A public dinner was given, one day last week, to
Mr. T. A. Knight, Chief Steward of Ilereford. Sir Robert Price, Mr. Clive, Sir Har- ford Brydges, and many gentlemen of influence in the Reform party, were present. The proceedings seem to have been very dull arid Whig-like, till the health of "Captain Adams and the spirited men of Ross' was given. Captain Adams then attacked Sir Robert l'rice for shirking the question of Peerage Reform. He said- " Reform has travelled slowly, and I have listened with the utmost attention to the speech of the honourable baronet, in hopes he would have alluded to the cause. Our worthy Member certainly hovered round the subject, and lifted the i veil a little, but suddenly dropped t, as though it concealed something too hideous to name. Gentlemen, are you satisfied with the progress that has been made in Reform ? ("No, no!") Gentlemen, the progress of Reform hal been not only retarded, but arrested, by the House of Peers; and I was in hopes our honourable friend would have told you so, and called upon you to support him in demanding a Reform in that incorrigible branch of the Legislature. I deeply regret he did not. (Applause.) I would say, the various reforms must and will be brought about by peaceable and constitutional means, such as the Reform Bill justly entitled us to. Sir Robert, (here Captain Adams ad- dressed Sir Robert Price,) the House of Commons does not contain a more honest worthy Member than yourself; this I believe from the very bottom of my heart. But you must actor your courage to the sticking-place.' As an elector, I conjure you todo so ; and we shall not fail to have all the corrections and amendments in Church and State which the spirit of the age requires. Gentlemen, I am willing to admit that there are many men in the House of Peers who possess true and noble minds: such we love and venerate : but the majority of them are selfish, and care nothing for the People. When the ancient Barons bearded King John' m and wrung Magna Charta from that tyrant, they did it, not for the good of the People, but to answer their own selfish purposes ; it has since become the foundation and bulwark of our liberties. At the glorious Revolution of 1688, I would ask, what did they do for the People's good? I answer, absolutely nothing ; and in our day they at- tempt (for I trust it will be nothing more) to stop every reform, and preserve every abuse, however gross it may be. As Englishmen, as freemen, will yoma submit to this?" (Loud cries of " No! ")
Sir Robert Price said that the electors must do their duty, and send more Liberals to the House of Commons, before they attempted to reform the Lords. It was the apathy of the Reformers at the last elec- tion which caused the great reduction in the Liberal majority. Here Sir Robert was interrupted by cries of "The Ballot, the Ballot !" but be took no notice of them, and again insisted upon the necessity of popular exertion.
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