ballot-boxes; that is all; and no ar- the case here was very different; that gument is here, whatever, against either here men would stand in need of its the principle or the practice of the protection; and that, therefore it ought ballot. If this were to form the ground to be adopted. Its great good in Ameof an objection to the ballot; what rica is the securing of the peace of elecobjections could not be mustered uptions; for though no man disguises the against the Reform Bill? At STAFFORD, | fact as to how he shall vote, no other for instance, the polling-books were man can be actually sure of what he will either lost or destroyed, and nobody do, and, by the means of the ballot, the appears to think themselves responsible polling takes place without the asking of for it. This is what I was told in Staf- a single word of the voter. Fifty men are fordshire; and that, from this cause, polled in so many half minutes, and no return at all could be made for the away they go to their business, without town of STAFFORD; but, are we, for losing more time than is required to this cause, to repeal the Reform Bill? walk or ride to the place and back again. This argument, drawn from the singular This writer says that there is canvassing row at NEW YORK, has no weight in it; in America; and that the country is a and it only shows to what straights furnace previous to the election. Now, those are driven who oppose themselves it is true enough that the country is a to this mode of voting, so strongly re-"furnace," in some cases, previous to commended by a desire to preserve elections. But the canvass is by harmony at elections, and to leave men writings, by publishings, by speechwith their consciences free in the per-makings, just like my canvass at MANformance of this greatest and most sacred of duties in society.

66

CHESTER and at OLDHAM; I defy this writer to produce an instance, or to bring With regard to the use of the ballot any credible person to say that he ever in America, it is said, that there it is saw an instance of a candidate making no protection at all to the voter; that a personal canvass. I never saw, and I "it is a matter of notoriety how every never heard of (and I was ten years and man professes to vote; that there a half in the country) a general personal are the forms, indeed, under which canvass being made by any persons, "concealment might be practised; that even in behalf of the candidates; and "of course, that were one citizen in very seldom indeed was it seen, that "another's gripe as here, there would any candidate canvassed, even by "(without a great previous change of writing or by speech; the whole of this usage) be no protection in the Ame-business being carried on by the parti"rican ballot, because there is no real sans of the several candidates. But, secrecy." This I take from the Times then, look at the prodigious difference newspaper, of this day, 27. December. in the situation of the electors. The The writer adds, that there is plenty of suffrage is nearly universal; think, then, canvassing in America, and that the of the numbers. Then think of the cirwhole country is "a furnace previous cumstance, that the difficulty is not to to the elections." Now, in my plan of get employment, but for the employer parliamentary reform, published in the to get hands. The shopkeeper never Register of the 30. October, 1830, thinks about who shall be, or who shall (which plan I verily believe will be not be, his customers; and how many adopted at last,) I used the words which hundred times have I seen shopkeepers I have taken as a motto to this paper. in PHILADELPHIA shut up their shops In another Register, published soon for a day or two, to go into the counafterwards, I explained this affair of the try on a party of pleasure, and stick up American ballot. I then said, that in a paper on their door to say when they America there was no need of it as a should be back! And, as to the land, protection. I said then precisely what what do we want more than this one this writer says now, with regard to its fact, which is as notorious as the sun at effects in America; only I added, that noon-day, that there is scarcely such a

people? What Lord GREY will do in this case, I know not; but this I know, that by his conduct as to this matter, he will decide his own fate as the chief servant of the King.

