HC Deb 17 February 1823 vol 8 cc125-7

The Sheriffs of London presented at the bar the petition of the corporation for a Reform of Parliament.

Mr. Alderman Wood

said, that the petition was well deserving of attention. He was sorry not to see any of his majesty's ministers in the House, as he was desirous of hearing what support the petition was to receive from them, and what answer they could make to its statements. The petition complained of their conduct as the cause of much suffering. It set forth, that almost all of which it complained arose from the line of conduct pursued by ministers, and from the want of a proper representative system. It was not too much for him to say, that it emanated from as respectable a set of men as any in England. The members of the corporation amounted to 262; and they had all, with the exception of about 12, agreed to this petition. Many of them had been annually returned for fifty consecutive years; and whatever gentlemen might think of the city parliament, the elections were made in the different wards without riot and confusion. He would not then make all the use he might of this fact, in support of the principle of annual elections; but he would say, that when men were annually re-elected to offices of trust by those to whom they were well known, and among whom they constantly resided, it was as strong a proof as could be given that they were very respectable. Their petition expressed sympathy with the distresses of the agriculturists; but the distress of which the petition complained, was not confined to them: it was also true of all the traders in London; profits were now so much reduced, that it was scarcely possible to bear up against the heavy taxation. The petition referred all the evils of the country to a want of a proper representation in parliament; and it prayed for economy in the public expenditure.

The petition being read,

Mr. Alderman Wood

apologised for again troubling the House; but he now saw some of his majesty's ministers in their places, and should be glad to hear them express their opinions on the petition.

Mr. Secretary Canning

disclaimed any intention of not doing full honour to the worthy alderman and to the city; but he could not conceive any necessity for him to listen to the petition, as he had read it in all the newspapers some months ago.

Mr. Creevey

thought, that one of the most important features in the petition was the statement applying to the population of England. It appeared, that between the year 1700 and the present time, our population had increased from five to twelve millions; and yet, during this increase of the population, the industry, and the wealth of the country, the elective franchise (as regarded the number of persons enjoying it) had been stationary, if not abating. For instance, 1,900 men in the county of Cornwall elected more members among them than were elected by one half the other counties in England; and this while new towns of immense consideration had sprung up, which were kept without any elective franchise at all. If these new towns, with populations of three or four hundred thousands—towns which contributed largely to the income, to the power, to the security of the state—if the inhabitants of these towns were totally shut out from the elective franchise, while 1,900 (he believed he might say) of the most worthless individuals in the country enjoyed an enormous, monopoly of it, surely all this called for something like revision. That part of the petition which complained of the distribution of the elective franchise might have gone on to show the manner in which those privileges had been conferred. It was nonsense to talk of the immunities of these boroughs standing upon rights ancient and immutable—upon grants coeval with the existence of parliaments. This was all fable. In one period of 115 years, from Henry 8th to James 1st, no fewer than 190 members had been added to the House of Commons. Surely there was nothing sacred in privileges so given. In the reign of Elizabeth such great delicacy had not been observed, for a committee of the House had been appointed expressly to inquire, why certain members returned for a borough had been so returned. Why, six or seven boroughs in this very county of Cornwall owed their elective privilege to Edward 6th, who had begun to reign at nine years old, and died at fifteen. Surely the House which he was addressing was as well able to dispose of the elective franchise as Edward 6th could have been. He was decidedly of opinion, that, before the House discussed the question of reform, it ought to have upon the table an account, from the returning officers, of all the boroughs in England, containing the date of each borough's charter, the number of its electors, and the circumstances under which it first received the right of sending members to parliament. A committee appointed for the purpose would have no difficulty in obtaining such a return; and he believed that a noble friend of his would move for it.

Mr. T. Wilson

said, he would be in his place at every discussion of reform, and would give his opinion to the best of his ability.

Lord John Russell

said, he saw so little objection to the proposal of Mr. Creevey, that he would move for the committee in question to-morrow. It gave him infinite satisfaction to see the growing interest which all classes were taking in the question of reform.