1785,
Mr. Pitt caused prosecutions to be issued and enforced to check the
rising spirit of the Irish, as they appeared determined to press hard
until they received reform in the representation; and, in order to
divert the exasperated feelings of the people of England, as he stood
deeply pledged to the reformers, "_as a man and a minister_," to bring
in "a bill to amend the representation of the people," he moved, April
18th, for leave to bring it forward for the consideration of the House.
His plan was to transfer the right of election from thirty-six rotten
boroughs to the counties and principle unrepresented towns, _allowing a
pecuniary compensation to the owners of the disfranchised boroughs_, and
to extend the right of voting for knights of the shires to copyholders.
This minister suffered his motion to be negatived by 248 against 194!
Had there been honesty on the part of the minister towards the people,
unfettered by any _state secrets_, he would have been prepared to meet
the numerous opposers; but he found himself unable to serve the cause of
liberty and slavery at the same time, and so, to save his word of
promise, he did bring in "the bill," when he well knew it was impossible
to carry it under the then existing corruptions!
In the farce here played, under the management of that youthful
renegade,--PITT, we have a fair specimen of the way in which the English
have been treated. But there is a time rapidly approaching when the
supporters of despotism cannot thus delude their countrymen. The whole
nest of court sycophants, however, seem determined rather to see England
reduced to a state of the most grievous bondage than imagine one of
their own ill-gotten acres endangered, or the least of their absurd and
exclusive privileges called in question. But are such creatures, their
_imagined_ interests, and affected opinions, to triumph over the views
of the most virtuous patriots and wisest men of the present age? Forbid
it, Justice!