Mr. Alderman Waithmanpresented a Petition from the parish of St. Bride, in favour of the Reform Bill, and which also prayed that the House would withhold Supplies until that Bill was passed into a law. He took advantage of that opportunity to allude to a matter which had occurred last Sunday at St. Bride's Church. A charity sermon was to be preached there by the Bishop of Litchfield, and he was sorry to say, that he understood a great deal of disorder and much improper behaviour had occurred. As that had been imputed to the cause of Reform, he begged to say, that the imputation, so far as the parishioners (who were all Reformers) were concerned, was utterly without foundation. None of the parishioners had any share whatever in it. A great part of the rioters were boys, and a person who had been taken into custody was not only not an inhabitant of the parish, but he was not an inhabitant of the ty.
Mr. Lyttletonexpressed the greatest satisfaction at the statement just made by the hon. Alderman, in vindication of his constituents from the charge of having 985 made this shameful attack on the Bishop of Litchfield. He (Mr. Lyttleton) lived in the diocese of that right rev. Prelate, and he could positively assert, that no man was more distinguished for charity, liberality, and munificence, than was the Bishop of Litchfield, who was also a model of unaffected piety. There was not an individual in the House of Lords of the right rev. Prelate's Order, who was less disposed to be guilty of political intrigue, or who valued his seat in that House less than he did for the political power it conferred. He did not believe there was a better man on the face of the earth.
Mr. Humewas anxious to state his opinion, that the course taken by the Journals, and by some persons out of doors, on this subject was extremely improper. If the persons who committed this outrage were Reformers, they had disgraced themselves, and those who wished to see the institutions of the country renovated ought not to countenance the manner in which the Bishop had been treated. At the same time he was bound to say, that some allowance ought to be made for those who possessed feelings as warm as his own on the subject of Reform, and who had not the same means that he had of expressing those feelings. He hoped that what had now been said would prevent the recurrence of such scenes in future.
§ Sir Edward Sugdenthought, that when the hon. member for Middlesex was speaking on the subject he ought to have gone a little further, and to have advised, not only people to abstain from such outrages, but Gentlemen from using that inflammatory language which led to these outrages. If Gentlemen would point out the means by which the spirit of the law could be violated while its letter was adhered to, of course the people would follow those means, and the fault was, if possible, greater in the one than in the other.
§ Mr. Harveysaid, it might be consistent with the principles and wishes of the hon. and learned Gentleman to express a hope that Gentlemen would abstain from expressing their opinions, but he also ought to go further than he had done, and call on certain other people to abstain from acting in a manner calculated to inflame the temper of the people. A great deal was required before their temper became inflamed, for this contest showed the good temper they possessed, and he had no hesitation in asserting, that but for the acts to which he had alluded, whatever might be the lan- 986 guage of demagogues, however they might desire and attempt to stir up the people, they would desire and attempt in vain. It was because the people had had so much real ground for anger, that any of them had been led, in a hasty moment, to trespass over the peaceful threshold of propriety. But, while he agreed with all that hon. Members had said in expressing their hopes that such conduct should never be repeated, he must be allowed to say, that he trusted this example of what people might be driven to would not be without its effects. If the right rev. Prelate merited, as there could be no doubt he did, the very high eulogium so warmly passed on him by the hon. member for Staffordshire, it was clear that what he had done to excite the ill-will of the people must be owing, not to himself, but to his political situation. The remedy for that was, to deprive the Spiritual Peers of their political power, and to put them into that situation in which, instead of being likely to draw down on themselves popular dislike, they would be able to afford in their conduct the example of what they preached, and to exhibit to the world no other picture but that of the spotless tendency of their lives.
§ Mr. George Bankesthought that all the observations of the hon. member for Colchester proceeded upon the mistaken assumption, that the congregation had risen against their pastor. Now, that supposition was at utter variance with the statement of the hon. Alderman. He did not think that many persons would be found to agree with the hon. Member, that the House of Peers should be diminished in the manner he proposed. He should take that opportunity of making a remark upon another subject—he was sorry that the hon. member for Middlesex, in postponing his motion for a Call of the House, should have said that he would not postpone it after to-morrow, unless that House had some information that Earl Grey was recalled to the Government. The hon. Member ought to have abstained from making such remarks, whatever might be his private feelings on the occasion.
§ Mr. Gillonwas as anxious as any man for the purgation of the House of Lords, but he must say, that they disgraced the name of Reformers who had made the Church the scene of their insults to one of its dignified members.
Mr. Alderman Hughestook the opportunity which the presenting of this petition afforded him, to notice a report that had 987 appeared in the papers, and that must have been furnished by some hon. Member, as the discussion took place before the doors were opened to strangers. The report he alluded to was, that on that part of the London Petition which related to the stopping of the Supplies, he had said he should vote against it. He had never said any such thing. What he had said was, that he feared a Resolution worded so generally as that which had been recommended, might bind them to refuse Supplies to any Government, and that in that manner, they might have pledged themselves to withhold Supplies from the Government that had brought in the Reform Bill.