man in the whole country as a mere of the first day of polling at MANCHESrenter of land. The ballot never was TER; even all these circumstances invented in America for the purpose of combined, could not, though with the preventing corruption and coercion it addition of great expectancy with rewas established for the purpose of se-gard to public plunder; all these put curing the peace and celerity of elec- together could not have obtained him a tions: here it is wanted for that purpose, majority over Mr. LOYD or Mr. HOPE, and for the further purpose of protect- had not his partisans pledged him to ing conscientious men ; and for this lat- the BALLOT. Does Lord GREY know ter purpose it will be wanted, and must these things? If he do, will he still be had, until, at least, the suffrage shall suffer Mr. STANLEY to be regarded as become as extensive as in America. his organ? Is he prepared to stand by Besides all this, does Lord GREY know Mr. STANLEY's manifesto? Is he prehow large a part of those members, on pared to give it his sanction, either exwhom he relies for support, have pressly or tacitly? Or, is he prepared pledged themselves to the introduction to turn out of his office this audacious and establishment of the BALLOT? Does dictator to the representatives of the he know that the four members for the county of Surrey, the two members for West Kent, and a vast proportion of the county-members, who are called Whigs, have, without any hesitation or doubt, made declarations in favour of the With regard to the other point; BALLOT? Does my Lord GREY know namely, the repeal of the Septennial Bill, that the ToWER HAMLETS chose Dr. the declaration of Mr. STANLEY is cerLUSHINGTON, with a banner waving tainly one of the most impudent that over his head, having on it, "LUSH-ever was made by mortal man. I have INGTON and the BALLOT "? Does he many times expressed my wish that know that the members for LAMBETH my Lord GREY might remain at the were elected under similar professions? head of the servants of the King until a Does he know that even Mr. STANLEY'S system of just and constitutional sway brother, who has been returned for were restored to the country. I enterPRESTON, stands most unequivocally tain that wish still; but I am quite sure pledged to give his support to the that it will not be realized, if Mr. establishment of the BALLOT ? But, STANLEY was, upon this occasion, the does he know (and this comes more organ of his lordship. This is a mighty closely home to him), that Mr. POULETT matter. It is very hard to believe, that THOMSON, one of his privy-councillors a man, full of arrogance and temerity and co-servants, was elected at MAN- as he may be (and replete with both Mr. CHESTER under placards, posted in every STANLEY certainly is), would have venpart of that great town, having on them, tured to make this declaration, in so "VOTE FOR THOMSON AND positive and authoritative a manner, unTHE BALLOT"? The occurrences less he had had the authority of the chief (which I shall mention in another place) of those servants, of whom he himself which have taken place at MANCHESTER was one. His statement is too positive, since the election, prove very clearly too distinct, and his manner too confident, that he owed his election to a very for us easily to believe, that he provile intrigue; and that good men, that ceeded to such lengths without the sound men, of all ranks in life, look authority of his principal. He speaks upon him as anything but a member in the name of the whole of the King's for MANCHESTER; but, even that in- servants; he uses the plural pronoun trigue, together with all the dishonour-we: he says, "WE, as individuals, and able means that were made use of; 66 as members of the Government, and even my being known to have" BOUND (and I announce at once, been elected at OLDHAM by the middle" and openly, OUR determination) to

are

give a DECIDED OPPOSITION." objection is, that, if elections were so To what? Why, to any proposition very frequent, the representatives of the which shall be made in the ensuing, or people would not be able to consider any other Parliament, "for SHORT-any great question with freedom, being ENING the duration of Parliaments." placed in such a continual state of deThus he, a servant of the King, in public pendence. I do not well understand his pay, not himself a member of the Par-lordship here. Why, men who represent liament at the time when he spoke, an- others, ought to consider themselves as nounces, by speech, publicly made, the constantly acting for those others, whedetermination of himself, together with ther they be, or be not, chosen frequentother servants of the King (some of ly; and with regard to there not being whom are PEERS observe), to oppose, time for the members to bring to perfecand prevent the adoption of, certain tion any great measure, so far are annual measures which are likely to be brought elections from being likely to cause a forward in the ensuing House of Com- perpetual change of persons in the mons. He announces, in a public members, they have an exactly contrary speech, that he and other servants of tendency. They cause a good underthe King are bound to do this thing with standing to be constantly existing berespect to the ensuing House of Com-tween the people and their representamons. Without stopping here to in- tives; and, therefore, they cause a quire how nearly this resembles many permanency in the personal composition of the acts for which servants of the of the representation. If the reason of King have been impeached at different the case were not sufficient here, the times, some of which servants have lists of the Houses of Representatives of been severely punished for such acts; the Congress of the United States, who without stopping here to go into this are elected for two years; and the lists premature inquiry, the conclusion is, I of the Senate and House of Representaam afraid, forced upon us, that Mr.tives, in the State of Connecticut, who STANLEY was, upon this occasion, the authorised organ of Lord GREY, as the chief of the servants of the King. Leaving this matter, however, to be hereafter settled by the evidence of facts, let us now proceed (having already shown that the question was clearly reserved) to inquire a little into the merits of the question.

