TOPICS OF TI4E DAY.
HINTS TO ELECTORS: PLEDGES.
Some candidates:for the representation of popular constituencies have, or affect to have, a strong repugnance to pledges; in other words, they cannot, forsooth, promise their support or opposition to particular measures or men, as the condition of being elected. We observe that Mr. WILLIAM BROUGHAM has retired from the representaticn of Southwark, ostensibly because his constituents require him to give pledges respecting his future conduct. He says in his farewell address- " It is ascertained that I cannot be returned for your borough, unless I give pledges to support particular measures in Parliament. I never will do so. My conduct is before ■ ou, and of that you may judge; but pledges I will not give."
It is curious that we hear nothing of a demand for pledges from the new candidate, Mr. WHITTLE HARVEY. Perhaps even pledges would not have sufficed in the ease of Mr. Wieetsu BROUGHAM. Has this gentleman assigned no other reason for his retirement ? Has he never attributed the clouded aspect of his fortunes in Southwark to the unpopularity of his brother, the Ex-Chancellor? Be this as it may, the assigned reason is his reluctance to give the pledges his constituents deem it prudent to require from a rather slippery politician. Now, we recollect that at the last election, when Mr. BROUGHAM talked pretty much as be does now against the pledging system, we enumerated (in the Spectator, No. 231) eleven distinct pledges which Mr. BROUGIIAM actually gave at the very time he was denouncing pledges. In the same article, we adduced the names of Lord HENLEY, Alderman WAITHMAN, Alderman WOOD, Sergeant SPANXIE, Mr. LYALL, Mr. AEXANDER BARING, and others, who all professed their decided objection to being fettered by pledges, and yet were returned to Parliament pledged chin-deep. The fact is, that a vast deal of affected stuff is uttered on this subject. Honest candidates object to give decided promises to vote this way or that on those questions only which have been but imperfectly discussed, or on measures, with the nature of which they are unacquainted; but do not feel any repugnance to declare their opinions when they have any, and to engage to act up to them on all occasions. When a candidate avows that he has not made up his own mind on the leadino topics of the day, he is plainly unfit to;represent and give effect to the opinions of others. It will scarcely be denied that the electors have a right to know in what way their chosen Representative means to vote on great questions. How else can they ascertain whether he will really represent them? Accordingly, we find that professions more or less distinct are always made by candidates. In the contest of 1831, we had a method of at once ascertaining the fitness or un- fitness of a candidate for the business which the Parliament of that year was elected to perform, by asking whether or not he would support " the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill ?" The Reformers should now substitute the two following questions-
1. "Will sou oppose the present or any other Tory Ad- ministration that may be formed?"
2. "Will you support the measures necessary to perfect the Reform Act, and give it fair. play ?"
No Reformer should vote for a candidate who hesitates as to the answer he shall give to these questions. To turn out the Duke and his man, is the first thing to be aimed at—the neces- sary preliminary to future good. The second question, be it observed, implies no startling organic changes. Every sincere supporter of the Reform Act will answer " Yes" to it without hesitation ; for his promise merely binds him to take such sup- plementary steps as'will make the Charter of 1832 what he intended it to be. It was not intended that the rate-paying clauses should act as disfranchising ones,—that, in addition to the other penalties for non-payment of taxes, an elector should lose the right of voting for those who imposed the taxes. It was never intended -Ills: the neglect, wilful or accidental, of an Overseer should dis- franchise hundreds. But certain clauses in the act have this unexpected and injurious effect ; and these clauses ought there- fore to be amended or expunged, with others, if such there be, of a similar tendency. In every instance without exception, the constituencies should be satisfied that their Members will vote against the Tories, under any disguise that the practised intriguers may assume, and for the perfecting of the Reform Act. In many cases, there need be no distinct pledges exacted. The opinions of such men as Sir HENRY PARNELL, Mr. GROTE, Mr. WARBURTON, Mr. HUNK, and some others, are sufficiently known, and experience has proved that the holders will on all occasions net up to their principles. But wherever the constituencies do not feel such confidence, it will be their bounden duty to require a distinct declaration from the candidates.
Though we have mentioned two leading points only, we are of course aware that there are others on which the electors have a right to be satisfied. Where the Reformers have a decided ma- jority, and can unquestionably return any persons they prefer, then it will be wise in them not only to scan more closely the poli- tical creed of the several candidates, but to elect those only who may be depended upon to vote in favour of
The thorough Reform of the Irish Church, and the reduction of' its income ;
The Abolition of Sinecures, Pluralities, and other Abuses in the English Church ; The Removal of Dissenters' Grievances of every (hoc rip tion ; The Abolition of Church-rates ;
The Commutation of Tithes ; The Revision of the Pension-list The Amendment of the Law, and the Establishment of Cheap Courts of Justice; The Repeal of Taxes that weigh upon Industry and fetter. Commerce; • The Encouragement of Education among all classes; The Abolition of Impressment and Military Flogging ; The Repeal of the Septennial Act; The Ballot ;
Measures for rendcritig the House of Peers Responsible, It is right that 011 all these questions, the opinions of a candi- date should be known. It depends, as we have before hinted, on the peculiar circumstances of the constituency, whether it would be prudent or the reverse, at the present time, to exact pledges for the support of all or most of them. It may be that the return of a Tory candidate in some instances would result from pressing the 'Liberal too hard. In every place the best man should be sup- ported to keep out a Tory. But an accordance with them on all the items in the above list should be required by Reforming con- stituencies who have the absolute control of the election in their own hands—who have no need to practise management, but caa bid defiance to the enemy under any circumstances.
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