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SELECT POETRY.

LONG LIVE OUR SAILOR KING.

A NEW LOYAL SONG.

COME, raise the goblet high,

While with heart and voice we sing
And all England makes reply,
"Long live our Sailor King!"
The vessel of the State

Has a seaman at the helm,
And bowe'er our foes may hate

They old England can't o'erwhelmFor while we rule the waves

We may firm and fearless sing, "Britons never will be slaves

While they have a Sailor King!" May we lead a life of peace

While we live beneath his sway— Though, should enemies increase,

He'll to vict'ry lead the way-
While the cannon's thunder roars
He'll "Rule Britannia," sing-
And the British seventy-fours

Shall protect our Sailor King!
Our blessings on the Queen
Who shares our monarch's throne,
And who gilds the courtly scene
With virtues like his own-
May their people happy be,

And each bill and valley ring-
With shouts from Britons free-

"Long live our Queen and King!" Come raise the goblet high

While with heart and voice we singAnd all England makes reply,

"Long live our Sailor King!"

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[April,

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MOMENTARY THOUGHTS, No. III.
THERE'S not a spot in all the world
To me so dear or sweet,

As that where all my youthful scenes
Of Boyhood's gladness meet:
Where ev'ry house, or tree, or view,
Display some long-lived trace,
And oft revives the soothing smile
Of some forgotten face.

O Shrewsbury! thou art thus to me
The dearest place on earth,
And thou shalt be my place of rest,
As thou wert of my birth.

And may my friends still gather round
My tomb, and think of me
With somewhat of that bosom's joy
That now I feel for thee.
Shrewsbury.

H. P.

THE SAILOR'S TOMB. THE rolling waves receive the placid corse, Its only winding sheet the foaming surge, And to the caves profound commit their

trust.

Thus based on living adamantine rocks, What monument e'er sculptur'd by man's

art

So fit to hold enshrin'd the last remains
Of an immortal soul!

The solemn funeral peal ne'er ceases here. The summer breeze, and ev'ry wintry blast, Produce a sad remembrance of the tomb. Not Memnon's head, when the last evening beams

Illum'd its awful front, did e'er pour forth Such deep-toned sounds, or solemn mystic strains.

What regal tomb, enrich'd by human art, But must decay and crumble into dust, While this shall stand immutable and bright, "Till the Archangel's voice shall reach the depth

Of Ocean's caves, and summon forth the dead.

O God, in that tremendous day, again Unite in holy love those kindred bands Whom death has rent, and scattered far and wide. M. N.

1831.]

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HISTORICAL CHRONICLE.

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

no reason

HOUSE OF LORDS, March 24. On the presenting of a petition, by Earl Grey, from the freeholders of the county of Down, in favour of PARLIAMENTARY REFORM, the Duke of Wellington said, that the proposed Bill would throw down all the established institutions of the country, and that in his opinion there was whatever for altering the constitution of Parliament. He could not look at the measure without considering the day on which it should pass as the moment from which they might date the downfall of the country.-Earl Grey, in reply, said that he considered himself completely committed by and identified with the measure, and by this measure he should stand or fall, and as far as depended upon him he would suffer no alteration to be made that would detract from its effi

ciency; and without throwing out any threat of dissolution, he had no objection to say, that in order to support and carry into effect this measure, there were no means sanctioned by the principles and practice of the constitution, and by a devoted sense of public duty, from the employment of which he would shrink. The Noble Earl in conclusion observed, that the measure would support the dignity of the aristocracy, and would keep up their respectability by throw ing from them that power which made them edious to the people.

In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, the same day, the "Bill to amend the REPRESENTATION of IRELAND," was brought in by Mr. Stanley, and an extended debate ensued, in the course of which the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that Government had made up their minds irrevocably "to persevere in the proposition for cutting off sixty boroughs. They would listen to no compromise. They considered the disfranchisement of rotten boroughs essential to the public welfare, and they trusted that the House and country would stand by them in carrying it into effect." The Bill was read a first time, and the second reading appointed for the 18th of April.

March 25. In reply to some observations of Sir Robert Peel on the population returns of the boroughs intended for disfranchisement, Lord Althorp said, that it was the determination of Ministers to abide by the rule of disfranchising those boroughs whose population fell short of the number limited in the Bill; but if a mistake had GENT. MAG. April, 1831.

been made in the population returns, which might work an injustice, it was not the intention of his Majesty's Ministers to abide by these returns.-Lord John Russell disclaimed all intention of doing any injustice, and expressed his willingness to lay those returns before the House. If it should turn out that the rule applied to parishes, rather than to the boroughs only in which those parishes were interested, was more favourable to an extension of the franchise, he thought it ought to be applied.

