House Of Commons.

Parliament : yet that Honourable Gentleman had now brought the country into a far more calamitous situation than we were in the American war ; and though disaster and disgrace had attended him , still was the House of Commons more confiding than before . The most decided majorities had sanctioned all his measures , aud those of his colleagues , and over-ruled every motion for enquiry . He expressed his opinion , that if the proposition he made on the same subject five years ago had been adopted , all our present calamities , the war , the stoppage of the Bank , and the lamentable state of the sister kingdom , would have been

prevented . Then , declaring that it was his object to effect a full , fair , and free representation of the people , at the same time that he reverenced the Constitution of King , Lords , and Commons , he proceeded to state the outline of his plan . In the county representation , he only proposed to increase the number of Members from ninety-two to a hundred aud thirteen , and to make some alteration in the mode of returning county Members . For that purpose , said Mr . Grey , I would have each county or riding divided into so many districts ; in each of which a poll should be taken on the same day and hour , by a proper officer appointed by the

Sheriff , and as soon as the same was ended , that the proceedings at each poll should be immediately transmitted under seal to the sheriff , " from which state of the several polls he should make his return . I would further propose , Sir , that to the freeholders already entitled to a vote at county elections all the copyholders should be added ; and if it should be agreeable to the House , I would further recommend that lease-holders above a certain rent , anti holdingfora longer time than a specified term of years , should also be entitled to vote . The rfext alterationSirwhich I shall take the liberty to proposeis with regard to the

re-, , , maining four hundred , and those I would wish and recommend should be elected by a certain description of persons only , resident householders paying taxes . Iii order , still further , to promote and forward the object intended by this plan o ' f reform in Parliament , 1 would propose , with a view to saving expences at elections , that the poll shovild be taken in the several parishes of the town or city for which the . election is to be held at the same hour , ou the same day . These

points agreed to , he should then propose to make Parliaments triennial . Mr . Grey concluded by declaring , that on every occasion he thought important , he should continue to give his-vote ; but that finding his efforts unavailing , and that they were only returned by a degree of insult and obloquy to which he could not submit , he informed the House , that after that ni ght he should trouble them no more ¦ with bis attendance or observations . He then moved , ' TJiat leave be given to bring ill a Bill to improve and amend the Representation ofthe People in the House of Commons . '

Mr . Erskine seconded the motion . He considered what his Honourable Friend had proposed as ofthe highest consequence to the welfare and happiness of the people , and commended him for putting out of the question all abstract theories of natural right , and resting the merit of his proposition upon the good it was calculated to . produce . He regretted that at the Revolution enough had not been done to secure a pure representation ofthe people . At that period the duration of Parliaments was first lengthened , and from that time the representation had been growing worse . This position Mr . Erskine strengthened badducing the

y opinions of SirW . Blackstone , Lord Camden , Sir George Saville , and the Earl of Chatham : nay , even Mr . Pitt himself was once of the same opinion . He owned that the present did not appear like an ordinary period . One day was not like another day . Protentous events followed each other so fast , that our not having more than a day to live undera regular government was lo be dreaded . ( A cry of hear ! order ! order !) He contended that to avoid riots and disorders at elections , they should be parochial ; remarked , that the enemies of reform would never want a reason to prove all times unseasonable ; attributed the astonishing successes of

the French to the feebleness of the governments they had contended with ; asserted , that the adoption of the present measure would make men love the constitution ; and concluded by saying , that the proposition he had the honour to second would erect such a stancfard as had never been raised in that House ; a standard , round which all honest men would rally ; and which would protect the rights and happiness of the . people . E £ ItECIttAIttr C 0 NTIXt ,-5 , D . J