House Of Commons
Saturday, Feb. 26, 1831.
[The House of Commons met this day exclusively for the purpose of receiving Petitions on the great question of REFORM.]
MINUTES.] W. F. HANDLEY, Esq. took the Oaths and his Seat.
Petitions presented. For Reform, by Mr. TRAIL, from Stromness and Wick:—By Mr. R. GORDON, from Crick-lade and Dunley:—By Colonel TYRELL, from Bury St. Edmund's:—By Lord STANLEY, from Liverpool:—By Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN, from the Wards of Bread-street and Bishopsgate, and from the parish of St. Andrew's, Holbom:—By Sir J. SEBRIGHT, from Bishop Stortford and Hitchin:—-By Mr. C. DOUGLAS, from Lesmahago, Lanarkshire:—By Mr. PRILLPOTTS, from the City of Gloucester:—By Mr. Alderman THOMPSON, from the London Bankers and Merchants, signed by 32 Bankers, and 700 of the principal Merchants in the City:—By Mr. KENNEDY, from Glasgow, signed by 30,975 inhabitants; from Peebles, Sanqnhar, Beith, and Inveary:—By the LORD ADVOCATE, from Cupar, Langholme, and Dundee: —By Sir R. FERGUSON, from Dundee, Newton Stewart, and Cambuslang: — By Mr. J. WOOD, from Tadeaster, Yorkshire:—By Mr. PENDARVIS, from Truro, signed by 300 persons; from Lostwithiel and Saltash; in the absence of the noble Lord, the member for Cambridge, from Chatteris, in the Isle of Ely, and the other from Whitel-sea:—By Mr. WARBURTON, from Mellsham, Calne, and Shaftesbury: —By Mr. HUME, from the City of Bath, signed by 5,000 inhabitants; from the Isle of Wight, signed by 3,500 inhabitants; from the City of Leicester, signed by between 3,000 and 4,000 persons; from the Town of Brighton, signed by 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants; from the Working Classes of Glasgow; from the populous and important Town of Paisley, signed by 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants; from Aberdeen; from Hastings, Bannockburn, Rye, and the Cinque Port Towns; from the Unrepresented Inhabitants of the Parish of Mary-le-bone, agreed to at a most enthusiastic Public Meeting; from the Hamlet of Mile-end; Dunshort, in Fifeshire; Hinckley, in the County of Leicester; Stepney; from the Cabinet-makers and Joiners of Manchester; from the Freeholders and Burgesses of Monmouth; from Kindike, Scotland; from Kirkfield Bank, County Lanark; from Lismahago; from Kilbarchan, Renfrew; from the forty-nine Trades of Leith; from the Incorporation of Weavers in Selkirk; from Frome; from the Inhabitants of the County of Caithness; from Ainsworth, Warblington, and Bolton-le-Moors, Plympton Erle, East Wemys, Asworth, Washing- ton, Burtley, and from Villages in the County of Durham; also from William Morland, who prayed that no one should be entitled to Vote but heads of families:— By Mr. LEGH KECK, from Long Whatton and Sileby, in the County of Leicester:—By Lord G. BERESFORD, from the County of Waterford:—By Sir F. BORDETT, from Calne and Ramsbury:—By Lord EBRINGTON, from Devonport, signed by 5,000 persons; Dartmouth, Huntingdon, and Stockton-on-Tees:—By Lord MORPETH, from Leeds, bearing the signatures of 17,000 individuals; from the Political Union of Sheffield; from the contiguous Parishes of Aldborough and Boroughbridge; and from Mars-gate, Sandford, Hepenstall, Hickerton, Westbury, and Wells: By Sir G. ROBINSON, from Northampton:—By Mr. WERB, front the City of Gloucester:—By Mr. SAND-FORD, from Yeovil:—By Sir W. INGILBY, from Knares-borough, Holbeach, from the City of Lincoln, and from the County of Lincoln:- By Mr. O'CONNELL, from the Town of Carlow, in Ireland; from Carnew; from Chippenham; from the Parish of St. David, in the City of Oxford; and from the Freemen of the City of Oxford:— By Mr. J. CAMPBELL, FROM Bothwell:— By Mr. C. DUN-DAS, from Richmond, in Yorkshire:—By Sir J. BOURKE, from Galway; and from the County of the Town of Gal-way:— By Mr. CHAS. CALVERT, from the Parish of St. John, Surrey:—By Mr. TUDOR, from Barnstapie:—By Lord GRIMSTONE, from the same place:—By Mr. BROWN-LOW, from Belfast, Lurgan, Navan, and Armagh:—By Sir J. GRAHAM, eight, from places in Scotland, and a Petition from Cockermouth:—By Mr. E. ELLICE, from an individual at Portsea:—By Mr. BOUVERIE:, from New Sarum:—By Mr. EWART, from Liverpool:—By Mr. S. LUMLRY, from Mansfield and Hucknall Torkard:—By Mr. RUSELL, from Chester-le-street, and various other places in the County of Durham:—By Sir H. PRICE, from Ross, and other places of Hereford. The Petitioners of Ross prayed that that ancient Borough might be restored to the privilege of returning Members: — By Sir T. ACLAND, from Townstall, Devonshire:—By Mr. HODGES, from Rochester, and other places in Kent:—By Mr. DENISON, from St. Mary's, Newington, Lambeth, and other places in Surrey:—By the Marquis of TAVISTOCK, from Luton.
