Early in this session Lord John Russell called the attention of the
commons to the subject of parliamentary reform. The scheme he proposed
was to add one hundred members to the house, to be returned by the
counties and larger towns, and to divest the minor boroughs of half the
privileges they enjoyed. This was a moderate proposal, and yet it met
with the most strenuous opposition, and especially from Mr. Canning. He
conjured the house to oppose the introduction of any visionary schemes;
and asserted, that a search after abstract perfection in government was
not an object of reasonable pursuit, because it would prove vain. He
added:--"I conjure the noble lord to pause before he again presses
his plan on the country. If, however, he shall persevere, and if his
perseverance shall be successful, and if the results of that success
be such as I cannot help apprehending--his be the triumph to have
precipitated those results, mine be the consolation, that to the
utmost, and the latest of my power I have opposed thorn." The motion was
negatived; and the proposal of a general resolution by Mr. Brougham on
the influence of the crown, which was introduced with the same ultimate
views of reform, shared the same fate.

CAUSE OF THE GREEKS--PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

The contest which was raging between the Greeks and their oppressors
this year came under the notice of parliament. The Mussulmen had
everywhere committed the most atrocious cruelties, and the sensations of
horror which they produced in England caused Mr. Smith to put a
question in the commons, regarding connivance, or at least neglect of
remonstrance on the part of our diplomatic agents. Lord Londonderry
answered in a flippant manner, that a calamity had occurred in which
ten or twelve hostages had been executed, but which was justified by the
barbarity of the Greeks. Sir James Mackintosh now took up the question
in a strong remonstrance. He asked whether it was mentioned in any of
the despatches that the markets of Smyrna and Constantinople were filled
with Greek ladies and children? whether ministers could afford the
nation any account of the new slave-trade recently established in the
East for Christian families? and whether any of those persons who had
been murdered at Constantinople had been under the protection of the
British minister, or had surrendered themselves to the Turks under
any pledge, promise, or assurance of safety from our ambassador? Lord
Lon