The Lord Chancellorsaid, I beg, my Lords, to present to your Lordships a petition from the Magistrates and Inhabitants of the town of Peterhead, in Scotland, in favour of the Reform Bill. In doing so, I am anxious to avail myself of the opportunity which I was prevented, through a mere accident, of taking advantage of last night, to say a few words on this subject. I take this opportunity to declare, that I consider it my duty to state in the face of your Lordships, and of the country—a duty which devolves upon me, not merely as filling the situation which I do in your Lordships' House—not merely as being at the head of the magistracy of the kingdom—but a duty which devolves upon me as one of, I will venture to say, the most constant and sincere friends of the great measure of Parliamentary Reform—I repeat, my Lords, that I feel it my duty thus publicly to state, that the wit of man could not possibly devise any course of proceeding more calculated, beyond all others, to put in jeopardy the passing of that great measure, than proceedings of violence or outrage against the persons or properties of individuals. Whether such individuals differed from the public opinion or not, with regard to Reform, signified not one straw. A breach of the King's peace, whether committed against the person of any noble Peer, against the person of any Member of that or of the 590 other House of Parliament, or against any individual whatsoever—any such violation of the public peace, under the present excitement that exists with regard to this great measure, should be universally considered and set down as the worst species of enmity that could possibly be employed for the purpose of preventing the success of Parliamentary Reform. The people, who are jealously, anxiously, and devotedly desirous of the passing of that great measure, should not permit themselves, on account of any temporary disappointment in that respect, to be betrayed into proceedings which could alone be expected from the bitterest foes to the success of that momentous measure which they had so much at heart—they should not allow any temporary defeat which their hopes and wishes may have experienced, to drive them into a course of proceedings inconsistent with the public tranquillity, and destructive of the peace of society. I call upon them as their friend, and as the friend of Reform, not to give way to any such unfounded disappointment. I tell them that Reform is only delayed for a short period; I tell them that the Bill will pass—that the Bill must pass—that a Bill founded on exactly similar principles, and equally extensive and efficient as the Bill which has been just thrown out, shall, in a very short period, become part and parcel of the law of the land. Let not the people, I repeat, indulge in any degree of disappointment, for they may rely upon it, that through the exertions of their friends in the Ministry and their friends in Parliament, such a measure shall ere long be passed. But if the King's peace shall be broken, and if the friends of Reform will not also show themselves to be the friends of public order, the success of that measure which they all so much desire may not be attained. I now give the people this advice—I give it to them not so much as that of the head of the magistracy in this kingdom, but I give it to them as the friendly advice, the sincere and honest admonition of a zealous and ardent advocate and supporter of efficient and rational Reform—I tell them that riot, violence, or outrage, cannot promote but may defeat the success of such Reform—that it is not by such means, or by the adoption of such proceedings, that his Majesty's Ministers or their friends in both Houses of Parliament would ever desire to see the triumph of that cause secured—a 591 triumph which, if good order and tranquillity be maintained, must follow almost immediately, and that the only way by which the people can possibly frustrate that measure consists in breaking the King's peace.
§ Lord Wharncliffe rose to express the great satisfaction he derived from hearing the sentiments of the noble Lord on the Woolsack. Assuredly, if any thing could tend to impede the advancement of Reform, it would be attacks on person or property. He hoped that the people of England would understand this. For his own part, he had opposed the Reform Bill, and how he should act with respect to any other measure must depend upon the circumstances that might come before that House. But while he made this declaration, he would again state emphatically, as he had stated last Session, that he was convinced the time had arrived when the question of a Reform in the Commons' House of Parliament must be taken into serious consideration, with a view to amend and improve the whole system of Representation. As to the precise measure of Reform, there might be a difference of opinion: but the measure which seemed best calculated to insure the safety and prosperity of the country should have his hearty concurrence.