Parliamentary Reform
presented about a hundred Petitions for Parliamentary Reform, many of them also praying for Vote by Ballot. His Lordship, in presenting them, said, he had long-been persuaded that without Parliamentary Reform there would be no security for any Government in this country. He had entertained that opinion so decidedly, that he took office on the express condition, that Parliamentary Reform should be the earliest possible measure of the Government. Without it, he believed, there was no safety for the people, and no stability for the Government. As. however, the measure prepared by the Ministers was to be introduced on so early a day, he would not trespass further, his object not being to make remarks that might provoke discussion now. His Lordship then presented Petitions from Manchester, signed by 12,245 petitioners, praying for Short Parliaments and Vote by Ballot; a similar Petition, from Bristol, signed by about an equal number; from Penrhyn, praying also for the preservation of purity of election there; from the county of Montgomery, the county of Monmouth, the inhabitants of Salford, from Crompton, Ludlow, Lymington, Titchfield, Wellingborough, Christ-church, Wigan, St. Luke's, Middlesex; Towcester, the county of Dumbarton, the town of Hamilton, the town of Cardross, the borough of Renfrew; from Carrickfergus, Ballymena, Galway, Chipping Wycombe, Kettering, Hastings, Woolwich, Cheltenham, Brighton; and other places. Colonel Baillie observed, that the petition from Bristol was most respectably and numerously signed; and the only reason why it was not intrusted to him was, because he would not pledge himself to the Vote by Ballot. He was a friend to Reform; but he wished to keep himself free to examine any measure which might be submitted to Parliament.
had been written to, that he might support the prayer of several of these petitions. At most of the places, particularly at Manchester and Brighton, the people were unanimous in demanding the Ballot; and so strong was the feeling in favour of it, that no other reason could be assigned why the people of Bristol would not place their petition in the hands of their popular Member, than that he would not pledge himself to this favorite measure.
alluding to some expressions formerly used by members of the Ministry, implying that, if they should be unsuccessful in the measure of Reform which they meant to propose, they would dissolve the present Parliament, observed, that such a threat he very much disapproved of, and thought, that, under the present circumstances of this country, and in the present aspect of foreign affairs, no Administration ought to dare to dissolve the Parliament.
speaking as the independent Representative of a Scotch County, which had thrown off the yoke of the Government and the peerage, was quite prepared to meet his constituents, if the Ministers should find it necessary to dissolve Parliament.
said, that not being connected with the Ministry, he could not be aware of the nature of the propositions which they intended to bring forward; but this he would say, that if that House should decide the important question which was approaching in a different way from that which he believed to be the almost unanimous sense of the country, it would then be the duty of the Administration to dis- solve the Parliament, whatever might be the consequences.
supported the prayers of the petitions from Manchester, Salford, and other places. He knew that the family of Lord Balcarras possessed the nomination of Wigan, while the people had no choice in their Representatives. That family had said, that they would keep the present Member in till a certain noble Lord came of age, and that then he should take his seat for that borough in Parliament. Was that a satisfactory state of the national representation?
said, that the feeling in favour of Reform had made very great progress in Lancashire. He, however, did not approve of Ballot, and he was not satisfied that his constituents were in favour of it. He knew that it would open a door to hypocrisy, and teach men to smile in your face, while they were preparing to stab you whenever you turned your back.
stated, that the feeling in favour of Reform had become very general in Dorsetshire; and he was prepared to give the Ministers his support, if they brought forward a full and efficient plan of Reform.
concurred in the views of his noble colleague (Lord Stanley).
