prose to brand the People with entertainiog revolt:-
Comity and new-tangled doctrines. T►e pamphlet
concludes with the following !teaslotion:—