POSTSCRIPT TO THE WEEK'S NEWS.
SPECTATOR OFFICE, SATURDAY, Two o'CLoca. The post of this morning brings us various letters from the North. The following is from Edinburgh, dated the 12th.
" The news of the loss of the Reform Bill had been anticipated in Edin- burgh, where many thousands waited the arrival of the mail from day to day ; and the irritation to which the event, when confirmed, gave occa- sion, instead of showing itself in noise and tumult, subsided into silent and sullen anger. The people were also kept quiet in the perfect confi- dence that Peers would be immediately created, and the Bill passed in a few weeks.
" To-day, at a meeting of the Inhabitants' Reform Committee (con- sisting of about fourteen lawyers, one country gentleman, and two citi- zens), the whole, except the two citizens and two lawyers, being a sort of Whig Ministerial confidential council, the prayer to the King to create new Peers was struck out of a resolution and petition, intended to be sub. rnitted to the public meeting ; it having been, by this day's post,I suspect, discovered for the first time to be unconstitutional;' ' a bad step,' one not be recommended' From this, I fear, Earl Grey is not doing his duty ; or rather, the King has refused to make sixty Peers. We are asked to give the Ministry time to consider, and to carry the Bill some other Way. I have asked the objectors for another way ; but they could tell me of none. The few Radicals that the Whig Political Council had admitted to their meeting, were alarmed and disgusted at this disappoint- ment of general expectations ; and so will the citizens be, when they come to know as much.
" We think it all over with the Lords and the Bishops ; and with the Ministry too, if they do not instantly create Peers, or resign, and leave the Reform measure in the hands of the nation."
Previous page
