Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-04-08

knife cleaning in the morning sunbeam and wit
the rapidty oflightning leaving the cloud it was bu
ricd IN the heart of the panther"
!
| Parliamentary Reform, IN Engirid-W alluded
few days snccto the loud demand which is al pre-
sent heard throughout Enylnnd, for some radical rs
form IN the present law of suffrage in that country
The following Article from late number of the Lon
don Morning Chronicle may give our readers an idc,
W uHcar--soaousy the British press speaks of IN
effects of the present sysem.--.T Y. Sentinel.
The Reviewer endeavors to show that ncciIcn
alone could give such an ass ,,nbaoe of I'M
becity and dizziness as we have III The House Of Com
mons, because The House of Lords, viii, h contains
only tho share OF stupidity which Mature dist ributc
among given number Of men, is greatly superior tC
the Lower House. and that the difference auninst te
latter can only be accounted for from the mode ~
election having peculiar tendency TO favor tho dis
covery and return of the most worthless men of tho
conmuriity. We were Mortified when we read the
description gwen Of the popular part of our fepis,.
tnre, bearing IN mind, the laws against bringing ei-
Their House of Parliament into contempt and some
late proceedings in the Court of Kings Bench "yye
cannot, says the Reviewer, "reiIam at the outset
from nirnaing as orr firm persuasion. that whue.
yer listens attentlvely To the tone oil lapaua9e nov
heard in the unrcstTaincd intercourse of tho hinler
well as the lower classes ofsociety will be constran
cd 10 admit that the rcSolutious and proceednos nj
the Legislature, and especially oflhe House of Gum
mons, 40 longer command the respect and suhuis
sion with which they were wont TO be regarded Tic
people perceive the change and an evident abatcfnen,
crations Aher this they become so idle and mat
tentive, that they suffer tlo business which come,
before them to pass too much as matter of courses
end this in its turn their PROCEEDINGS to he
treated with careeSsness, aud sometimes with dis
respect In the last stage decay they serve mere
ly as pageant, and dcspsed as only serving 10
register the DEGREES Of the Executive Government.
which they have neither the virtue to modify NOR IN
resist. What and is this true and faithful descrin
ton of the collective wisdom of the nation2 Alas,
alas: and Is 1t come TO this? Is this the tribunal
which aTrogates TO itself little less than oDniscicnce
which sits IN JudgmcntOn, least brings before
IT, the affairs OF every country and people, in every
pnrt OF the word-for which nothing is 100 exalted
nothing too low-which has energies for controlling
the conduct OF the Bramins India slave drivers in
our own sugar colonies, and parish vestries at home
which boasts that its doors ire opened 10 the op-
pressed under every governmentthat il il the prand
tribunal, before which the kings and subjects of every
European nation must equally appear is Ibis the trib
unal which the Quarterly Review descrihes as tho
elite Of the Imbeciles of the natioDs But how is il
TINT the House of Commons is so constituted,
THIS tho Reviewer endeavors also TO account for:
Zone OF the surest ways The oGservesl of making
and Keeping representative independent in his con-
duct, Is to keep him independent in his circuns an
COS. When the heat OF the moment has evaporated
member too often finds himself involved in expcoe
which he could neither foresec calculate and for
which no honor nor credit he may obtain by his sery
ces can prove sufficient compensation There is M
work, therefore. which would better beIt the House
of Commons than seriously TO set about tho reduction
I
fectly intoeTable, and secures monopoly OF tho PEN
Tesentatlon in the hands Of few Of tho wenithiest
families whether they deserve it or not either ftom
their character, conduct, or opinions. In proof of
this il Is said, that at the last general election for
Yorkshire, Mr.. Bethel and his supporters were vii
ling TO have advanced Of 90 or 30 OOOk ON rho
contests but II was found that this enormous fI nd was
utterly inadequate for the purpose atbourh thar
tleman was almost unanimously allowed 10 have bcen
the fttest of all the candidates for representat;on
me present Solicitor General, being reelected
Tor weymouth, told the electors on heinz insnit ed he
the rabbe for not disehargng certain claims byo,o,
before his Committees, with degree Of courage In
h1ey TO his honor that the costs Of the election had
already amounted 70 no less thnn 10000 which ne had
hardly earned by hisaprofessioDal cxcrons That in
justice to HE family he could not Advance more. and
INA. tney PeFsevered IN such system sf cxtortion
10 honest OF independent man either would or could
come forward as candidate for their su(T,aoes1 In
snot the system OF election in this country orevent,
Un Hon o1erng themselves os candidatcs b,,t tboeo
Who'oi al others, nre tho least ft for bnsnosetat
~ iheN OF OIergrovn fortunes The county members
rs - well observed by he reviewer arc cco,s, 10
ho worst. II has indeed long been no,orions H.,
win very fow exceptions tho only mon who nresoy,c
20 INC rouse OF Commons any remnant Of ehorac,eY
Iot ablhty, ore the nominees of BOrouob- ,olders
Ine very idea OF throwing sway fortune In n com
teeu ecctoh either N country or town supposes an
u ~ CO1IioDatlon OF vanity end mbccity. After
VII however, " does not appear go clear 10 IA That
nc House of Lords is so superior IA fbo Tro,,a 80
Oo.hnons IN abilities. The debate I'm The Lords IL
WIN low exceptions, cnprosscd bv fhs men obo|
nave been raised 10 the Peeraee on account ofkno,cn
quaiihcations. The body the Peers arc not 80 ca
se VOC Expose tneiT ignorance aud inbecifty "a the
oody OF the Commons; and this we think ie 70 be nc
counted for from the Peers possessn, ,nc,I, ,L 80
unafy average Of vanity, whereas man must DO
vain enough 80 conceive himself icblv t7fented az
'e 'tfi pbrase y, before he purchases nm onportu.