Parliamentary reform : a letter to Richard Freedom, esq. on the re-distribution, extension, and purification of the elective franchise / by a revising barrister.

  • Eardley-Wilmot, John Eardley, 1810-1892.
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Parliamentary reform : a letter to Richard Freedom, esq. on the re-distribution, extension, and purification of the elective franchise / by a revising barrister. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    A LETTER ON PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. “ It being the interest as well as intention of the people to have a fair “ and equal representative, whoever brings it nearest to that is an undoubted “ friend to and establisher of the Government.’'—Locke on Government, book 2, ch. 18. My dear Freedom, We are rapidly approaching the period when our expectations on the question of Parliamentary Reform will be either satisfied or disappointed. Public opinion seems to be unanimous upon the point that some measure must be introduced, perhaps not so much in consequence of dis- satisfaction at the anomalies still existing in our Repre- sentative System, as from a disgust at the corrupt practices which disgrace and degrade the exercise of a franchise, in itself the privilege and boast of our free country. You have asked me to put into writing the Scheme which I lately submitted to you upon this subject. It is certainly a topic of absorbing interest, but I should be presumptuous if I imagined that in handling one so universally discussed, and looked at in every point of view, political, philosophical or social, I should be able to advance any arguments, either original, or new in their application. You have, however, given me encouragement, by reminding me that sometimes