Petitions read.
Bristol Petition Against Reform
presented a Petition from Bristol, against what the petitioners feared were the projected measures of Reform. He concurred with the petitioners, and he could not but express his deep regret, that at such a time, the Ministers should have determined on agitating the country with measures of Parliamentary Reform. He feared that the result would be any thing but beneficial. He could not but think, that the Reform sought out of doors meant neither more nor less than revolution.
strongly condemned the language of the hon. Member. He had no right to call the reformers revolutionists. He knew the history of the petition well. It was not the petition of the merchants, bankers, &c. of Bristol; it was neither more nor less than "a hole and corner" petition. Having been got up thus clandestinely in Bristol, it was sent to the several parish authorities within fourteen miles of Bristol, and thus were obtained signatures. Many of them he described as being only those of mere paupers—of persons who could not resist what they were commanded to do.
defended the respectability of the petitioners.
said, there were about 5,000 signatures to it, and there were not above 700 signatures obtained out of Bristol. It did not warrant the description given of it by the hon. member for Preston. The persons were most respectable.
Petition to be printed.
Petition From Edinburgh
said, he held in his hand the Petition from Edinburgh, agreed to at a public meeting in that metropolis, in favour of Reform, containing 21,700 signatures, and he felt no common honour in having it intrusted to his care. The population of that city was 160,000, and when it was considered that the representation was virtually vested in three individuals, he apprehended the House would agree with the petitioners, that a Reform in Parliament was necessary. He felt the utmost confidence in the present Administration, and trusted, that the great measure about to be submitted would prove satisfactory to the country. On the present occasion he abstained from entering upon that question, and, as many hon. Members had petitions to present, he would not detain the House.
bore his testimony to the high character of the requisitionists convening: the meeting at Edinburgh, among whom were the Lord Advocate and his Deputy. Notwithstanding the respectability of the requisitionists, he should be wanting in his public duty, if he did not declare, that improper methods had been employed to obtain signatures to the petitions.
remarked, that there was a misapprehension in the hon. Member's mind, as to the circumstances under which the petition from Edinburgh was signed by him, and the Solicitor General for Scotland. The fact was, that the requisition for the meeting was made before he had the honour of holding the office in which he was now placed, nor was the present Solicitor General for Scotland in his office either; but these circumstances did not alter his views with respect to the petition, which was signed by nearly the whole of that portion of the inhabitants of Edinburgh who were considered as the leading persons in society there.
Petition to be printed.
Petition's From Westminster
in presenting Petitions from the parish of St. Ann, Westminster; from several Benefit. Societies; from a parish in Wilts; and from a parish in the county of Galway, in favour of Parliamentary Reform, took occasion to observe, that the great mass of the people were now unanimously in favour of Reform. From the knowledge he had of the feelings of his constituents, he had no doubt that nothing would satisfy them but a Reform, comprehending Vote by Ballot, short Parliaments, and an extension of suffrage, at least to the extent of the number of persons contributing to direct taxation. The people were no longer to be tricked by any measures of delusive Reform. No man had stood up during the course of the day, and stated that he would oppose Parliamentary Reform. This was a new feature in the present discussion, and one which he was happy to observe. The public had a very proper degree of confidence in his Majesty's Ministers; and he hoped they would not be disappointed in the measure which was to be brought forward on Tuesday next.
in presenting twenty-four Petitions, praying for Reform, and Vote by Ballot, from Worcester, Ashton-under Line, Blackburn, Langfield, Kingsbury, Bolton, Manchester, Laleham, Undershaw, Petersfield, Paisley, from the Rotunda, Blackfriars'-road, from Gisborough, Forfar, Newark, and other places, strongly supported the prayer of these petitions, and took occasion to remark on the careless manner in which petitions were presented to that House. If the people of Birmingham had only seen how their petition was dealt with, and that it had occupied the attention of the House not even for two minutes, he felt certain that they would not trouble themselves to petition any more. He trusted that the Reform, to be brought forward on Tuesday next, would be full and effectual, or else it would not satisfy the people; for he could tell the Ministry, that the young men of Bolton, and the same decision was fast spreading throughout Lancashire, had determined to rot in gaol, before they would serve in the Militia, unless they were to have a share in the representation of the country.