Mr. Swynfen Jervis, Member for Bridport, sent the following letter
to Mr. Attwood with his subscription of five pounds to the Birmingham Political Union.
" Whitehall Place, August 4th. 153S.
" Dear Sir—I received the Petition you did me the favour to scud, and have read and considesed it vs ith that attention which so important a matter demands. "Though written, it appears to me, in a more florid and declamatory style than suits a documeut of so grave a char:icier, it is impossible to deny the truth of much that it contain:, or to escape from the conclusions that ate necessarily involved in that admission.
But, though going thus far with the petitioners and admitting, what is too noto-
rious to be disputed that the Berm ID Bill is a miserable failure, and utterly inadequate to the accomplishment of any great heliostat purpose, neither fulfilling the intentions (supposing them to have been sincere) of those w ho proposed that measure, nor the just and reasonable expectations of the people, by whose exertions alone it was car- ried; and grantiog, what is equally notorioes, that the people have little to expect from a Parliament constituted like the present ; yet I must be allotted to express my doubts whether the petitioners are wino in pressieg for so much at once—whether, in a wont, by demanding changes so various and extrusive, they are not likely to retard the end its view, by furnishing motives to the fearful, and pretences to the dishonest, for a common league against so alacming and unconstitutional an innovation.
"Grayling that the clear and :mit umiledged justice of the case (for who dare gainsay the right or the people to full and equal represeutation ?) will bear them out in their demands, is the time come for agitating the question on so large a scale ? Is there not an intermediate step, the taking of which will lead, sooner or later. but with equal certainty, to that very goal which they are now aiming at ? Would not the imme- diate restoration of Triennial Parliaments, the enlargement of the franchise, so as to include all bona fide Householders, together with the protection of the Ballot, be a step, and a large one, of this mime. " But, whatever may be the opinions of men upon this difficult subject, one thing, at
least, is certain—the right of the people to employ all legal and constitutional means for the advancement of their political and social interests, and for the attainment of such objects as the' National Niftiest,' emanating from the sound hearts and vigorous intellects of the men of Birmingham, puts forth, provided they are attainable. " In conclusion, I must cordially wish them success io the prosecution of this great end; and as earnest of my sincerity in making this declaration, I request you to enrol my name as a member of the Birmingham Political Union. and to pay over to the treasurer of that Union the suns of live pounds on my account, us.the amount of my subscription for the present year, " I am, dear Sir, yours very truly, " Thomas Attwood, Esq , M.P., Birmingham." " SWYNFIN JERVIS."
This is true liberality—the very reverse of the dogmatism which disgraces too many professing Liberals. Mr. Jervis does not entirely agree with the Unionists of Birmingham : he thinks their petition too rhetorical, and that, in point of expediency, they ask too much at once : but he acknowledges their right to ask ; and, wishing success to their ultimate objects, as well as believing that none but legal and constitu- tional means will be employed to forward them, he does what in him lies to speed the cause, both by pecuniary contribution and moral en- couragement.]
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