The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-13 00:00:00

TO LORD JOAN RUSSELL

LETTER. IX.
(Continued from the Lynn of Jan. 8.)

MY Loup,
There have been many instances of late years of
electors subscribing to petitions, praying for their
own disfranchisement or the disfranchisement of the
constituencies to which they belong. They ask to
sacrifice their right, because they cannot exercise it
freely: they would yield it rather than submit to
the galling coercion and intimidation which now
overrules the tree will of the electorates. Petitions
of this character have emanated, amongst other;
from residents in the towns of Stamfi,rd and Ripon;
and I think, my lord, that we may profitably recur
to the facts which have been submitted to polio,
ment respecting these two bin:Highs, in order to WV
what is the condition of electorates in by no means
inconsiderable or unimportant towns.
The first case, my lord, is that of STAntrottn. l a the
month of May, MK a committee of the noose uf
Commons was appointed to inquire into the tilleo.
lions of a petition complaining of the interferi nee 4
the Marquis of Exeter at the elections of romlxil
to serve in parliament for Stamford. The poition
on which this committee was granted was signed by
211 electors and MI other inhabitants of the Is,.
rough. There were a great many statements in the
petition which were not proved before the committec.
I shall therefore abstain from quoting it, and eontine
myself to what wax reported by the committee to
have been established; premising that the committee
was of the most moderate possible character, end
that their report was drawn with an obvious de ,irt to
moderate the facts.

It was proved, my lord, that the Marquis of
Exeter has above 500 tenants in the laolopA pd
Stamford, of whom 192 are electors: the total num-
her of electors in the borough being 574. it was
proved that after the election of Is3o, when the liar.
leigh candidates were hard run by Mr. Tennysn
IrEyncourt, the tenantry who voted for the latter
were treated with such extreme harshness as greatly
to intimidate them. The committee instguee a rasa
which occurred at that period, which illustrates
the rigour of the system under which the town is
held.

It is given in evidence that Lord Thomas Cecil slw the
wife of a voter of the name of Marshall, who lull a
garden under Lord Exeter. Marshall was about to vote for
Lord Thomas sad Mr. Tennyson, and his wife :tat., that
Lord Thomas promised her, if her husband voted for him
alone, that they should not be ejected from the Ranks.
Iler husband did BO vote, but nevertheless received a notice.
The wife remonstrated with Lord Thomas and the notice
was withdrawn.

At the next election, M 1831, her husband send for both
Lord Exeter's nominees (as the want termed it), and was
not put under notice ; but in 1832. he Toed for oue rr l can-
didate and the blue candidate, and he was then turned eat
from the garlen.

These acts of severity made so much impression act
the electorate, that from 1832 to 1847 Stamford was
held by the Nlarquis of Exeter's nominees without
contest. In 1847 a party of electors invited the dis-
tinguished equity lawyer, Mr. Holt, to offer himself
for a vacancy, which was occasioned by the retire.
meat of Sir George Clerk, who had offended lord
Exeter by his votes upon the Corn Bill. Mr. Bolt
presented himself, and the committee report—

That it has been proved that reference was frequently
and openly made at public meetings, as well as on the hurt.
inns or elsewhere, and in public journals and other publics.
tions, to the facts, or alleged facts, that the voters were
threatened with the marquis's displeasure if they in any
way promoted Mr. ltolt's election, and that the voters be.
lieveil, and were acting under the belief, that they would
be discharged by the said marquis from their premises if
they promoted Mr. Rolt's election. It does not appear that
any one was authorised to contradict, or did contradict, such
alleged facts, except that Dr. Hopkinson, who proposed
Lori Granhy on the hustings, denied the use of any undue
influence by Lord Exeter or his agents, and no au, nu of
Lord Exeter were present on any public occasion during
the election. Your committee, think, however, that it up.
pears that an apprehension did prevail among the tenantry
that they would be discharged from their premises if they
did not promote the election of the candidates approved by
the marquis, founded on the circumstances which incurred
in 1830.

