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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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i ntrigues , his kingdom shall he established . A very important cause has been tried in Westminster Hall , and which leads to much reflection on our constitution , and the situation iu it of
members of parliament . An action was brought t » y the High Bailiff * of Westminster against Sir Francis Burdett for the expellees at which the former had been at in providing hustings and clerks for the late Westminster
election . There is , it seems , an act of parliament , throwing such expence on the candidates for seats in the Hous of Commons ; but in this case Sir Fran , cis Burdett very properly resisted the payment of the sura demanded of him , because he was not a candidate , and therefore not within the meaning of tjie
act . Nothing appeared on the trial to shew any the least connection between the electors a ad the elected previous to the election . It was the spontaneous act of the former , without any solicitation or indeed interference of any kind of the latter . The plaintiff was therefore nonsuited : but he was left
at liberty to claim the sum , and the sum would be awarded to him , if the court , on motion made to that effect , should determine , that the mere act of taking his seat and signing the- test-roll o £ the House of Commons brought the defendant within the meaning of the werd candidate , as used in the act in <
tuestion-We shall be curious to bear of such an agitation of the question , which in fact is simply this , whether a past act w to be determined by a future one . Sir Francis Burdett was either a candidate or not a candidate . The word candidate is derived from the Romans , who , iu soliciting an office , stood in
white garments to beg for votes . A candidate solicits an office ; but Sir Francis did not solicit . How then can he be a candidate ? But he accepted the office .- — -true . Many of us will accept what we should disdain to solicit : and he thought it his duty to accept the trust conferred on him by his fellow citizens . It was an act of his
will , by which he went down to the bouse of Commons- to his seat posterior to the act of election ; and therefore ' by what he 4 id at the H < mse , he could not change the nature of his sitwation a * the election . A r ^ pre&en ttttiwe of t&e people isr the
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attorney of the people of that pl a ** * which deputes him to be their agent in the House of Commons . This is the language of the constitution : but with respect to these agents , from change of time and other circumstances ,
various regulations have been made by the agents themselves . By these regulations the people are confined in their choice to l&ud-laoldeis , aud to land-holders of a particular income or above . Candidates for the situation of
attorney or agent have been guilty of a variety of corruptions , and hence some wholesome acts of parliament have been made upon this subject , against which no one can complain , and all must regret that they are not better enforced . It may be doubted , however , whether the act inader which
Sir F . Burdett was attached , is not of a contrary nature ; for it encourages the idea that a caudidate for the situation of agent or attorney should be at some expense to obtain hie seat in the Heuse of Commons ; and when it is allowed by the legislature that he should incur a certain expense on this
account , it is difficult to draw tfee hue where this expense should stop . f ? ut the situation of the agents is entirely changed from their original intention . They formerly were paid for their services in parliament by their constittx * ents : they can now afford to pay to their constituents a considerable sum , since the influence which their seat
gives them , proves frequently to them or their friends emoluments to a far greater amount . A splendid victory in Spain gave to London an illumination of three successive nights . This is one of those
sights in which multitudes mary be gratified 5 but by a strange conceit in this country , the wanton inali € < e of a few base minds hi the higher and ttote lower classes is permitted to range « 4 large to the annoyance of all who nVigM otherwise receive sstisfaefion from
what had been at a great exrpeuce pracured for them . Somerset-House was particularly distinguished for its splendour and the disgraceful scenes before it : a number of abandoned profligates
taking effectual means , toy squibs fted fire-works of every lftirtfl te prevent any person from enjoying the « beauty ^ the scene at his ease . Their malice was particularly directed at females and carriag £ s ; and the contrast of the fcw #
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486 State of Public Affairs .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1813, page 486, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2430/page/62/
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