1819 June 16

To Erskine

Lett. 7. Whigs Anti Reformists

§.3. Pos. 2. No desire testified

3

What /That which/ could scarcely have been a secret to the most incurious among them is – that the real object of real contention – the power once gained it would have been in their power at any time to make a stand, and lay parliamentary reform still more easily than any other reform /reform in any other shape/, upon the shelf.

Simple as it was, when Pitt the second, the first of radical reformists came into power, even diminution of influence was – and without any sort of difficulty, laid upon the shelf. Diminution of influence? Oh yes and change in the state of the representation likewise. Compleatly by that rival of the Whigs /Tory, and then Whig/ in the caress[?] of consistency and sincerity was reform in both shapes laid upon the shelf. No less Compleatly was reform in both its shapes laid upon the shelf in 1806 upon the formation /advent/ of that which used to be called the Whig Ministry, but which henceforward, taught /instructed/ by Your Lordships incontrovertible evidence, we must call the Grenville Ministry. +

+ See M r Place’s Reply to Lord E. one[?] see M r H.s pamphlet p. | | and Lord E.’s Defence p.