independent borough, who in the morning might possibly be brought
before him in a state presenting a good imitation of the odious and
ungodly crime of drunkenness, which called down the wrath of the moral
legislators of the age of King James. Sir Robert Inglis having reminded
Mr. Brougham that a higher authority than that of James I. had denounced
drunkenness, and that if he himself were found in the street in a state
of inebriety, no magistrate performing his duty would fail to punish
him, Mr. Brougham replied, that he had not the good fortune to be
educated at the university represented by the baronet. It was, indeed,
well replied by Dr. Johnson to a lady who inquired of him to which
university she should send her son: "Why madam, I can only say, that
there is an equal quantity of port drunk at each." He was perfectly
aware that a higher authority than King James had denounced drunkenness,
but the difference was, that that high authority made no distinction
of persons, whereas the act of James did. Could the right honourable
baronet point out one instance of a member of parliament having been
punished for drunkenness? Sir Robert repeated, that if Mr. Brougham
would go into the street drunk, he would soon meet with due punishment;
he replied, that it would be grossly unfair, inasmuch as there were
thousands of gentlemen in the same situation never noticed. This was an
unanswerable argument, and the subject was dropped.

THE QUESTION OF REFORM.

It has been seen that the Marquis of Blandford moved resolutions
pledging the house forthwith to employ themselves in the work of reform,
as an amendment to the address. On the 18th of February he brought
forward a more specific plan. The house of commons, he argued, had
ceased to be framed as the essential principles and earlier practice
of the constitution required; a circumstance which had arisen from
represented places falling into decay, on the one hand, while, on the
other, wealthy and populous towns, which had sprung up in the meantime,
were unrepresented. His object was, he said, to restore the principles
of representation as they had been established in the days of Henry III.
and the three Edwards. For this purpose he proposed that a committee
should be chosen by ballot, to take a review of all boroughs and cities
in the kingdom, and report to the secretary of the home department those
among them which had fallen into decay, or had in any manner forfeited
their r