Look at

are all elected for one year, would establish the fact beyond all contradiction. It very rarely happens, that the members of these assemblies are replaced by new members, except on account of death, old age, ill health, acceptance of some office, or elevation from one branch of the legislature to another. the history of the seven presidents; look I have always been, ever since I have at the history of all the speakers that well reflected upon the subject, of opi- those assemblies have had; and you nion, that a House of Commons, chosen will find, that that republican and deANNUALLY, would be the best. It was mocratical government has experienced the ancient practice of the country; it less of personal change in its legislative is the practice now in the best-governed bodies, than has been experienced in State of America. My Lord JOHN our House of Commons, during the RUSSELL, in that part of his speech time that the American government has which I have quoted above, objects been in existence. In what case has to the period being very short, on the choosing of a new Congress pretwo accounts, first, because the mem-vented, or retarded, the adoption of any bers of the House would be kept great measure, in the United States? "in a perpetual canvass. This ob- Look at the steadiness of purpose; look jection, his lordship must see, would be at the profound political wisdom; look completely obviated by the use of the at the unbroken uniformity, in pursuit BALLOT; for, if that regulation were adopt-as well as in principle, which has marked,there would never be any canvassing at ed the wonderful progress of that reall by any members. His lordship's other publican and democratical government;

look at the profound political science, be obtained. When legislative assemwhether foreign or domestic, which has blies are elected at shortly-recurring marked all its measures; look at the periods, the people who suffer, or who astonishing influence which it has ob- think they suffer, from their enactments, tained, and the unshaken confidence wait with patience for the election to which it has inspired, in all foreign come; because then they know that the courts; see how steadily it has gone on power of obtaining redress will return to establishing a permanent and powerful their own hands; but if the period be naval force; observe how carefully each distant, their patience is insufficient to succeeding House of Representatives has restrain their resentment, and they recontinued on, and carried to perfection, sort to an expression of that resentment, the good measures begun by former in a manner inconsistent with the peace Houses of Representatives; in short, let of society and the security of property; my Lord JOHN RUSSELL behold a nation and physical force is required to preswelled up from three millions to twelve vent anarchy from coming and overmillions of people in the space of fifty-throwing all the orders in the state. two years, exchanging half a dozen gun- Hence we behold a republican goboats for a powerful and the most com-vernment beginning and continuing on plete navy as the world ever saw; and for fifty-two years; we see great cities exchanging a few trading sloops and rising up under it; we see the monbrigs, for a commercial marine, scarcely strous error and evil of paper-money (in surpassed by that of England herself: let my Lord JOHN RUSSELL look at these things; and, let him remember, that these have all proceeded from a parliament chosen once in every two years; and, if he thus observe, and thus remember, these objections will be in-pital burnt by our own hands, and the stantly swept from his mind.

imitation of England) come to destroy contracts and to transfer property; we see violent political struggles from time to time arising; we see the country invaded at all points by the most powerful nation in the world; we see the ca

President compelled to flee from it; But a great, and, perhaps, the great we see great sufferings in various towns est argument in favour of short Parlia- and districts, arising from these causes; ments, is, that they naturally and neces- we see the several states at times ensarily tend to the peace of the community; gaged in serious contentions from rivalto the preventing of discontents from ship; we see the commerce pitted breaking out into violent actions; and, against the agriculture, each striving of course, to prevent the necessity of for the mastery; yet in the whole of the that unnatural force, and all the ex-fifty-two years, we see not one single riot penses of that force, which were wholly under this republican and democratical unknown to our fathers, and which, if government; and we see not one single we now do our duty, will be equally unknown to our children. In all human institutions, in everything which is the work of man, in the conducting of all governments, there will arise, whether from error or from the bad passions of men, wrongs, either real or imaginary, done to the millions who are governed. And is it not taught us by our very natures, and by all the experience of our lives, that resentment against wrongdoers, or imaginary wrong-doers, is in exact proportion to the smaliness of the hope of redress. This hope is small in proportion to the greatness of the length of the time when the redress can

