[In the House of Lords in the course of the debate on the King's
Speech, Nov. 2, 1830, the Prime Minister, the Duke of Wellington,
spoke in part as follows. The inflexible Toryism of the speech
disgusted the country and led to the defeat of the ministry. Earl
Grey came into power and carried the Reform Bill.]
This subject brings me to what noble lords have said respecting
the putting the country in a state to overcome the evils likely
to result from the late disturbances in France. The noble Earl
has alluded to the propriety of effecting parliamentary reform.
The noble Earl has, however, been candid enough to acknowledge
that he is not prepared with any measure of reform, and I can
have no scruple in saying that his Majesty's government is as
totally unprepared with any plan as the noble Lord. Nay, I, on my
own part, will go further, and say, that I have never read or
heard of any measure up to the present moment which can in any
degree satisfy my mind that the state of the representation can
be improved, or be rendered more satisfactory to the country at
large than at the present moment. I will not, however, at such an
unseasonable time, enter upon the subject, or excite discussion,
but I shall not hesitate to declare unequivocally what are my
sentiments upon it. I am fully convinced that the country
possesses at the present moment a legislature which answers all
the good purpose of legislation, and this to a greater degree
than any legislature ever has answered in any country whatever. I
will go further, and say, that the legislature and the system of
representation possess the full and entire confidence of the
country--deservedly possess that confidence--and the discussions
in the legislature have a very great influence over the opinions
of the country. I will go still further, and say, that if at the
present moment I had imposed upon me the duty of forming a
legislature for any country, and particularly for a country like
this, in possession of great property of various descriptions, I
do not mean to assert that I could form such a legislature as we
possess now, for the nature of man is incapable of reaching such
excellence at once; but my great endeavor would be to form some
description of legislature which would produce the same results.
The representation of the people at present contains a large body
of the property of the country, and in which the landed interests
have a preponderating influence. Under these circumstances, I am
not prepared to bring forward any measure of the description
alluded to by the noble Lord. I am not only not prepared to bring
forward any measure of this nature, but I will at once declare
that as far as I am concerned, as long as I hold any station in
the government of the country, I shall always feel it my duty to
resist such measures when proposed by others.