The Express.
London, England, 1852-12-09 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—WRDNESDAY, 1)w. 8.
The beau met at 12 &cluck.

NEW MEMBER.
Ur. OAKU took the ouch* sod bis *cat for Bury St.
Egssand's.

PUBLIC BUSINESS.
PETITIONS PRESEN'TED.
OCEAN rEMPIIf Poicreos.—lly Mr. 8. PALMER, from
Newbury. Berk., for the establishment of.
TICE CASZ Or Hit. E. MCKRAT.—By Mr. A. KIN-
NAIItO, from Perth, praying tut the interference of the
Foreign-office in favour of this gentleman.
Mee ON WINE.—By Mr. 11. OLIVEIRA, nume-
rously signed by the medical officers of many of the hospi-
tals and dispermaries in the metropolis, u also by many of
the most eminent medical and sergical prectitionees, pray-
ing for a reductiou in the duty on foreign wines, their at.
being highly necessary fur the recovery of patieuts and
persons suffering from debility arising (tutu ell health or
accidents.
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTORS BILL.
Sir DE L. EVANS moved the second reading of this
bill, the object of which was to extend the period for the
payment of taxes required trader the ratepaying chimers of
the lieteem Bill to be paid before the voice* name could be
placed on the register—that was, that the taxes to be paid
betore the 20th of July should be those due on the 11th of
the previous October, hastens' of those due on the pith of
Jetsam. The house would remember that he had in pre-
vious sessions brought in a bill to throw back the date from
April, as it stood under the Reform Act, to October, and
that last year that bill was carried, hut that in its progress
threegh the other house the month of January had
been substituted for the one he bad proposed.
The effect of this alteration of the Lords had been to dis-
franchise a vast number of perfectly solvent voters, several
of the revising barristers having ruled at the late registra-
tion that although the pear ice of the assessed tax collectors
was to collect only hell-yeuly the quarter's tai due between
Michaelmas and January mutt nevertheless be paid to en.
title the voter to be registered. In Westminster alone the
effect of this decision, which had been confirmed by the
Common I'l,•as, had been to disfranchise 118 voters. He
might add, that nothwithstanding the judgment of the Com-
mon Pleas, there was much difference of opinion on the
point amongst lawyers, and he hoped the Attorney-General
would favour the house with his view.
Mr. EIti;WEN moved that the bill be read a second
time that day eat months. Ile explained that he had voted
fur the second reading of the previous bill (which was now
the law). bet with the intention of moving to substitute the
swath of January for October, but did not divide the house
upon that amendment. The House of Lords had, however
taken up his suggestion, and the hon. and gallant member
for Westminster had acquiesced, and it was rather too soon
now to extend the time fur payment of these taxes
that which parliament had so recently fixed upon. I any
hon. gentleman thought proper to move the repeal of the
rotepaying clauses of the Reform Act altogether that
would he another question, and a proper one fur conside-
ration.
Sir G. PECGELL supported the bill, and observed that
although the decision of the Court of Common Pleas had
confirmed the view of the revi.ang barrister, that the pay-
ment of the quartet's taxes due between Michaelmas and
January, must be paid, whether demanded or not, before
the 20th July, and notwithstanding that the tax wm
only collected balficarly, the Limit Chief Justice bad
admitted that the ease was one on which difference of opi-
nion might reasonably elist„ and which required therefore
the interference of the legislature, vast numbers of
solvent per on, having been disfranchised by their misap-
prehension of the law. (Hear, hear.)
r. %V. WILLIAMS agreed that the ratepaying clauses
of the Reform BM ought to be asolasheil altogether, and
that the relief now proposed was by no means sudleiest.
Ile would, however, support th- present bill, as being ass,
slight alleviation of the restrictions which thou clawrati•W
posed.
Lord STANLEY remarked that no reason bad boa
given by the hon. sod gallant member (Sir 1/e L. Evens)
why this change of the law should take place. He had
shown no practical grievance as 'Listing under the law as It
stood, neither had he shown that any strong and general
feeling peeve led against that law. No petitions had been
presented, their had been no public meeting., neither had
there been in any ether way an expreseion of public feeling
against it, therefore he was bound to assume that no real in-
c. nvenience was suffered. Had there been really any large
number of persons disfranchised by the law—looking at the
stale of public feeling, and to the fact of a general election
hiving so recently taken place, whereat the grievance must
have operated, hail it 'listed, he could not suppose that
there would not have been some agitation on the subject.
The time now allowed—nine months—fur the payment of
the rates and , was reasonable, and there was sm
reason why any person who was really solvent should not
pay within that period. It was in the power of every person
to tender the tax, and if he did so the collector could not
refuse to take it. The only ewe on which such a bill could
rest was that of a person who not being called upon by the
collector, was so indifferent as to his electoral rights that be
neglected to make the necessary tender; and that was
hardly a ease, he thought, for legislation.
Sir J. V. SHELLEY considered the fret that 118 solvent

