The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-04-05 00:00:00

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LOSS OF THE ALERT PAL T•

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N'floiftY REI-:ORM.

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oPWIta V.lWrettlllt)Re who desired that uPs peoctical in
a mode that was Constitutional, and the Honotmable
Mellott, r who declared himself ag tinst Reform of any ~e-scripti
scripti on, or under any possible cireuntatance.— (A;-
plause.)-41-lere Mr. Gooeh said, that what had fallen
from him was not unitertspooll
Mr. Mac teista hn, its continuation, said, that the inter-
ruption and coetraoliction of the lion. Heather gas e.
him lunch satisfaetiom, because it was of some impor-
tance that what the Honourable Gentleman intettesek
to say should be understood ; he would, therefore, step
into the back ground, and Ist the Hon. Gentleman stand
forward.
Mr. Gooch then'said, that be had not declared himself
decidedly egaiimt every plan of Reform; but that t o
plan which had been submitted to the public wet his ap-
probation.
Mr. Mecnosimas, having resumed his situation, pro-
ceeded. It has been urged as an argument against 11, -
form, that the projects hail been too numerous—eariaas
and different from each other—to all those plans the Ho-
nourable Mew' er gave his determined resistance; boa
he was willing to believe, and to hope that some cotoje-
rer might be tunnel in a corner with a plan which woilit
reconcile the Ilonourable Member to the principle of Re-
form—if so, he must indeed be a conjurer (a langh). As •
far as he understood the speech of the Honourable Urn-
deman, with the exception of that part of it in which he
stated, in the overtiowinor of his kindness, that he
tended to the business of the county without makifat-
er a
dVilleti.)ll between friend and enemy, and for which at,
tention he (Mr. M`D.) did not consider tee county under
any great obligation to the Hon. Member Cries of .` n i.
uto:"). With that exception the speech of his Honour-
, able Friend might he almost comprised in a question
which he put in his place during the lest Session of Par-
i liament. On au occasion of presentino, a Petition Iron
?I.
,t e fo
Nowr t t tr reo ,:..
yl
that county, his Honourable Friend asrieol this questimit
—"put,
ipononle.y ionnbtio.liteheveptohckatetsof the
measure
me"rt.
Ire (Ile. M.D.) had a reluctanhe turd a put
treat iotself agaioe f
, t
the Honourable Gentleistan,—g respect r
him, and it would deoight hint muck to see his Honour-
able Friend mend his ways , but he was almost tempts I
oa that occasion to censure his Honourable Friend, ant
to say, " Do you mean to doubt Boot the miasure of ft,-
1 form nould keep the hands of Government oat of th*
farmer's pocket (applause)?" Reform could not restore
what hau been taken away, for the best of all po
ble reasons, because the money was spent—it WAS tor-
tioned out to the Holy Aides —it was btiried its the Imes
of Walckeren. and lately it had been strangely applied ea
building fortresses in the Netherlands. Retort's was
called fur and was necessary ; but unless the influence '
the Crown was reduced, lie agreed with those let o
thought that Reform of any kind wonlo; have little effect;
but to reduce that influence would be the first duty uhi.ts
an honest reformed Parliament would feel hound to per-
form. Any person who heard the lion. Member, woli'd
be led to suppose that the present was the first clay the
question of ltefortn had been broached in that county.—
It would, however, be recollected, that when Mr. Pot,
in 1756, declared that tinder tire then imitation of Vet
tHouse of Commons no honest mats col 1 retests
ter of this country;, and when he hat ed d follow upMiti• tti a
declaration by introducing his pion of Reform, both the
Members for Suffolk supported hint. That propueit've
was not carried—the House remained unreformed; o'l
consequence was, that the country had now to pay tloi:oy
millions annually for the bare interest of her debt. Swan
was the consequence of an unreformed Parliament ; h it,
above all, be would entreat the Meeting to look at
,the principle on which the present eystem slats le.
—lf he were not mistaken, a Noble Peer of ele ,t