In a Committee of Supply, Sir J. Graham moved various items connected with the Navy Estimates, the whole of which were agreed to. The House afterwards went into a Committee on the Civil List. The Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed that a revenue of 510,000l. be granted to his Majesty during his life, which was agreed to.

of

HOUSE OF LORDS, March 28. Lord Wharncliffe rose for the purpose moving for returns of the population of the different counties in England and Wales; and in the course of a very long and able speech took occasion to enter at large into the details of the Bill now in progress through the Lower House, which, although undoubtedly a most efficient, was not by any means, in his opinion, a moderate reform. On the contrary, he believed that it would put in danger all the best institutions of the country; and for this reason it was, that he felt compelled to oppose it. The Bill would give the commercial a great preponderance

over the landed interest, cause the number of electors to be inconveniently large, and, in short, prove as great a delusion as had ever been offered to the country. In times of excitement (and it was sometimes necessary for Ministers to counteract popular opinion) the Government, should this Bill be adopted, could not go on, since it would be impossible for the members of it to obtain seats in Parliament.-Lord Durham, Clanricarde, and Lord Plunkett, spoke in the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of favour of the measure.-The Lord Chancellor said, that the supporters of things as they are had formerly reproached the friends of reform with having no settled plan to offer to Parliament. At present, however, a measure had been brought forward which had met the approbation of the whole country; while its opponents, although they all admitted that some sort of reform was necessary, had not in a single instance submitted

354

Proceedings in Parliament.-Reform Bill.

a plan which might be placed by the side of the Ministerial Bill, and thus be subjected to a comparison with it. The Noble Lord observed, that up to the period of the union with Scotland it had been the undoubted right of the Crown to send writs to what boroughs it pleased, and to cease to send them when it thought proper; and Ministers now only proposed to do that which before that period was not an unfrequent occurrence. The Duke of Wellington said, that in his opinion the state of the representation ought not to be changed. They could, on principle, no more deprive one of these Boroughs of its franchise, without delinquency in proof, than they could deprive him of his seat in that house or of his estate. -Earl Grey thought the measure recommended by the Ministers of the Crown was of the greatest importance to the well-being of the country: to that measure he was committed heart and soul, and he would not shrink from giving any advice to his Majesty to adopt every constitutional means to carry it into effect. The Bill had been introduced, and had received the general approbation of the country.

The motion for the returns of the population of counties, cities, and towns, was then agreed to without a division.

In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, the same day, Mr. F. Lewis brought in a Bill for the better regulation of the vend of Coals in London. It proposed that henceforth coals should be sold by weight, by the ton instead of the chaldron; that the several city charges and orphans' dues should be reduced to 1s. per ton, and 1d. per ton for the market, &c.; that the system of meters at the ships and wharfs should be abolished, and that there should be no party between the collier and the merchant, nor any person between the wharf and the consumer; that city and orphans' dues should be collected by the Customs, the parties compounding according to the tonnage of the vessels; and that the compensations to the meters, &c. should be adjusted by the city authorities out of the one-penny rate. The Bill was read the first time.

March 30. Mr. Baring brought up the report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the salaries of the Great Officers of State, with a view to their reduction. After a few words from Sir C. Wetherell, Mr. Baring, Sir H. Hardinge, and Sir G. Warrender, the report was brought up, and ordered to be printed.

Lord Althorp moved that the Lord Lieutenant be permitted to issue Exchequer Bills to the extent of 50,000l. to meet the temporary and local distress of Ireland. After a short conversation between several Members, the vote was agreed to.

On the motion of Mr. Wilks, a return

[April,

was ordered of the number of houses rated at 10l. and upwards, in the districts of the Tower Hamlets, Holborn, and Lambeth. Both Houses adjourned to the 12th of April.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 12.

In answer to some questions relative to the REFORM BILL, Lord John Russell said, that Ministers had endeavoured to procure as correct a return as possible of the population of each city and borough which sent Members to Parliament. His Lordship stated, he should have several alterations to make that would not change the principle of the Bill, but would render it more cor

rect.

For instance, in consequence of further information, Buckingham would not be retained in the disfranchising schedule, A. There would likewise be several amendments in the wording of the Bill, as regarded the existing rights of those who had freedoms by service or birth, &c. His Lordship also stated, that the objections to the proposed reduction of the number of Members had been anxiously considered; and he added, that if the sense of the House should appear to be fairly against that reduction, the Government were prepared to relax in that part of the plan. After some desultory observations on the measure, Mr. Hunt remarked, that he had just returned from a tour in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and other counties, and he openly declared that there was now a re-action with respect to the Reform Bill. He had addressed very large assemblies of the people, and had not met a single individual among those who would be excluded, under this Bill, from the elective franchise, who was not opposed to it. These poor people had recovered from their delusion. They were not now so much in love with this measure as they at first were. They had found out that they had been deceived. They expected that the Bill would give them cheap bread, cheap meat, fewer hours of labour, and higher wages; but they had discovered that this expectation was a mere delusion. For his own part, he voted in favour of the Bill, because he thought that it was an inroad(Cheers)-yes, an inroad, on that accursed system which had plunged this country in debt and distress.-Colonel Davies denounced, in warın terms, the speech of the Hon. Member for Preston, who, although professing himself a reformer, had that evening done more to injure the cause than the most determined enemy of reform.

