THE 



MONTHLY MAGAZINE 



OF 



POLITICS, LITERATURE, AND THE BELLES LETTRES. 



Vol. XII.] JULY, 1831. [No. 67. 



EUROPE AND THE ENGLISH PAaLIAMENT. 



The legislature which is to effect the great work of change has met 

 at last ; and its first operation is announced to be " Reform." We shall 

 not stigmatize the word by giving it the meaning which thousands and 

 tens of thousands of the most desperate and dark-minded rabble that 

 ever ti-ied the wisdom, or cried out for the downfal of a state, have 

 given. We shall listen to those graver casuists, who deny that it is 

 " Revolution ;" while they admit that it reaches to its verge. We 

 shall, for the moment, range ourselves with the well-wishers to the 

 measure, and ask in the most deliberate spirit, whether it tends to good 

 or evil. But first, of the King's speech. On Tuesday, the 21st of 

 June, a day which will make itself long memorable, his Majesty delivered 

 the following sentiments : — 



" My Lords and Gentlemen. — I have availed myself of the earliest oppor- 

 tunity of resorting to your advice and assistance, after the dissolution of the 

 late Parliament. Having had recourse to that measure for the purpose of. 

 ascertaining the sense of my people on the expediency of a reform in the 

 representation, I have now to recommend that important question to your 

 earliest and most attentive consideration, confident that in any measures you 

 may propose for its adjustment, you will carefully adhere to the acknowledged 

 principles wf the constitution, by which the prerogative of the crown, the 

 authority of both Houses of Parliament, and the rights and liberties of the 

 people, are equally secured. The assurances of a friendly disposition, which I 

 continue to receive from all foreign powers, encourage the hope that, notwith- 

 standing the civil commotions .which have disturbed some parts of Europe, and 

 the contest now existing in Poland, the general peace will be maintained. To 

 the preservation of this blessing, my most anxious care will be constantly di- 

 rected. The discussions which have taken place on the affairs of Belgium havfr 

 not yet been brought to a conclusion ; but the most complete agreement con- 

 tinues to subsist between the powers whose plenipotentiaries have been 

 engaged in the Conferences of London. The principle on which these con- 

 ferences has been conducted, has been that of not interfering with the rights 

 of the people of Belgium to regulate their internal affairs, and to establish 

 their government according to their own views of what may he most con- 

 ducive to their future welfare and independence, under the sole condition, 

 sanctioned by the practices of nations, and founded on the principles of 

 public law, that, in the exercise of that undoubted right, the security of 

 neighbouring states should not be endangered. A series of injuries and 

 insults, for which, notwithstanding repeated remonstrances, all reparation 



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