"PRINCIPLES" OF CANDIDATES.
MR. HORSLEY PALMER is a candidate for the City of London on false pretences. He in a Tory : in private lie will not deny it; every body knows it. Yet, see what lie uttered at a dinner given by the Merchant 'Tailors on Wednesday last- " It is necessary, in so large and respectable a company as this, composed of men of affluence, occupying important stations in life, that a person seeking to occupy a situation of the utmost trust should state fully and distinctly what his principles are. The course which I shall invariably follow will be that of upholding, to the full extent of my power, the commercial interests of this great city. Gentlemen, I was horn, bred, and educated in the city of London, an inhabitant of which I can boast myself to have been for upwards of half a century; and it will always be my highest aim to defend its rights and privi• • • • • I never have been violent in politics; and however much anxiety may he evinced fur them, it ought not to interfere with commerce. Commercial talent never has had, in my opinion, its proper weight; and though I say so much fur commerce, in preference to polities, let it not be thought that I am indifferent to the latter ; for, to express firmly and candidly my opinion, I am, and ever shall be, a strict and stern upholder and supporter of the Church and the Throne." Mr. PALMER and his friends are aware that an avowed Tory has not the slightest chance in the City; and therefore Mr. PALMER, while professing to state fully and distinctly what his principles are, shirks any distinct expression of them, and merely says he shall support the Throne and the Church and uphold the commer- cial interests of the city of London. Mr. PALMER is no great con- juror : in his own peculiar departmentof banking he has been proved to be a blunderer—else Mr. SAMUEL JoNas LOYD has written in vain : still lie has capacity to know that he avoided that distinct and full exposition of his principles which lie declared himself bound to give. Let not, however, the electors suppose for a moment that Mr. PALMER is any thing but a thorough, and not a very candid or honest, Tory. The way to bring out his real opinions, is to catechize him strictly at the Guildhall. And we hope that this will be done, not so much with a view to expose his Toryism to the City constituency, for they are well acquainted with Mr. PALMER and his politics, but as an example worthy of imitation in other places. For we have observed, that the common, the almost universal characteristic of the electioneering addresses lately issued, is vagueness. There are numerous candidates seek- ing to get into the House of Commons on such terms as will enable them to play their own selfish games and avoid the dis- grace of a palpable breach of faith. Their " principles" are the most shadowy of imaginable existences ; and proportionally con- venient to the professors thereof. Now the way to nail these men down, is to put specific questions, and insist upon specific answers, on the hustings. Let each candidate be asked, whether he will support or oppose those measures in which the constituencies respectively take most interest. " Will you vote for the repeal of the Corn-laws—for the Ballot—the extension of the Suffrage—the removal of Private Bill business from Parliament—the abolition of Church-rates—Post-office Reform—abolition of the Timber- duties—a comprehensive system of National Education—a reform of the Universities—a revision of the Pension-list?"—any one or the whole of these questions may properly be put to candidates: and, we repeat, let unmistakeable replies be required. The next Parliament will probably last six or seven years. The opportu- nity for tre. oliery to the People will be greater, and the tempta- tion to political profligacy more alluring, than has been presented to Members of the House of Commons since the death of GEORGE the Third. It is of inconceivable importance that a large number of honest men, practical men, unconnected with either of the two great factions, should be sent to Parliament : and those consti- tuencies which have not a clear understanding with the candidates to whom they give their votes, will be deservedly disappointed and betrayed.
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