fortune and influence had lately condescended to recut -
!mitre the desolate shores of that county,and to make a eei-
vire by a coup de wain (which might with as much propri-
ety be applied to the p slits of the hand) of the boroughs
there s tuoted. Orford, at the first blast of his golden
trump-t, capitulated ; Mr. Mayor and the Aldermen
bareheaded, and for aught he knew, barefooted, surren-
dered et discretioa ; Dunwich held a parley, but as lie
garrison was divided between two rival clines, it shut its
gates and would out admit him. The campaign si as
scarcely concluded when Cornwall seas invaded. The
venerable Bodmin heard Isis voice, a d opened wide its
gates to receive hint. whilst Causelford, * {sore, was
heard to talk of terms. Ciu;onstitutional as it undoubtedf
was„he did not mean to tied great fault with the Noble
Lord, so long as things remained as they were—so long
as the market vas lea open he Sale no reeson why the
Noble Lord should not poss es himself of hair a were of
boroughs ; they might, perhaps, fall into no better hands
—bet certainly he should reproach the people, it', seeing
and feeling those things, they did out raise a held and
indignant voice for redo c 0,,, It. they iii.l net call fur Re-
form —if they did nut wish to correct too e innovations
which time and time alone had mate. lie was eensiners
that many of those Borough-which had Gentlemen to
represent them, scarcely knew the nature of 800 -e
Members—indeed he made the experitnent at :114-
borough, but he never could get more than the
name of the Patron-0 laugh.) Gentlemen thus se a
into Parliament for neither respect nor Sr inpothy foe those i
boroughs. If this system were fullowe;1 up, and ail coi - k
Odense between the people and those who assumed to re-
present them was at au rod, what would he the resource
of the connwy—ewhat alternative would there he between
corruption and force? It was to this imperfect system
of representation that most of she public abases might he
traced. To that might be traced a great military force
on a peace establishment; to that might be traced those
nnconstitutiotial measures which were paned in 1619
(Applause).—He feared he bad trespassed on their pa-
tience, (cries of .• go on, go on.") He would unlit Sara
that af•or an exposition of the last few years, the landed
interest in the House of Commons- was reshiced to a low
ebb; they had done little or nothing. He had Kilted
in vain for that spirit and energy in Country tieutleur ri
which had distinguishes; their ancestors. if the Colony
Gentlemen bad pulled toerther, and pnlleil for the inter-
ests of their Constituents, the weight of distress occa-
sioned by the alteration In the currency. and by other
causes, would have been diminished. It was his opines
that much good might be yet effected. In the first place,
a reduction of taxes—a reduction in thi collection of the
revenue. For agriculttolsts, lie saw for them ro relief
but by the fair reduction of taxes—save this, that tie
landlords might be liberal and !me tenants just. Wttlt
respect to Frame, that country, it seemed, was rich 04 I
wicked enough to attack independent states. Oppressed
and outraged Spain came to England for succour—cle
applied in vain It would app-ar that in the semedr-
gree that Fiance flourished, Lugland sank. These it
would always consider as days of hstniliation to 'Theses[
land ; she had better shut hero-ti up and abjure foreien
politics altogether. lint that was not to he done; ne
cunistances, it had beet) recently said, might yet invoke
England in a War in support of the Bourbons ; wok
any British heart endure it?—(" No, no.")—Y es, OW
were---he was convinced that a majority might be le
ie the House of Commons even to sanction such sortre
sure. Ile could not better conclude than to
hope
termination of the misfortunes of the country. It
Mori
were delayed, if the people were disappoilited in the!'
just and reasonable wishes. he would tremble to OW.
plate the alternative. The Hon. Gentleman coacleild
amidst the applause of the Meeting.
forSiltreflor.imit°il.li.LPtairrliToPert,ratednd
Sir IV. MIDDLETON shortly addressed the Meeting'.
tluteouPledticrooo,:.abgeihina.d WO
Thanks were voted to the Sheritf, and tile Meetiloi
broke up.