Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-04-25
HOUSE or COMMONS.
February IL
REFORM IN PARlIAMHNr.

ryRetorm, & went the lenstl of asking for
Universal Suffrage and Annual parIia-
nents- II, therefore, he supposed, would
Facet the opposition of an honorable and
learned gentleman. who bad said, those
who urged such doctrines wished 10 mis-
lead ana dupe the People. When such
asscrtionsas these were made. they called
for some answer and Inc should take this
opportunity of making some observations
upon them. The Noble Lord tiien read
some extracts from Judge Blackstone, III
which 1t vas laid down, that as the sub
Jecis oil the laws, they ought TO have a
voice in making them and that thew
we're konnd to obey the laws, because
they lad 4 voice Ill making them. Now,
III Scotland, there were 27Co electors, and
there was a population of . ,0Oo, 600 OF per-
sons could 1t be cuntended, that Tie
Peopk of Scotland were represented, or
had they voice IN making the laws p
They had not; and, therefore, were not
bound to.obey them-Loud cries of or
der, order Chair, chair y
he Speaker said, the Noble Lord must
be aware such language couldnot be toll
Grated.
Lord Cochrane.-Ifthe House would
but have allowed me to complete my sen
teEce---
The srcaker.-The Noble Lord had
made Ii too complete.
Lord Cochrano.--i should have added.
according TO Dlac!.s;one's theory. The
Noble Lord thrn continued. He agreed
with the People, WHO always thought
cooily, and decided wisely -QHear, heard
lie MAS no. equal to the Learned and EIo-
naurable Gentleman, who had accused
him of misleading aud duping the People,
but he must say, that The Iionourable and
Learned Gentleman, when making The
assertions, should have had some respect
for the opinions heldby himsclfon form
er occasions. The Learned Gentleman
Was ROW Representative of Il rotten Be-
rough, but at the time he held the doc
trines from which he had departed. he
entertained hopes ofbeing the Represent
alive of Westminster. lie alluded t.
what had passed at dinner which took
place atthe London Tavern, i'll June, 1el4
On that occasion, the Hoaouratie and
learned Gentleman de ciired his opinion
fo be, thai suffrage should be as extensive
a. taxation. Ihatsuuh w2s the Honour
able I;cnt.emaus politics. creed at that
tlne. lie could show urder his Own hand
wriiing.-'i will ask him, is ii not his own
hand writing ?'-lSlere the Noble Lord
held u paper TO Mr.. Brougham, and there
we're loi1 cries of Order from all parts of
The House. 1.-The Noble Lord commended,
he did not know whether he was quite re-
gular-(a lnush)-but he would read what
was written The honorable and Learn
ed Gentleman, according 10 the paper,
sad AT that dinner, that suffrage and tax
es shou!G go hand in hand Now, who
nas there tl.at did not pay taxation, even
~ t!ieshocs he wore and the bread he
eatY The Honorable Gentleman also
said, that Parliament always did more
good in the last year of lis sitting than ii
did the other six, and thai il was because
they were conscious they would soon have
To meet their constituents. MIR. Brougli-
am on that occasion also objected TO
toast which was given, namely a full, far
aud free representation. The Honour
able aud Learned Gentleman said, the
words s. of the People" should have been
added-there was already, he sail, full,
far, and 4 free representation, fuil rep
reseniation Of the arstocracy, fair one
of the landed interest, and free one Of
the influence Of the crown; but there was
very little representation of the People.
THESE were the opinions OF the Hon0Gr-
able and Learned Gentleman then. He
hal no wish 10 impute motives TO the tio-
nonrable and Learned Gentleman ; but it
was somewhat singular, that he should
publish this his political creed Just at the
tnle when 1t WAS supposed that he Uord
Cochrane) would be expelled, and that
thert Ivooh; he avacancy for the City of
Westminster. Whatever might have been
t'ic Honorable Gentleman's motives.
the Noble Lord observed, he thought
lie should have been somewhat more
delicate in rejecting on persons and
opinions than he had been. lie called
The People the deceived and duped, and
thosr the deceivers, amongst whom the
most honorable men were ciassed, one
of whom he should always be most happy
TO claim the honour of being acquainted
with-a man who had never been of any
party. He meant Maj. Cartwright.-(
general laugh.)
AIr. Brougham always felt pain in spea-
king of himself; at the same time he tr,.s-
ted The House would grant him its induI-
gencc on the present transformations,
hear Whilst he thanked the Noble
Lord for the frank manner in which lie
had brought forward this most unf0und-
ed charge against him-one more unfoun-
ded, he would he boIdto say, was meyer
brought against public man lie did not
complain of those who had put Tie brief
into the hsuds of the Noble Lord, nordid
he complain ofthe Noble Lord for suffer
ing himself TO be misled by those per-
sons. But he did blame their impatiencS
IN not waiting few days, when they
would have had his full opinion before
them, which at present they had not as
on t'ie night IN which he made The obser-