The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-08-27 00:00:00

THE FRAME OF THE REFORM ACT.

"The Representation of the People Act, 1867," io now
the law of the land, though most of its provisions will
have no practical operation for 1,09313 time to come.
The act, after all amendments, is still clear and compels.
edettusieefoerinanort of parliament,
eeerlialimeretunt,ttc:ensitts:itnitgeoefeaft:euethstlxietyg
clauses. Clause 3 gives the borough franchise to every
man of full age, &a, who "is on the last day of July in
any year, and has during the whole of the preceding
twelve calendar months, been an inhabitant occupier, as
owner or tenant, of any dwellingliouse (which term by
the interpretation clause include,' any part of a house
occupied as a separate dwelling, or separately rated to
to the relief of the poor') within the borough," "and has
during the time, &a., been rated to all rates for the
relief of the poor (and this includes a borough or county
rate levied an a separate rate, and not paid out of the
poor rate)," and hen, on or before the 20th July, paid all
rates to the sth January. The next clause gives the
borough franchise to every man who, "as a lodger, as
occupied in the same borough, separately and as sole
tenant, for the twelve months preceding the lase day
of July, the same lodgings; such lodgings being part of
one and the same dwellinphouse, and of a clear yearly
value, if let unfurnished, of £lO and upwards ;" and who
"bee resided in such lodgings" during the twelve
months in question, and claimed to be registered at the
next registration. The county franchise comes next
and is bestowed upon any non "seized at law or in
equity of any lands, in., of freehold, copybold, or any
other tenure for life, or lives, or any larger estate of the
clear yearly value of E 5 over and above rates and
charges," or "who is entitled, either as lessee or
assignee, to any lands, ea, for the unexpired residue of
any term originally created for not less than sixty you*,
of the clear yearly value of E 5, ker." The same
franchise is given to every man, "who on the last day
of July is, and has during the twelve months proceeding,
been the occupier, as owner or tenant, of lanes or
tenements within the county of the rateable value of
£12." and hes been rated, and has, on or before the 20th
July, paid all rates to the sth January. Then follows
the famous claim that kills the compound household.,;
and (passing over clauses of only temporary interest)
Lord Cairns' clause comes next, . hereby in three
membered constituencies no one shell vote for more than
two, or in London for more than three candidates.
Sections 10 told (according to the original numbering)
do execution on the four guilty boroughs. Part 2 then
embodies the redistribution scheme with which every
one is now familiar, and it. wording is each that no
question can well arise upon it. Part 3 ocen•
moons with supplemental provisions. The first
section provide that the occupation of "different
premises in immediate succession by any person
as owner or tenant" shall, "except an otherwise
provided." have the lame effect "as a continued oessupw
tion of che sense premises." Looking at tin wording of the
neve& entranchieing denies, it is not difficult to foresee
work for the revising barristers in this clause. This is
followed by a section allowing joint occupation in
counties to qualify in respect of the same premises,
subject to certain restrictions. Notice to occupiers of
rates in arrear and the keeping of • listed arrean is next
provided for. The next series of classes, headed
"Registration of Voters," directs the mode of registra-
tion of occupation voters in counties and lodger voiles
in boroughs. These are followed by a hatch 48 sections
headed "Places for election and polling places," which
require no particular notice. And the "University of
London" i the heading of the following nix sections,
which establish a xyetem of voting subetantiallj the ,
same as in the older universities. But, oddly enough,
the 6th of the clauses under this title is • clause which
extends the limit of re4denee for electors of the city of
London from within seven to within twenty mike of the '
city. The remaining clauses of the Act fell under the ,
heading "Miscellaneous," and are mostly either '
temporary or mere matters of detail. The most
important from a political point of view is the general
saving clause (51 of the otiginal numbering) which
preserves all existing franchises. There are some
claim., however, scattered about the Act, in addition
to those we have referred to, which are of mud) interest
to others besides politicians. Three clause relate to
the purity of elections. Clause 9 (of the old numbering)
enacts that no "elector who within six months before
or during any election shall have been employed for all
or any of the purposes of the election, for reward, by or
on behalf of any candidate, as agent, ea:sesame clerk,
messenger, or in other like employment, shall be
entitled to vote, or if he 'hall so vote, shall be guilty of
a misdemeanour." This, no doubt, is good as far as it
goes. Clause 33 "enacts that it shall not be lawful for
any candidate, et any person on his behalf, at any
emotion for any borough (except five borough. +prattled)
to pay any money on amount of the conveyance of any
voter to the poll;" and any "such payment shaP be
deemed to be an illegal payment within the meaning
of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, 1824" This,
again, is good. as far as it goes. The third provision on
this subject is in claim 46 (still the old numbering)
whereby "any person corruptly paying any rate on
behalf of any ratepayer, for the purpose of enabling
him to be registered as • voter, thereby to influence his
vote at any future election ' • and any candidate or other
person paying any rate on behalf of any voter for the
1 purpou of inducing him to vote or refrain from voting.
I shall be guilty of bribery," In. This is a wonderful
section. Observe the delicate distinction between any
person" in the first clause, and "any candidate or other
use
ye
person" in the second. But the mein beent, of the
, section lies in the use of that mystic word "corruptly."
To buy the vote of • ratepayer already on the mister
ats the ,
price
reete
olhiisrztei
at uislLribe aserrP To buy the vote of
e ;
""
whatevmethepritcemeisyonmlyebel
course this is • patchworkibergi
if done "corruptly "
is only used to cover clause the word corruptly
indecision of purpose, and save the
labour of forusiog and expressing any definite intention.
An ...dee, of some constitutional interest, is one
added in the Lords, which provides that Parliament
Lastly,
furhtnreoliethedreleaerzeinedenbecyti, anyt.idteemregiseantof
tate'. I no
crovt.f.or
to a number of offices, the acceptance of which now
ruses the seat of the acceptor, but does not disqualify
blot for re-election—that, for the future, the mere
Vender of any person from one of these offices to
another shall not mate his seal —Solicit/2es' Jountal.