solitary instance of military force being necessary to protect the property or the person of any man; while, under our own kingly and aristocratical government, we see three hundred barracks, or inland fortresses or depositories of the military force necessary for the protec tion of persons and property; while we behold in those hives of admirable industry, which distinguish our country, always a place of deposit for this military force. Why this difference, so disgraceful to us; why this difference? Not because that is a republican and democratical government, while ours is a kingly government; but because the

pressed very clearly in an act passed in the year 1694, being chapter the 2. ofthe acts passed in the sixth year of the reign of King WILLIAM and Queen MARY. This act, which has always been called the TRIENNIAL BILL, stands in the statute book, in the following words:

TRIENNIAL BILL.

people under that government have STUARTS sometimes did not call any been truly represented; and, especially, House of Commons together. Therebecause the duration of its parliaments fore, at what is called the glorious rehave been short. volution, the bargain made with the It has been said that, though ours newly-chosen king, was, that a Parliaare called seven-year parliaments, they ment should in future be called once have, in fact, not been, for many years in every three years at the furthest. past, more than about three or four-This bargain, Mr. STANLEY will find exyear parliaments. Ah! but this, instead of being an alleviation of the evil, is a great aggravation of it. The uncertainty in which we constantly are in this respect, is worse even than an assurance of the continuation of evil. With the exception of the cases of the demise of the crown, the people well know that new elections have not taken place in order to benefit them; but in order to effect some purpose which, nine times out of ten, must be injurious to them. In America the new Congress is elected on a day appointed by the constitution for the purpose. If wrong exist, the people know the very day when the redress will come; and this is their sure and certain cause of uninterrupted peace; and of that constant and implicit and willing obedience to the laws, for which our forefathers were so famed throughout the world, while, for ages upon ages, they knew of no force other than that of the sheriff's wand and the constable's staff and what reason upon earth is there that we and our children should not see these happy days again?

AN ACT FOR THE FREQUENT MEET-
ING AND CALLING OF PARLIA-
MENTS.

"Whereas by the ancient laws and statutes of this kingdom, frequent Parliaments ought to be held ; and whereas frequent and 66 new Parliaments tend very much to the hoppy union and good agreement of the king and obedient subjects, the Lords spiritual and "people; we, your Majesties' most loyal and liament assembled, do most humbly beseech temporal, and Commons, in this present Paryour most excellent Majesties that it may be declared and enacted by the King's and Queen's most excellent Majesties, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That from henceforth, a Parliament shall be holden once in three years at the least.

II. And be it further enacted by the autho rity aforesaid, That within three years at the furthest, from and after the dissolution of this present Parliament, and so from time to time for ever hereafter, within three years at the furthest, from and after the determination of every other Parliament, legal writs under the Great Seal shall be issued by directions of your Majesties, your heirs and successors, for calling, assembling, and holding another new Parliament.

Thus far, as to the reason of the thing: thus far without any appeal to authorities, or the formally expressed opinions of men; and, if I were to stop here, I am persuaded, that, with a very few exceptions, the whole nation would condemn the declaration which Mr. STANLEY has made against a repeal of the Septennial Bill. But, now, let us see a little what the law says about this bill, and about the grounds upon which it was passed. Now, then, Mr. STANLEY is to learn, that, according to the ancient laws and usages of the kingdom, a House of Commons never continued to exist for more than one year ; III. And be it further enacted, by the authat, every time a House of Commons thority aforesaid, That from henceforth no was called together, it was a new Parliament whatsoever, that shall at any time House of Commons; a House of Com-hereafter be called, assembled, or held, shall mons newly chosen; but then, the have any continuance longer than for three