6uch  objections  prove  too  much :  they  would
exclude  most  important  questions,  and,  cer-
tainly, all  reformatory  measures.  It  is  one
of  the  chief  advantages  of  free  government^
that  they  excite, — sometimes  to  an  incon-
venient  degree,  but,  upon  the  whole,  with
the  utmost  benefit, — all  the  generous  feel-
ings, all  the  efforts  for  a  public  cause,  of
which  human  nature  is  capable.  Bat  there
is  one  point  in  the  ingenious  speech  of  (he
Honourable  Baronet,  which,  as  it  touches  the
great  doctrines  of  the  Constitntion,  and  in-
volves a  reflection  on  the  conduct  of  many
Members  of  this  House,  cannot  be  passed
over,  without  an  exposition  of  the  fallacy
which  shuts  his  eyes  to  very  plain  truths. —
Mr.  Burke,  in  the  famous  speech  at  Bristol,
told,  indeed,  his  constituents,  that  as  soon  as
he  should  be  elected,  however  much  he
might  respect  their  opinions,  his  votes  must
be  governed  by  his  own  oonscience.  This
doctrine  was  indispatablj^  true.  But  did  he
not,  by  his  elaborate  justification  of  his
public  conduct,  admit  their  iurisdiction  over
It,  and  acknowledge,  that  if  ne  failed  in  con-
verting them,  they  had  an  undoubted  right
to  reject  himi  Then^  if  theyfeould  justly
reject  him,  for  diffenng  from  what  they
thought  right,  it  follows,  most  evidentl}',
that  they  might,  with  equal  justice,  refuse
their  suffrages  to  him,  it  they  thought  his
fntnre  votes  likely  to  differ  from  those  which
they  deemed  indispensable  Ao  the  public
weal.  If  they  doubted  what  that  future
conduct  might  be,  they  were  entitled,  and
bound,  to  require  a  satisfactory  explanation,
either  in  public  or  in  private ;  and  in  case
of  nnsatisfactoryj  or  of  no  explanation,  to
refuse  their  support  to  the  candidate.  This
duty  the  people  may  exercise  in  whatever
form  they  deem  most  effectual.  They  im-
pose no  restriction  on  the  conscience  of  the
candidate ;  they  only  satisfy  their  own  con-
science, by  rejecting  a  candidate,  of  whose
conduct,  on  the  most  momentous  question,
they  have  reason  to  doubt.  Far  less  could
constituMits  be  absolved,  on  the  present  occa-
sion^ from  the  absolute  duty  of  ascertaining
the  determination  of  candiaates  on  the  sulv
ject  of  Pariiamen  lary  Reform .  His  Majesty.
