§ The Earl of Hardwickepresented a Petition from Cambridge, in favour of Parliamentary Reform. He took the opportunity to state, that he approved of that part of the Reform plan of Ministers, which went to give additional Representatives to counties; and he hoped there were other parts of it which he might be able to approve.
§ Earl Greystated, that he held in his hand a Petition from Birmingham, in favour of the measure of Reform proprosed by Ministers. It was agreed to at a Meeting, where 15,000 persons attended; and he might mention, that although there was no place where the Ballot was more eagerly contended for than Birmingham, yet the measure in question had united the suffrages of all, and quieted all divisions among the people.
Lord Calthorpepresented a Petition from the Magistrates, Clergy, Merchants, and Manufacturers of Birmingham, in favour of Reform generally. The petition was put into his hands before the 327 measure proposed by Ministers was introduced, and he believed that some of them, although they were favourable to some Reform, were not prepared to go to the extent of the Ministerial measure, but he was bound to state, that the mass of the petitioners were decidedly favourable to the plan. As for himself, he was not prepared to accede to so extensive a change. It was the most extensive change that had taken place since the Revolution of 1688, and he thought it was too much to pass such a sweeping measure in the course of a single Session. He thought that more time ought to be allowed for consideration, and he did not think that any alteration could reconcile the plan to his mind, while its present principles were retained.