voters had been diersuchsed by the law as it nut eddied
was a auSeient cue of grievance to justify the ellteratimes
now proposed. He maintained that it Waa !beauty of par-
, Bement ta put it out of the power of ten collectors to be in-
struraeotal is the disfranchisement of persons who might
happen to entertain political views different to his own, by
neglecting to call upon them for their taxes in time, at was
the case under the law u it stood.
The ATTORNEY GENERAL, in reference to the call
which had been made ap,n him by the boa. and gallant
member, observed that he did not understand it to be any
part of his duty to explain the law to ever, hon. member
in that hours who might wish to have his opinion; sad
he had too much to do to be able to attend to the decisions
of the Revising Barristers' Courts or to the judgments the
Court of Appeal might pronounce upon them, except in
eases op cially and officially brought under his notice; he
wool.), however, endeavour to meet the saes as fat ea be
understood it. The question as he collected it from the
statement of the advocates of the bill, as it anise in the ap-
peal to the Common Pleas, was u to the time at which eel•
tain taxes become payable, and tits ground advanced for
the proposed alteration in the law was the hardship and in•
town oieueo which had resulted from the deciaions on that
question. Now, he could not understand how the present
bill would remedy that difficulty—for whatever limit they
had for the payment of rates as the qualilteation for being
put oa the register, the same question mast always arise—
what taxes were payable for that purpose, sad the time
they were payable ? With regard to the maul question,
he (Sir F. Thssiger) weld only agree with what had been
observed by the noble lord—that mesas bad boss made out
on the pan of the two. and gallant mrattree. emi that no title
of proof had been adduced of individual leheiressee to jus-
tify the demand made upon the haw to Abet this ems
eiderable alteration in the law. The his. Wend (ller J.
Shelley) said that the noble lord had aunt no argeneata,
but that was because none were seeeesiary, mme originally
being predated. After the grievance sat up by Mat be
baronet had broken down, what rimiest ft the ben.
baronet and to the other Imm. and sabot enseber lee
Weitminster ? Nothing at BL The hes. genionme
had talked about the ratepa%lanega, wide ewe not
in question, and he (Sir F. T wee toile dispend to
say that he hoped these &amass be Ines Me seen
deletion but he mend far nem eel ne
clauses shone be delleltri altogether *ea thet th=
be tampered with ifallt time to time, as in web honouree
ae that mow beim Ile hens. Meer, hear.) W was
the objets of the neirienne se proxy heisted es by the
law P 11111.1, OM She mem pissed nee the Peens"
shooed met be halo. person Neu genies= opposite
frequently beenneele nem the virtue of imispeaions km
the elector, sad the ballet yes I. rut and inn )v ea doe
mead that it secured ledeposodret relish Seedy them,
it was expedient to have esisreat man velars ; aid the
perms who was insolvent was net Wady to be
very independent. (liver, hear.) It was lured that
it was • cur ingraey that the tax•getherers might
sot all until within the sir moans ; bat that wee
hardly an ligament to he brought humid manna an ems
nee. II oil. mos thque opposite adman./ that the elective
franchise was • high privilege. (No, ne—it eWht) Well,
• very high and important eight ; It was obvious that
those who had the slightest value he that right had the
readiest mama of securing it to theintehtlie merely by going
t• the tax gatherer at the proper thee. (Hear, hear.)
" Arrean," the expression made use of In this discussion,
was • large-souading phrase • but, alter all, it meant in
this instance only a few 'hilier. (Hear, bear.) These
being the facts of the ease, and taking this view, be ear-
amtly hoped that the bones would agree to the amend-
meat.
Alter some ennversation and personal explanation be-
tween Sir 0. Peeheil, &r F. Thesiger, Sir D. L. Emu, and
Mr. Fromm,
Sir DE L. EVANS replied, 'eying that he thought the
debate whir?' had taken place had shown how superfluous
was the question which Mr. Hume recently addressed to
government, whether it was their inteotion to introduce
any measure of parliamentary refoim ? (Hear, hear.) It
was clear, not only that the present government did not
purpose extend ag the franchise, but that, still worse, they
were anxious to do all they could to restrict the existing
outrage. (Hear, hear.)
Sir A. COCKBURN was decidedly of opinioa that
umethinn ought to be done in this matter to am. nil the
law and the pr,evice, which unalouhtedly in effect resulted
in a delusion. (Meer, hue) Either parliament or the
'I remarry were milled on to put matters as • mere satisfac-
tort footing. No nun paid his taxes and his rates until he
was sued foe them ; and in those caws where the arrears
sot being called for, and, therefore, not bring paid, the
person was tbrown off the re rister, • hardship and en evil
were pestered which hail not beau contemplated by the set
of parlimm nt.
Mr. WALVOLIi entered into • detaile4 statement to
show the, in the case both or the rates and of the assessed
six clear months were given to the ratepayer ; and
this, he contendid—there brine practically a period of four
months after notice, was ample time to enable the per-
nn of the franchise to place himself on
the register The question as to the retention of the rate- I
paying Onuses wee • quio lion of itself, which, if discussed at
ell, •hcold be brought distinetly before the house. But he
coot semi that, after listening to all that had beta said. he
*mild perceive no justification whatever for the peopmel of
the hon. sod gallant member.
Mr. CROWDEIt thought that the matter lied been put
Tactically by the hon. and learned number for Southamp-
ton (Sir A. Cockburn), and that the right hon. gentleman
(Mr. Walpole) bed failed to perceive the point oat width
the proposal before the hoses rested.