Cbe Country.
There was a public meeting and afterwards a dinner of North Devonshire Reformers, at South Molton, on the 23d ultimo. Lora Ebrington and Mr. Newton Fellowes, the Members for North Devon, attended, and delivered speeches at both. Lord Ebrington disclaimed any knowledge or belief of the intention of Ministers to dissolve the House of Commons, in which they have or had a majority. He there- fore thought that the Tory canvass of the county for Sir Thomas Ao- land was premature. Whenever a dissolution, however, did take place, he would not shrink from the struggle. Lord Ebrington adverted to the conduct of the Lords ; who, he really thought, were under the im- pression that, in rejecting the Liberal measures proposed to them, they were acting in unison with the wishes of the people. When they found out their mistake, he did not despair of their yielding, as they had so often done before, notwithstanding the assertions of Lord Wharncliffe and of the Tory journalists that they never would give Ivey. He wished to state distinctly his views with regard to the Radi- cal Reform of the Lords, which was declared by many persons, for whom he had great respect, to be the orly remedy for existing evils— the only means by which the advance of liberty and of good govern- ment could be secured. ( Vehement and protracted cheering proved how heartily the meeting concurred in this opinion.)
"Gentlemen, I am anxious to state to you distinctly my views upon this most important question, because I believe that those views differ in some degree from all those that have hitherto been heard or read upon the subject. I differ nu the one band entirely from those who maintain that the existing constitution of the House of Lords, in all its particulars, is one of those fun- damental bulwarks of the Constitution unchanged and immutable, which will admit of no public modification without the absolute destruction of our politi- cal constitution. Gentlemen, I am astonished that men of sense, professing to be well read in the history of their country, can maintain such a doctrine. I pass by the practical change in the composition of the House of Lords by the Immense increase of its numbers since the accession of George the Third. Will any gentleman maintain, that on the Union with Scatland.:the:admission of six- ' teen Representative Peers elected for that country for the Parliament only, was no change or innovation in the constitution of the House of Lords? Can any one maintain that the election of twenty-eight Representative Peers for Ireland, for the life of each Peer, was not an innovation in the constitution of the House of Lords ? And can any one pretend to say, that, after this innovation, any further extension of the elective principles would he a new or unheard-of violation of the right of hereditary succession inherent in the House of Lords? I have ever considered that the House of Longs, like every other institution of this country, is liable to undergo modification and change—( Great cheering) —if it shall be shown clearly that such change is called fiw by the general in- terests of the community, and that it can be effected by legal and constitutional means."
But he objected to the proposition for the reform of the House of Lords on different grounds-
" I must confess that I have not yet }lewd of any plan of reform of which the benefit would, in my opinion, be commenaurate to the difficulty of effecting it; for you must all be aware that, in the present temper and disposition of the House of Lords, no change could be effected in it without such an arbitrary exercise of the prerogative of the Crown, in the creation of Peers, as no Sove- reign northd undertake and no Nlinistry would have the hardihood to recommend, unless it were clearly shown that such an exercise of the prerogative was abso- lutely required by the concurrent voice of the whole cowl ttttt lity of the land. Now I am sure, that at present such would not be easy, fur I urn not yet satis- fied that the change is necessary to carry into effect those measures of good go- vernment which the mass of the people have at heart."
Mr. Newton Fellowes had no scruples about reforming the Lords— He had an opinion, not taken up that day, but before the Reform Bill passed, that although he saw great benefits would result from it, yet it could not work its way without a reformation in the House of Lords CE ,thusiastic cher, big.) " I know not what will be proposed to obtain that okcet , but I have very much at heart that that object should be obtained, that the voice of the people may be heard there as well as in their own house. I should like, I confess, that you should make an experiment • it is in your power to signify your wishes to that House—it is by a couoty meeting that you can declare that such and such measures have b -en rejected by that House, and invite them to adopt those measures so rejected. If they were to set themselves tip against your Re- presentatives, and against you as a body, I sty then, that if petitions will not do, state to your Representatives that you wish to go further. ( Cheers ) It is ridiculous for any set of men to say that the sea shall not advance—that the river shall not run in its own course—milady because they say it shill not. The course of Reform must proceed ; and I trust that the people will tell them. legiti- mately and constitutionally, that they will be heard. But we are told that we are likely to Wing about a revolution by our strong measures : I say that we are likely to avoid one."
The Reformers of South Devon have resolved not to be behind the rest of the country in the gener,1 movement. We noticed last week that the spirited men of Tom s. were determined to give their Mem- bers a dinner. The Members for the. Borough, Lord Seymour and Mr. Parrott, together with Lord Criesto ttttt Lord Ebrington, Sir Ro- bert Newman, Honourable Newton Fellowes, Colonel Seale. Mr. Hatulyn, Mr. T. Newman, and all the loading Reformers are invited ; 60 that the meeting will be a fair representation of the Liberal interest in South Devon.— Western Times.
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