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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 1809, Edition 1 of 1, Page 346, MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS; OR, The Christian s Survey of the Political florid.

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    • MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS; OR, The Christian s Survey of the Political florid.
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      Untitled Article

      An eventful month has passed over our heads . Whether we : look to events abroad , or to deliberations at home , the Christian must be shocked at the difference between things as they now are , sud as tliey will be , when men shail

      acknowledge the power , and practise the rules of the gospel . Extraordinary deliberations have talc-en place in the senate It is no longer-a surmi .-e , but an acknowledged fact , that the representation of the Commons is not 'what it ought to be ; that most scandalous transactions take place in it ; and in these transactions his majcsty * s ministers are accused of being ; parties- This has been often said . It was not doubted without doors , but the utroclous crime had never been

      unblushmgly owned before in the House of Commons . It is curious to perceive in what manner a worldly mind will gloss over the wickedest transactions , and with what difficulty an evil once established can be subdued . There cannot be a

      doubt that accoxding to the principles of our constitution , the man who barters his vote for money is guilty of a great crime ; and for this plain reason , that bad men may thus be entrusted with the power of legislation , and enter the House of Commons for s nister purposes . But how much greater Is the crime , if the the minister of the crown tnteis into the

      traiBc—introduces men into the House decidedly to support hU measures , and thus poisons deliberation ar hi- -ource . Whether the Hop . sc o Commons i 6 An advantage or disadvantage to the country , curious men may speculate , but

      it must be allowed by all , that to be of advantage it must answer the purpose for which it was designed ; namely , to give the people its 4 ue share of the legislation , and to be a due check on the actions of the executive government . When it loses this character , the

      advantages of a mixed government are lost , and it would be better for despotism to appear in its pure form , than that the forms of liberty should be preserved when it « essence is lost . This truth serins to have been generally felt , and the facts that have conic out called for

      Untitled Article

      speedy Inquiry , and a proper remedy . The sale of seats in Parliament is so obvious and so gross an abuse , that ncjthinocould be said openly by any party in its defence . It wa > sufficient to mention it for cave to bring- in a bill to prevent it , and to make the penalties high for every tran .-gresaioij . Debates were very

      frequent , and much was found to be said on this subject— so much so that the original , mover of the bill scarcely knew it agam , after it ^ passage through the House . Penalties were fixed upon , and oaths enjoined , by which the future tr ;

      ifnck will be rendered very difficult , but still it remains a doubt , whether the subject will be a gainer , and whether the mart may not be transferred to a quarter which will render the traffic far more detrimental to the public thaa

      ever . But it might be asked , since this traffic is by no one denied to be improper why "were not steps taken to render the bargain and sale for a seat in parliamei . r impossible ? That seats are sold as stalls

      in a market can no longer be doubted : the reason is , that by the tenure of certain seats they may be so in possession c \ certain individuals , that they may be considered as private property . Thb arises from the number of voters being

      very small , or from the votes being attached to dead property , tp which an individual may at vviil assign a living voter . The cause of the evil being known , the remedy one might think would not be difficult ; and as the House of Common ? is intended to represent the commons of the 4 and , there can be no propriety In members being . sentfrom aplaccin whicn no commoners reside But to correct

      the innovations which time ha , s produced lr now considered to bean innovation-Nothing is to be altered in the present mode of representation : this part is not to be investigated , and of course the evik

      attending the present state of the representation' vriil in a great measure remain * As long as private individuals arein possession of seats of parliament , it is to be expected that they will turn their possessions to their own private emolument

      Untitled Article

      ( 346 )

      Monthly Retrospect Of Public Affairs; Or, The Christian S Survey Of The Political Florid.

      MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS ; OR , The Christian s Survey of the Political florid .

  • Citation
    • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1809, page 346, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1737/page/44/