Mr. Stanley moved for and obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the promotion of public works in Ireland.

Mr. Crampton moved for and obtained leave to bring in a Bill to improve the administration of the law in Ireland. The object of the Bill was, to assimilate the laws of Ireland to those of England,

1831.]

Proceedings in Parliament.-Reform Bill.

April 13. On Mr. Western presenting a petition from the county of Essex in favour of Reform, Mr. Stanley said, that as a misapprehension existed, both in that House and elsewhere, as to the intentions of Ministers with regard to the Reform Bill, he thought it right to state most unequivocally, that his Majesty's Ministers did not mean, in any, even the slightest degree, to deviate from the broad and plain principle on which they had founded that great measure. They were determined on the entire disfranchisement of those Boroughs which did not come up to a certain standard of population, and on the partial disfranchisement of those which did not come up to another given standard. The only alteration intended was this-that if any Boroughs could fairly and plainly show that they did not come within the fixed rule and line marked out by the Bill, then those Boroughs would be justly entitled to be excluded from the schedules of disfranchisement, or partial disfranchisemeut. If it should appear to be the prevalent feeling of the House, that the number of the Members should be augmented beyond the amount contemplated by the Bill, the disfranchised Boroughs would not be restored, but the Members to be added would be taken from such important towns, or populous districts, as might be considered to have, under such circumstances, a fair claim to representation.-Lord Althorp, in reply to a question from General Gascoyne, also spoke in explanation of the ministerial plan; and he begged to be distinctly understood, that the retaining the whole number of Members was in no one degree to touch that principle which went to the disfranchisement of the rotten Boroughs. If the House should, by a division, compel Ministers to increase the number of Members, then they would take in populous towns, or populous bodies of constituency, and bestow the elective franchise on them. -Sir R. Peel said that by these alterations the Bill became a new one, and an extension of time ought to be allowed for its consideration.

Lord Nugent moved for, and obtained leave to bring in, a Bill to abolish certain oaths taken in the Customs and Excise. In one year 101,590 oaths had been taken in the Customs, and 194,612 in the Excise. In answer to an application from the Treasury, the Boards of Customs and Excise had reported, that out of 94 classes of oaths 92 might be abolished, without injury to the public service. In place of the oaths it was proposed to substitute a declaration, the breach of which would subject the offender to a penalty of

1007.

Mr. O'Brien brought before the consideration of the House the present dreadfully disturbed state of certain parts of Ireland, and moved, that there be laid upon the table a copy of the memorial presented to his

355

Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, from the Grand Jury of Clare, relative to the disturbances which had taken place in that county. This led to an extended discussion. Whatever differences there were on particular points, nearly all the speakers admitted the necessity of introducing poor laws into Ireland, as the only means of protecting the poor, and securing them against the consequences of absentee landlords. It appears from the memorial, the production of which was agreed to, that eight, nine, ten, and even eleven pounds annual rent had been demanded for a single acre of unreclaimed bog or mountain, whereon the famished peasant might plant potatoes for his family.

April 14. After some acrimonious conversation between Mr. Hunt and Mr. O'Connell, on the subject of the Reform Bill (during which the latter Member accused Mr. Hunt of having been bought over by the Tories), the Chancellor of the Exchequer brought a message from the King to the following effect:

"His Majesty, trusting to the affectionate regards of his faithful Commons, both for himself and his Queen, took that opportunity to express his hope, that they would take immediate steps to make an adequate provision for maintaining the Royal dignity of her Majesty, in case she should survive the demise of his Majesty."

HOUSE OF LORDS, April 15.

The Earl of Roseberry presented a petition praying that some compulsory rate might be established in Ireland, for the relief of the poor of that country.-The Earl of Limerick doubted the expediency of introducing the Poor Laws into Ireland. Those laws in England operated as a bounty upon population; and if such a system were adopted in Ireland, there would be no knowing what effect it would have in that prolific country.

In the COMMONS, the same day, the House went into a Committee on the King's Message, when, on the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was agreed, that a sum of 100,000l. should be secured to the Queen, if she should survive his Majesty, to support her Royal dignity, payable out of the Cousolidated Fund, together with Marlborough House, and the house and lands of Bushy Park.

