TOPICS OF THE DAY.
PROVED ABUSES.
"FOUNDED on the principles of Reform, the present Administra- tion must necessaril) look to the correction of all proved abuses." These are the words of Earl GREY himself;* and it must be ad- mitted that no Government could adopt a more exemplary or pa- triotic rule of conduct. We like the phrase "proved abuses," as opposed to imaginary ones; always presuming, that the kind of proof required is not that which it is impossible to furnish, but such as the nature of the case calls for, and such as would satisfy reasonable men,—for example, the same kind of proof, drawn from the notoriety of certain facts, which justified Parliament in dis- franchising the Rotten Boroughs. If this is conceded, we appre- hend that a Whig and Reforming Ministry must admit the fol- lowing to be proved abuses, and consequently such as the public may fairly call upon them to remove or mitigate.
The Irish Church Establishment.
The Tithe system in England. . Pluralities, Non-residence, and the distribution of Church Patron- age to suit personal or political purposes rather than the good of the Church.
Dissenting Disabilities. State of the Criminal Law, and the Dearness of Justice.
Law of Libel, and the unexpired part of the Six Acts. Corrupt state of the Municipal Corporations. Operation of the Poor-Laws. Aristocratical or Unequal Taxation.
Restrictions on Commerce.
Unrevised Pension.list.
Incapacity and arbitrary principles of many of our Foreign Ambas- sadors.
A large, and by the Whigs augmented, Standing Army in time of peace ; and the control of that Army by the Anti-Reformers. Military }'logging, and Impressment. Existence of the °Septennial Act.
We could greatly extend this list, but would avoid minor topics of complaint. It may be said that measures are in progress for the removal of some of the abuses we have put down. This we allow ; and as we propose to print the catalogue, with perhaps a few additions, every week for some time to come, we shall take pare to strike out of it all such items as have been actually done away with. But our experience of the Whig Ministers by no means justifies the supposition, that because they have introduced a measure, they even intend to carry it, far less that it will be- come the law of the land. Every actual correction of a proved abuse, however, shall be placed to the credit of the Government in the account we have opened against them on behalf of the Nation : which account, however, we regret to say, stands at pre- sent as follows.
Dr. TIIE WHIG ADMINISTRATION TO TIIE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND. Cr.
To the removal of sundry "proved abuses," as per list. I
• See his Lordship's Lett eta Lord EBRINOTOY.
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