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    Untitled Article

    tJte noriiitfitton tt a certain ritimber of memberfc of thfe legislature , Bv atfflf&ifig s ' eats to vaVioiis offibes , outrages the first principle of a Bepre * . fcetitettve Government ; it is pro tanto a return to the system of nomi-Aitioh boroujghs , though without its fraudulent pretences ; and is both feally and' ostensibly a mere contrivance to save Minister * from one 6 f

    the irnnrrediate inconveniences of unpopularity . The disfavour naturally ^ achin g to such a proposition , has undeservedly extended itself to Mr . Btilvrer ' s Amendment , which is no infringement of the representative princi p le , but an important auxiliary to it , and only errs by not going far enough . That any but the representatives of the people should Have votes in the legislature , should hel p to make up a majority for enacting a law , or voting away the public money , is totally inadmissible : but the pretence of all the great officers of state in both Houses , to answer for their measures , to be called to account fot their conduct , and to give protnptly the information which Parliament may require , and which can be given on the spot by no persons but those nratctitally con-Tersarit with the ptfolic business , would be not an encroachment upon the

    privileges of Parliament , but an extension of them ; and would add to the securities fot good government , by ensuring a more thorough jtirobihg of the measures and acts of the government , and by making the struggle which may decide the fate of a ministry a conflict of principals , not subordinates . In Ffance , whefre thd framers of the constitution , having an altogether xiew system to construct , were not restricted to the choice of means alteady sanctioned by usage , all cabinet ministers , whether peers 6 r

    pommoners , are entitled to be present and to speak in both Houses , ^ 8 ^ no * * ° \ * rt either unless they are regularly members It is » ot found that this regulation diminishes the desire of members of the ministry to obtain the suffrages of electors ; every minister who is not * Peer » always presents himself to some constituency , and succeeds sooner or later in becoming a member of the representative Chamber . But the manner in which the rule works is this : The real head of each

    department is enabled to be present in whichever House his conduct is under discussion ; to answer questions , and defend his own measures . Lord Grey himself would be obliged to undergo the * badgering of a popular assembly in person , and not merely by deputy . In " every branch of the public service the principal would have to make his own defence , instead of having it made for him ( worse , or perhaps better , than he could infcke it ) by a comparatively irresponsible subordinate . There is another peculiarity in the practice of the French Parliament , which has a beneficial effect . Whenever any measure is brought forward by the Government collectively , the Government rhay , for the purposes of thai one measure , be represented by whomsoever it pleases . Any tmtnber of per&ons may Ibe named King ' s Commissioners for the debate on that pattitiila * blM , and if so named , may be present during its discussiori , along with the Ministers , and with the same privilege of speaking but Hot voting . What isgalned by this is , that the real frarners of thte ftfeature , thofce officers of Gbvernttient who are most conversant with the details of the subject , and to whose suggestioh every paft of the hill

    J * ce pt its leading principles was probably due , are present to give «|™ fc ]*™ toarion * for tifeit 6 tm pioposilforts ; riot a * wfth tis where tfctfce iWibAii cob * bdbte ParKameht atid the public at sefcbnd hand ,

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    WB $ Kfoi 6 ' fi We freitnpapers /

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1834, page 438, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2634/page/56/