Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-06-11


I am hound in candot to state, that consider
that those noble Lords who voted tor the second
reading of the bill, intended thereby to establish
the nrinciple of reimbursement, (hear, hear,)
the pr;nciple of Acknowledgement, and that OF the
extension of the right of voting. Lam bound to
,tate that to your Lordships,-I admit 1t fully
and fairly: and in the consideration Of this ques.
ton in the Committee, ahali act uniformly and
constantly upon that assumption. My Lords,
although you have, by deciding upon the second
reading Of the bill, acknowledged the principles
have stated, it is equally clear you have not in
the slightest degree fettered US as to the extent
to which those principles are to be carried.
We come therefore to the consideration OF en-.
reimbursement and disfranchisement. and OF the
important question, with respect to the extension
of elective franchise, entirely free. unfettered,
and untaunted by your decision. (iiear.) But
your Lordships will allow me to state. that alter
all that has passed on this important subject IN
the different debates of Parliament,-atter all
that has passed out Of doors ON the subject
looking to the present state OF the country and
its expec tations with respect to the result OF 'nis
proceeding, | am bound to state, that after the
best consideration have been able to give to
this most important question, and alter consult
ing much with others upon II, am not indisPos-
ed, nor do believe those with whom act on
this occasion will be indisposed, to present 10
your consideration some alterations. which, u
they should be adopted by your Lordsh'Ps' will
ultimately be Of such character as to satisfy,
will not say the Radical Reformers OF the coun-
try. but all the intelligent Rcformers, and with.
ont roine into details at present, think when
thew are stated, they will satisfy the noble Lords
themselves from whom this bill originated. He
concluded by moving to postpone this clause (the
clause to which Earl Gray's motion had refer
rencc) till they had agreed upon the amount OF
enfranchisement.
"A long debate ensued, in which the Lord
Chancellor. Lord Harrowby. Lord Bexiey, the
Earl of Radnor, the Duke of Wellington, Lord
Holland. the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Ellenbo-
rough, lord Wharncliffe, the Earl OF Harewo0d.
Earl Grey and the Earl of Carnarvon, took part.
Lord HOLLAND said, the effect Of the Lords
Iyndhurst) argument was to prevent any DIS
reimbursement; and he had no doubt that the great
err number of those who were for postponlns the
clause, did so because they either thought
they would thereby get rid of disfranchsement,
or MAIN and nutilatc the bill. They had not
certainly avowed that to be their intention, but
that such was the secret Of their heart, and that
they were going right way about It, there could
be no doubt. Hear, hear, hear That was
clearly the effect and tendency OF the present
motion, and although he would acquit NOBLE lords
of endeavoring to defeat the bill BY any under
handed or dirty way, still he declared, that, dirty
or clean. that was the effect of the motion. and
therefore he should give it his most decided op-
position.
The DUKE Of NEWCASTLE said, he had been
of opinion, from the first, that the bill would not
only be defeated, but that his Majesty's Minis.
tiers would consider it useless press it.
Lord ELLENBoRoUeH gave notice that imme'
diately on the carrying Of his learned friends
Lord Lyndhurst) motion, he would move as an
amendment to the next clause, the names OF the
large towns which, in his opinion. ought to be en-
franchlsetl. There was nothing insidious in his
noble and learned friends amendment, tor It
would protect what we now had and what we were
still to get.
Earl GRAY remarked that it had been said this
amendment was of an innocent nature; but IN
his opinion, il ever there was an amendment cal
culated to defeat measure, it was the one now
under consideration, If it was carried, he con.
sidered it must be nearly fatal to the bill. He
was pledged BY his conscientious conviction, no
less than by his word in that House, to the prin-
cples of the bii-the principles OF eniran-
chisement and the extension of the quallilca-
ton In the two first he might allow alterations,
but he could not consent to the diminuton of bo-
roushs in the bill. TO the last, on the qualfica-
ton, he was most deeply pledged, not only by
words, but by his conscience, and IN that he would
not allow any alteration whatever. 1t would be
found, by taking the elO franchise, government
had not taken too low scale; and If It was rais.
ed at all higher, it would be found tina! it would
disfranchise many Of his Majesty's subjects. he
thought it no less due to the House than to the
country, to say so much upon this vital part Of
the bill. Again he repeated, that to that clause
he was pledged, and could not allow the least a.
teration to be made in it. If this amendment
were carried, the difficulties, which were not
few. would be so much increased, that he could
have no hope of carrying the bill to successful
conclusion, and it would, therefore, become his
duty to consider the course which it would be ne
cessary for him then to take.-G Immense cheer
ing. He was afraid noble Lords deceived them
selves very grossly, if they thought the people
were indifferent to the success of the measure.
He was convinced that they we're now, as they
had always been, fully alive to the necessity OF
the bill, or something as extensive. He therefore
would conclude by giving the amendment his
,noe< Jetar,nin ed hnstilitv CCheprinp.