Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-05-06

ed, Chear, hear. Look at the question OF Reform
look at the Parliamentary debates, aud they would
see that whenever the question of reform was fire.
quently agitaed, come dire misfortune lurked be-
hind 1t was brought forward with great pomp of
circumstance III the year of the rebellion of 1745 it
was brough, prominently forward during the Ameri-
can war; 1t was brought forward at the commence
ment OF the French war; and. to come to
times, it brought prominently forward in the
years 1917, 1919, and 1822-in word, at every
period, when there was either great commercial or
great agricultural distress in the country. Then
was reform brought conspicuously forward--then
was certain to find favor the of the people
[hear.l It was brought forward, too. at periods
when the excitement of foreign revolutions misled
the judgment Of the British public and, deludiDg
them with false love or liberty, rendered them dis
contentcd with the moderate freedom which they
enjoyed Ihear hear ] Mr. Pitt was its advocate and
champion in 1880, when the establishment of Amer
lean Independence, after successful struggle with
this country, had deuded the enthusiastic lovers of
freedom in this country with notions of liberty which
it was difficult 10 comprehend From the year 1893
to the year 1890, the question of reform slept in le
thargy like that of the grave; but in the latter year
the appalling events OF the French revolution again
recalled 1t into life and inspired it with new powers
of existence. Nor it surprising that the cause
of reform acquired energy from that revolution,
which Mr. Fox had designated in his place in that
House the most stupendous fabric of liberty
which the ingenuity OF had ever raised. In
the year 1870, Mr. Flood brought forward motion
on the subject of reform, and in the course of his
of his arguments was thus eXpressed:-"If France
improves her Government, you must restore yours.
Again, W hat Is your situation external danger?
France the great object of external danger to Eng
land, can no longer give alarm; during her distur-
Dances she cannot have the power; and after her lib
erty is established, she will not have the inclination
| to make ambitious war. The better her Govern
ment is, the more rational will be her counseIs; the
more rational her counses, the more pacific they
will be Kings may hope for glory, and their minis
tiers and minions may hope for plumber Gcm warfare;
but what can the people expect from ambi,
tous war? Nothing but on accumulation OF
taxes and effusion of blood" Again in
the year 1921, when the question of reform was
| brought forward by the Honorable Member for
the county of Durham, now Lord Durham, he also
appealed to the events which had just before taken
| place upon the continent. and hailed them as the
suspicious dawn of liberty upon this country. His
language was as follows: Where its power and
justice are acknow lodged in SPAN the prospect is
most cheering We see dIsaffection nstantaueously
neutrality-suspicious. eradicat ed--and the mona oh
and the people united under constitution, which
alike secures the privileges of the one, and the ber
ties of the other. May not then consistently hail
the rising of this star, in what was once the most
gloomy portion of the European horizon, as a light
to show us the way through all our dangers and
dIhcultles-as a splendid memorial of the all
conquerIng power of public oPinion" Was that star
OF liberty, he would ask, which then appeared in
Spain, steady light to show the people of Engl
the way to an improved state OF freedom, or was IL
the periodical return of eccentric comet, which
sheds disastrous light and perplexes nations with
of change? (hear.) Again, with the events of the
French revolution fresh in the recollection of the
country he had hesitation in saying that the same
! experiment was again in agitation, and the country
was again expecting that could improve its own lib
erty from the example of what had recently passed
IN France. "Oh let wait Continued the right
hon. gent!eman) until of the results OF
that experiment. for proper that we should pause
before we make it in our happy country (hear).
Before we venture upon it, let us feel assured that
the liberty which now exists in France. if it be the
offspring OF just revolution, is that liberty which
justice and virtue as its companions and peace
and prosperity as its attendants thear, hear) see
at present reasons for expecting see such CON
sequences emanating from the late revolution il
France, and deprecate above all things making the
revolution IN France precedent for revolution ir
this country. Let therefore remain content with
the we'll tempered freedom which enjoy, and
Vhch we nave the means of securing If we act with
ordinary discretion. lament exceedingly that Gov
ernment should have determined to agitate such a
question as that of reform at this particular crisis
would have been wiser, in my opinion to have avoi-
ded these new causes Of excitement, for depend
upon that by this process throughout this land the
hrst seeds of discomfort and disunon sown. Loud
cheers from the Opposton.l In every town there
will be conhict-a moral conflict, mean-between
the ossessors of existing authority and existing pri
VIieges and those to whom the existing authority and
the existing privileges to be transferred. OH sir
lament, beyond measure, that Government had not
the prudence to adhere to that temperate course OF
policy which they have pursued elsewhere, lament
that, it they did think it necessary to propose nIan
|
they did not confne it within these narrow limits
which are consistent with the safety of the country
and the dignity of their own characters (Hea, hear.)
They have thought proper, however, to adopt ano-
course they have sent through the land the fire.
band OF observation-disclosures from the opposition)-a
1t rs easy SO far to initiate the giant enemy of the
PhisneS as to send three hundred frebands through
the country carrying danger and dsmay in all quar-
ers but Is not easy when the mischief is DONE to
ind aremedy for it. In the present difficulties of
your situation, you should have the powers of sum
nohng all the energies of life. and should take care
that you do not sgnaze youP own destruction by
bowling down the pillars fthe edifice of your liberty
which with all its mperfecton still contains the no,
oiaSt society of freemen known TO the habitable
world" IGreat cheerng)
From The Boston Courier
.. communicated
10 CABINET MAKERS! Wanted Washington deliverab
wit % ~ ''i''''Ni' w
BeTeGu complete, well mounted with brnsS-the drawers
aue 10 de both ways, with springs we'll concealed
so hed that there will be danger Of spng contents
foueDf