f the House of Commons and
within its walls, Lord Cochrane continued fearlessly to set forth
the troubles of the people and the wrong-doing of its governors. In
Parliament petitions without number were presented, and, amid all
sorts of contumely, defended by him; and he took a no less active part
in various important discussions, of which it will suffice, by way of
illustration, to name the debates of the 3rd, 14th, and 28th of March,
on the famous Seditious Meetings Bill, and that of the 13th of March
on the depressed condition of English trade and its causes--a subject
which was recurred to by Mr. Brougham in his memorable motion of the
11th of July on the state of the nation.

Six weeks before that, on the 20th of May, Lord Cochrane spoke on
another famous motion--that made by his friend Sir Francis Burdett
in favour of parliamentary reform. Once more, he complained that the
existing House of Commons in no way represented the people, and was
entirely regardless of its interests. Nothing better, he alleged,
could be hoped for, without a radical change in the system of
representation. "But," he continued, "reform we must have, whether we
will or no. The state of the country is such that things cannot much
longer be conducted as they now are. There is a general call for
reform. If the call is not obeyed, thank God the evil will produce
its own remedy, the mass of corruption will destroy itself, for the
maggots it engenders will eat it up. The members of this House are the
maggots of the Constitution. They are the locusts that devour it and
cause all the evils that are complained of. There is nothing wicked
which does not emanate from this House. In it originate all knavery,
perjury, and fraud. You well know all this. You also know that the
means by which the great majority of the House is returned is one
great cause of the corruption of the whole people. It has been said,
'Let the people reform themselves;' but if sums of money are offered
for seats within these walls, there will always be found men ready to
receive them. It is impossible to imagine that the profuse expenditure
of the late war would have taken place, had it not been for a corrupt
majority devoted to their selfish interests. At least it would have
had a shorter duration, from being carried on in a more effective
manner, had it not been conducive to the views of many to prevent its
speedy termination. Much has been said about the glorious result of
the w