Mr. Buxton brought forward a motion for the immediate abolition of Slavery. The motion was seconded by Lord Morpeth, and opposed by Mr. Keith Douglas.-Lord Althorp objected to the motion, on the ground that the state of the slaves should be gradually ameliorated. At the same time, he wished to ascertain what steps the local Legislatures would take upon the subject. After considerable discussion the debate was adjourned until the 26th instant.

356

Proceedings in Parliament.-Reform Bill.

HOUSE OF LORDS, April 17.

The Earl of Limerick brought forward a formal complaint against the Editor of the Times newspaper, whom he accused of violating the privileges of the House, by the scurrilous language he had adopted when animadverting on the noble Earl's sentiments with regard to the introduction of Poor Laws in Ireland. In the paragraph complained of the writer observed: "There are men or things with human pretensions, nay, with lofty privileges, who do not blush to treat the mere proposal of establishing a fund for the relief of the diseased or helpless Irish with brutal ridicule and almost impious scorn." After some discussion the printer of the Times was ordered to appear at the bar of the House.

In the COMMONS, the same day, Lord J. Russell moved that the House go into a Committee on the REFORM BILL, when he stated the alterations proposed by Ministers in that measure. The noble Lord said, that in consequence of more perfect details as to the population of particular places, Aldborough, Buckingham, Malmesbury, Oakhampton, and Reigate, were to be transferred to schedule B; or, to send one Member, instead of being disfranchised; their population having been found to exceed 2000. Leominster, Northallerton, Morpeth, Tamworth, Tavistock, Calne, Truro, and Westbury to be taken out of schedule B,-in other words, to continue to send two Members, their population exceeding 4000. The most important alteration was regarding the counties. To attain a greater number of Members than the Ministers first proposed, there was to be an additional one to each county of upwards of 100,000 inhabitants in England and Wales. Those counties were Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Dorsetshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire, and Glamorganshire, in Wales. Counties having a population of 150,000 or upwards, were to send four Members. They proposed to give to Salford, Bury, Oldham, and Rochdale, in the county of Lancaster, to the Potteries in Staffordshire, and to Wakefield, Whitby, and Halifax, one member each. The effect of these alterations would be to make the whole number of Members of the United Kingdom 627, thus causing a diminution of only 31 in the present number.-General Gascoyne said that the Bill introduced by the noble Lord was a different and distinct Bill from that which the noble Lord had previously introduced upon the subject of Reform. He condemned the whole measure, as calculated to subvert the constitution of the House. He then moved as an amendment that the number of representatives for England and Wales might not be decreased. -Mr. Sadler seconded the amendment.Lord Althorp strongly resisted it; for if the

[April,

motion were carried it would prove destructive to the Bill. He implored all those who were sincerely disposed to carry the Bill, to support Ministers in their opposition to the amendment.-Lord Stormont submitted that the proposed alterations changed the principle of the Bill.-General Duff was in favour of a wholesome salutary Reform, and would give his support to Ministers.-Lord Loughborough supported the amendment, and designated the Bill as revolutionary.-Colonel Wood should oppose the Bill without very considerable alterations were made in it. The debate was adjourned.

April 19. The debate on General Gascoyne's amendment was resumed. Mr. Lytton Bulwer, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Wilbraham, and Mr. Hawkins opposed the amendment, as being destructive to the principles of the Bill.-Mr. Fane, Mr. C. Douglas, Mr. W. Wynn, Sir G. Clerk, and Sir J. Malcolm, supported it.-Sir R. Wilson said, that he had been sent into that House as the friend of a full and free representation, and he never could agree to a measure that would have the effect of producing a decimation of the English Members. He supported the measure up to the present momeut; and under the feeling that it was the intention of his Majesty's Government to submit the principle of numbers to the consideration of the House, he had promised the gallant General who brought forward the amendment his support. He had done so, because he did not think that such an amendment was in opposition to the principle of the Bill. If however the course which he should pursue would be such as would not satisfy his constituents, he was ready to resign his seat. -Mr. Stanley replied to Sir Robert Wilson, and implored those who were anxious for Reform to reject the present amendment.— Sir G. Murray and Mr. North supported the amendment.-Sir R. Peel spoke against the measure of Reform. What might be the consequences of the Bill he would not say; but if it should prove prejudicial to the interests of the country, he should hold responsible for it that Ministry which had prepared the Bill without due consideration to its importance; and by so doing, had reduced them to such a state of embarrassment that they must either acquiesce in what they believed to be injurious to the Constitution, or witness the melancholy prospect of the affairs of this realm being submitted to misrule and anarchy.-Sir J. Graham warned all the friends of the measure, that if they had hitherto been sincere in its support, this present step was a most important one.-The Attorney-General concluded a long speech by saying, he conceived that the vote of the present night would be decisive to the question of Raform.—Lord J. Russell spoke against the amendment, and entreated all who were friendly to the mea

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