So] 
without producing any fact in proof 
of the allegation, except an arith- 
metical calculation, which only prov- 
ed it to be, what needed no proof, 
unequal. The right honourable 
gentleman feemed to have con- 
founded the end with the means. 
Experience had convinced them, 
that the reprefentation was not ina- 
dequate, but that the houfe of com- 
mons, conftituted as it was, anfwered 
all the beneficial purpofes that could 
poflibly be defired. ‘This was a 
cafe in which we might lofe every 
thing and could gain nothing. The 
liberty of the country ftood in need 
of no fpeculative fecurity, it could 
not be better fecured than it was. . 
Mr. Flood having adduced the 
fupport given in parliament to the 
American war, contrary to the fenfe 
of the people, as a proof of the ne- 
ceffity of a reform, Mr. Wyndham 
denied, that the ‘continuance of the 
American war had been owing to 
the inadequacy of reprefentation ; 
on the contrary, he faid, it was the 
war of the people: a better proof 
of which need not be defired, than 
what had happened to the member 
e Briftol, a raght honourable friend 
fF his (Mr. Burke), who had been 
ti iinet out for oppofing its continu- 
ance. Towards the clofe of that war, 
which had been undertaken with no 
better reafons, he was afraid, than the 
hope of faving themfelves by taxing 
America, a clamour .indeed was 
faifed on account. of the expence 
and ill fuccefS attending it, and the 
cry was for a reform of .reprefen- 
tation in parliament, as a remedy 
for the evils, which the people had 
at leaft their fhare in bringing 
upon themfelves. He had hoped, 
that the wild notions which were 
generated during that war, had hap- 
pily fubfided, never to rife again: 
and he was forry to find, tha ty like 
a 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1799. 
locufts, they had only lain torpid, 
and had been brought to life again © 
by the heat and fermentation which 
prevailed in the affairs of the conti- 
nent. He was forry to, hear them’ © 
again buzzing abroad, and dara 
it t portended no good to the verdure: 
and beauty of the Brituth conftitu-— ’ 
tion. 
But if he had approved ever ds 
much of the right honourable gen- 
tleman’s propofition for a parlia- 
mentary reform, he fhould obje& to 
it on account of che time at which 
he had thought proper to introduce 
it. What, he faid, would he advife 
them to repair their houfe in the 
hurvicane feafon? Speculatifts and 
vifionaries enough were at work in © 
a neighbouring country 3 there was 
project againft project, and theory — 
againit theory, frontibus adverfis 
pugnantia; he intreated the houfe 
to wait a little for the event, and in’ | 
the mean time to guard with all © 
pofiible care againft catching from 
them the infeétion. 
Mr. Pitt followed Mr. Wyndham, 
and faid, that after the extraordi- 
nary difplay of ingenuity and wif. 
dom which the houfe had juft heard, 
little remained to be faid upon the © 
merits of the motion, What he 
fhould fay, therefore, would relate to — 
the queftion, fo far as he might be — 
thought perfonally concerned in ity 
He had brought forward, fome years 
back, a propofition of the fame na- 
ture; to which the oppofition had 
been fuccefsful, though the times, 
and a variety of other circumftances, 
were then more favourable than at 
prefent. The chief objection, then, © 
was, the danger of innovation; and © 
it was a knowledge of the impref ” | 
fion that argument t had made, which — 
rendered him defirous of waiting 
till fome more favourable moment 
than the prefent fhould offer itfelf, 
when — 
