12 NOVEMBER 1836, Page 13

REPRESENTATION OF WESTMINSTER.

THERE is to be one Member for Westminster in the House of Commons next session. General EVANS, weary of Spanish gar- rison life, has nothing better to do than to attend to his Parlia- mentary duties; so he has promised his constituents to return to England in February next, "at furthest." Old BuenaTT of course will stick to his hunters—if he can, and not show his face in Westminster. The first city in the kingdom will, therefore, for some portion of next session, be as efficiently represented as Marlborough, Eye, or ally other paltry borough left to rot in Schedule B; and no better.

Whom have the electors to blame for the political nonentity into which Westminster has fallen, but themselves? They allowed BurtnErr to kick and spit upon them. The more insolent he was, the more crawling were they. Seeing how meekly they submitted to his colleague's scorn and contumely, General EVANS took liberties with them. He left them in pursuit of fame and fortune; and had he met with success instead of humiliation, we guess thal. the electors of Westminster might have whistled for their Member. But evil days have come upon the General; and, like the rebuked prodigal, who had lived upon husks, (as good fare as some of his soldiers have at San Sebastian,) he is willing to take up with the representation of Westminster as a pis alter. Glory in Spain was preferable to the performance of his dull duties in Westminster; but as no glory is to be had in Spain, why, he "has determined not to trespass again in the same degree on the kind indulgence" of his much-enduring con- stituents.

Of General EVANS, however, we have no wish to speak harshly. He is as serviceable a legislator as a mere soldier, without pee litical accomplishments, sagacity, or vigour, could be expected to make; and it would be an insult to compare him in any respect to Busmen, who is an apostate from the politics of a long life, as well as a twaddler. EVANS had greatness thrust upon him when he was elected for Westminster ; and he has never upheld the burden with ease to himself or advantage to those who selected him to bear it. His forte is fighting—mere fighting, not commanding or legislating. He is about to give up his command ; and it would be well for the electors of Westminster to consider seriously, whether, in such times as the present, a gentleman who is a gal- lant soldier, but no statesman or legislator, is the kind of person whom they ought to send to the House of Commons. Let them reflect upon the qualifications which the Representative of West- minster ought to possess, and then ask themselves whether General EVANS has them ? Are his habits those of' a man of business ? Is be versed in political economy and affairs of com- merce and finance? What capacity for lawmaking has he evinced ? Can his firmness, even, be depended upon in support of his poli- tical principles ? Has he never yielded to the blandishments of clubs or the solicitations of Ministers, when decision and ret solution were needed? Has lie shown by his conduct, in absent- ing himself from Parliament—more especially when he saw how utterly reckless and useless his colleague had become—that he considers the faithful and vigilant representation of Westminster

to have claims upon his time and talents paramount to all others ? It will not be long before the electors of Westminster will have an opportunity of making their choice of Members from among the

elite of the Liberal party ; for there is scarcely any candidate for

a seat in Parliament who would not prefer to represent West- minster rather than any other place in the kingdom. In the room of a superannuated deserter to the Tories, and of a fine-gentleman sort of officer distinguished chiefly for his personal courage, we hope they will select two industrious, reliable, influential, and thoroughly ilidependent politicians.