SHERIDAN’S MOTION RESPECTING THE ROYAL BURGHS OF SCOTLAND.
Petitions had recently been presented to parliament, setting forth the general mismanagement, misapplication of money, dilapidation of property, and various grievances sustained in consequence of the usurped authority of certain self-elected magistrates in the royal burgs of Scotland. On the 18th of April Mr. Sheridan made a motion for an inquiry into the grievances thus complained of and petitioned against. The main grievance was considered to lie in the self-election of the magistrates; and Sheridan required that this practice should be abolished. He remarked, it was urged that abuses of a similar nature existed in England; but he did not consider that this was an argument to justify abuses in either country. Was justice, he asked, to be defeated by a community of oppression? As there was a dread of innovation at this period, Sheridan endeavoured to disarm this principle. Some persons, he observed, think that the French revolution should deter us from thinking of reform. Whatever might be the conduct of the parties engaged in it, with regard to the event itself, there could but be one feeling upon the subject; exultation and joy at the downfall of despotism in France, which had been the greatest enemy England ever had. Its ambitious, restless, and turbulent spirit, he said, had cost England thousands of subjects and millions of money; but now that which had long disturbed the happiness of the human race was completely destroyed. Could Sheridan have seen into futurity, he would not thus exultingly have triumphed over the downfall of the despotic government of France; for the revolution was to cost England much more blood and treasures than the monarchs of France had cost her at any period of history. Sheridan’s speech had the very reverse effect of that which he intended; it rather exasperated than allayed the general fear. His motion was opposed by the Lord-advocate for Scotland, who defended the corporations and magistrates of the royal burghs from the charges brought against them; and asserted that the power of self-election had worked well, and was held in sufficient restraint by public opinion. Sheridan was ably supported by Fox; but his motion was lost by sixty-nine against twenty-seven.