PARLIAMENTARY REFORM ASSOCIATION.
WE have been accused of misrepresenting the meeting which took place on Friday last week, in supposing it to have been got up by the members for Westminster and their friends. Our view of the matter was grounded on the time, the speakers, -and esrr eially on the sentiments expressed at the meet- lug. When we found Mr. HOBHOUSE and Sir FRANCIS BURDETT repeating, almost in the same words, the speeches which they . pronounced at the Purity of Election dinner,—when we found the latter urging the same trifling and pointless objections against • $r. Hurals able and uniform exertions in the cause of economy, that he had urged there,—we concluded that the meeting and the dinner had the same object in view. The internal evidence of the report was not met by any countervailing knowledge of our own; • and it is only from the information of those who were present and assisted on the occasion, that we have been led to the discovery of our error. We are glad- that it was an error,—for although we freely admit the merits of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT and of Mr. HOBHOUSE, in their 1.:oper place, we could not recom- mend the mixing up of any great question with the li- mited political interests of the most influential of its advocates. We are glad, therefore, to be able to say that this was not the case in the meeting' of last week—that it was really and truly a meeting of the Reform Association ; and that the only reason why the members for Westminster and the pro-publican member for Reading were particularly invited, was the fact of their having voted in the minority on Mr. O'CoNsreee's Reform motion.
So much in justice to the meeting in qUestion, and now a few words on the Association itself. Its views and principles have not been so widely diffused, nor so much attended to, as they seem to deserve. The grand object of the Association is to gain, by the united efforts of all friends to Reform, what desul- tory attempts must always fail to accomplish. Its basis is not the narrow and exclusive one of the Radicals. It professes to include all persons who are willing to co-operate in procuring any extension, however small, of the elective franchise ; while it does not exclude those who consider election by ballot and in one day, and triennial Parliaments, necessary elements of Reform. Thus, while the most chary of innovators may properly join with the Association—while he that seeks to advance a yard will find in it those who will stop with him at the termination of the yard, the most thoroughgoing reformer also—he who would deem a mile all too little, will find among its members companions in his journey. There is a propriety and moderation and liberality in all this, which we think strongly recommend the Association to general favour. The rules seem well fitted to insure the object of its formation. The most essential are those which go to the raising of a fund for giving motion to its machinery. But we shall quote the whole. " FIRST, That the first duty of such Association shall he to facilitate the expression of public sentiment on the subject of Reform, and the prepa- ration and transmission to Parliament of petitions praying for Reform ; and to promote the .independent exercise of the elective franchise in the return of members to serve in Parliament free of expense. " SECOND, That the second duty of such Association shall be to arrange and carry into effect a subscription, to defray all expenses and disburse- ments necessary to advance the cause of Reform. " THIRD, That the basis of such subscription shall be a regulation, not to accept from any person any sum, save one so small as may be paid by him without any inconvenience whatsoever. The pecuniary resources of the Association to be derived from a multiplicity of small sums. " FOURTH, That every member of this Association shall contribute one pound annually.
" Firm, That all receipts and expenditures shall he audited four times in the year, and printed once a-year for the use of the subscribers, and that the accounts shall be open at all times to their inspection. " Simi, That the funds of the Association shall, in the first instance, be applicable to the defraying of the necessary expenses of the meetings, and of the preparation of petitions to Parliament.
" SEVENTH, That the funds of the Association shall also be applicable to the enabling of the electors in counties, cities, towns, and boroughs, to return to Parliament, free of expense, independent members, devoted to effectual Reform.
" EIGHTH, That those funds shall also he applicable to the publication and circulation of works favourable to Reform in Parliament; and to the relief of persons unjustly made to suffer for advocating Reform. " NINTH, That all the proceedings and meetings of the Association shall be open to all its members ; and that there shall be no private or secret proceeding whatsoever." Such are the rules. Much of course must depend on the way in which they are worked. Of the value of combination, gene- rally speaking, there can be no doubt entertained. Look at France!—look to the struggle so successfully carried on in France:during the administration of M. VILLELE, and to that still more brilliant struggle, now nearly finished, which has so signally defeated the plans of Prince POLIGNAC.
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