Colonel Daviescoincided with the prayer of the petition that had just been presented. He could assure those who had thought him lukewarm in the cause of Reform, that they were utterly mistaken; for the hesitation he had felt as to some parts of the Bill proceeded from a fear, that some of the details would not carry into effect the principles of it. If the Duke of Wellington had formed a Government hostile to the Bill, he for one should have been ready to withhold Supplies from that Government till a full and efficient measure of Reform had received the Royal Assent. He had been misunderstood the other day, when he was supposed to have said that he felt strong objections to the creation of Peers in order to carry that measure. To effect such an object, he should have been ready to assent to the creation of 100 Peers, had such a creation been necessary.
§ Petition laid on the Table, and to be printed.
Mr. Alderman Waithmanthen presented a Petition from the town of Liverpool, which he had been honoured with through one of its Members, and which prayed, that whatever new Government might be formed, the House would refuse Supplies, not only till the Government had given a pledge to bring in a measure of Reform as extensive in every respect as that of Earl Grey's, but till that pledge had been fully redeemed.
Mr. Ewartexpressed his obligations to the hon. Alderman for having presented this petition, and then declared his cordial concurrence with it. He begged to inform the House that it had been agreed to at the largest Reform Meeting ever held at Liverpool. The demand for Reform was not recent in that town. The first time he had stood a candidate there, he had been called on to pledge himself to advocate an 988 extensive measure of Reform. The inhabitants of Liverpool never thought the franchise of their own town sufficiently extensive, and he expressed his opinion that, with a properly extended franchise, there would be a constituency of between 18,000 and 20,000 respectable voters.
Mr. Humesaid, that every one was desirous that the agitation into which the country had been thrown should cease as speedily as possible, and, under that feeling he had stated, that if, when they met this day, he found such circumstances to exist as would ensure the success of the Reform Bill, he should not say one word that could possibly add to the already existing agitation. He had in his possession fourteen petitions, that had been agreed to at different meetings held within three hours after the news of the proceedings unfavourable to Reform had reached them. He should, with the view he had mentioned, withhold these petitions this day, and, the more especially as a report was abroad that Earl Grey had seen his Majesty. If that was true, he had some hope that a conciliation would take place, and he, therefore, suggested to hon. Members who, like himself, had petitions in favour of Reform, and for withholding Supplies, not to present them at present, in order not to increase the agitation which he believed it would be found had already produced its effect.
§ Sir Edward Sugdendid not know whether the hon. member for Middlesex was to be considered the organ of the Government ["No," from Mr. Hume] which was now about to resume its place; but it was impossible to avoid remarking the tone of moderation which the hon. Member now assumed. When he thought he had every thing his own way, he could condescend to be amiable and kind; he would not embarrass the Government—he would not have his Majesty's name lightly treated—but when the question seemed likely to be decided the other way, how changed was his language. He was not one of those who found fault with the strong expression of strong feeling, and, therefore, he did not quarrel with it when employed by those who desired to support his Majesty's present Government; but he must say, that in the debates that had recently taken place, there had been a violence of deportment among some of the Members of that House, and some, too, of those who had filled seats in his Majesty's councils, which he thought did not become such persons. While they 989 still enjoyed a share of his Majesty's favour, whilst his Majesty continued to be guided by Whig advisers, he was spoken of with every possible tenderness and respect, and they were his very loyal subjects; but he lost all their favour if he withdrew his countenance from them for a moment.
Mr. Humeshould be sorry, on this occasion, to introduce anything with which his Majesty's name was connected. In what he had observed he only meant to say, that if there was an alteration in the Ministry, he was most anxious to calm that agitation which all knew to exist, and which the hon. and learned Gentleman seemed so much to desire should continue.
Mr. Baringrose to state, which he intended to have done at an earlier period, that the communications with the Duke of Wellington for the formation of a new Administration were entirely at an end. After having made that statement, he had no other observations to offer, but to express his ardent and sincere hope, that the state of things, to the administration of which the Government were about to return, would terminate in some arrangement for the benefit and for the peace of the country. Whether it was or not desirable for the Members to forbear further discussions till his Majesty's Government were prepared to make their communications to that House, he would not undertake to determine, nor would he say whether the recent nature of what had passed would enable them to do so at once; but he was sure the House would see how much any arrangements would be impeded by the continuance of those warm discussions. He wished to take that opportunity of correcting a misapprehension which an hon. Gentleman had last night fallen into, when he said that it was understood the Duke of Wellington had accepted office. He had not done so. Matters had not come to that point. He had only entered into communication with his Majesty as to certain measures that might be necessary under the peculiar circumstances of the moment.
§ Lord Althorpsaid, Sir, had not the hon. Gentleman anticipated me, it was my intention, as soon as I had taken my seat, to rise for the purpose of informing the House, that Earl Grey has received a communication from his Majesty this day, and, therefore, I intend to suggest to the House the propriety of adjourning over to-morrow, and I shall presently take an opportunity of moving that this House at its rising do adjourn over to-morrow. I entirely concur 990 with what the hon. Gentleman has stated that it will be most desirable, under the present circumstances of the country, that hon. Gentlemen should abstain from continuing discussions, which, if they have any effect at all, will not have that of allaying the feelings of excitement that now exist.
Lord Porchesterwished to be allowed to say, that what a noble relative of his had said in the other House of Parliament had been misapprehended. He had the authority of his noble relative for stating, that his noble relative had never said that a Government had been formed—the words he had used were, that the Government was in the act of formation.
§ Petition to be printed.