THE 



MONTHLY MAGAZINE, 



POLITICS, LITERATURE, AND THE BELLES LETTRES. 



VOL. XV.] DECEMBER, 1832. [No. 84. 



THE PLEDGE-CANT. 

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WE did not give ourselves much credit for vaticinative sagacity, when 

 we foresaw that the settlement of the reform question would leave a 

 residue of disturbed matter which it would be rather philosophically 

 curious to analyze, than generally interesting to contemplate. We were 

 prepared to expect, when the Nile of agitation had subsided, a vast 

 variety of .half-formed beings ; political tadpoles without heads, and 

 other anomalous monsters which, at the same time they are floundering 

 upon the shore, should be congratulating themselves and others upon 

 the great change that had just taken place by virtue of their exertions. 



From that patriotic band, in whom the love of country would appear 

 not only to have superseded, but extinguished every other species of 

 love the Pledge-Cant has sprung. Those persons, who hate the 

 ministers and the government for the time being more than any thing 

 or any body in the world, except each other, have deemed it, in their 

 wisdom, indispensable to the success of ulterior designs to endeavour to 

 bind down the candidate, by pledges, to the adoption and support of 

 certain measures resolved upon by themselves ; and they argue that, 

 unless he do so pledge himself, he cannot be said to be or be, in fact, a 

 representative of his constituents. 



Let us suppose, for a moment, that a constituency of the country 

 could be persuaded of the fitness of such an exaction of pledges from 

 candidates ; and to stretch the supposition still further, let us imagine a 

 parliament consisting of honest, sensible, and respectable men, assembled 

 under such a system ; where is the use or advantage of meeting at all ? 

 A general post letter, directed to the speaker, would answer the purpose 

 equally well and a brace of hardworking clerks, whom Mr. Hume 

 could supply, would register the pledges, and get through the business 

 of the session in a trice. 



It has been urged, that a great deal too much squeamishness has been 

 shewn by certain candidates to this exaction of pledges, inasmuch, as 

 they have heretofore been accustomed to pledge themselves without any 

 hesitation or dislike. " What ?" asks that learned Cicero of the city, 



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