This, my lord, is a sample of the state of things
which exists under the Reform Bill. Was this what
your lordship expected when you recommended that
measure to the British parliament and British
people ?
On the whole the impression which was left on the
minds of the Stamford committee is stated to have
been, that the discharge of the tenants in 8430 led the
voters to fear that they ran the risk of similar conse-
quences if they voted against the Burghley interest in
1847. The committee state that they also believe that
some of the ejected tenants would not have been dim.
charged, if it had not been for the votes they gave: and
they wind up by declaring " that they are led to con-
clude, that an undue influence had been made to
operate on the minds of a great portion of the con-
stituency, and that they have thus been placed under
a certain amount of bias and constraint in the exer-
cise of their elective franchise." Such, my lord, is the
report of the Stamford committee. It 'thews that a
constituency, even of moderate proportions, is not
safe from the intimidation of a powerful peer; it
shows that your Reform Act, which was designed
to make the franchise every man's privilege, has in
certain cases made it a burden and an injury: it
shows, also, the necessity of being resolute in deal-
ing with the present system of elections.
My lord, these cases illustrate, I think, completely,
the injustice, the tyranny, and the oppression, which
has, been practised in the borough towns of
England since the Reform Act passed into a law.
I propound an all-important question when I ask
what is your remedy for these abuses? It must be a
large and a complete one. The evil itself is of a
nature that reiptires complete eradication ; and it
must be a popular and comprehensive measure that
wilt rally around you the people by whose power
alone you can hope to defeat the combined forces of
whig and tory boroughmongers which you will find
arrayed in detente of the abuse.
The leading characteristic of the legislative pro-
ceedings of this nation is anything but that of
which all sections of legislators make the loudest pro-
fession. In almost every debate the people arc told
that their well-being is the sole end the law-makers
have at heart. Alas, my lord, those who are behind
the curtain, and who know anything of the springs
by which the state machine is influenced, know full
well that the public interest is the last thing thought
of.

Let us take a glimpse behind the scenes. A
motion is brought forward, involving, as we will
suppose, some useful measure of reform in our juris-
prudence. A lawyer—perhaps an Attorney-General
—gets up to speak upon it. What constitutional
principles ; what felicity of illustration : what smooth
and well-turned periods; how fascinating a manner;
what deeply expressed conviction of the impoliev (on
public grounds) of the change which is prop;sed!
My lord, an hour before that law officer came down,
he was not aware that such a subject was to be
discussed, and he was " crammed" upon it on his way
from the Temple-chambers to the house by au otfieer
of the court,iu the annual receipt of 3,0001. f.romsuitorai
for doing nothing? Or it is a question of church reve-
nues that is about to be debated. The Bishops'
accounts are being overhauled, and the peccadilloes
of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners looked into. Mark
that must respectable old whig. llr rises to address
the House. I I ow confident his deprecation of " the
tune" in which the question is brought fens ard:
how solemn his admonition to the much lounger
mover: how confident his expression of cons iction that
the commissioners were right : how disinterested his
defence of all their acts! This gentleman is a church-
man ;—yes, and he is also the brother of a bishop,
who has been guilty of far worse jobbery than any
thing revealed to the !louse, and who lives in constant
fear that his turn is about to conic. Ands° it is. ale
lord, all through the chapter. There is a great muster
of members on a Railway Bill. WhydJ they
[ensemble? To throw it out because it is a had
line ?—beeause it takes a circuitous and inconvenient
route ? Not a bit of it. They have come in obedi-
ence to a " whip" sent out by a county member
who could not get from the company the compensa-
tion he demanded! There is a great party straggle.
The lion. Toni Noddy, who is generally classed as
an oppositionist, votes in favour of the government.
alas he been convinced by the arguments of their
supporters ; or is he tired of his principles, or dis-
gusted with his party ? Neither. Ask him, and ho
will tell you candidly that he voted " no" instead of
" aye because it was his wife's brother's depart-
meat that was specially assailed, and because his

wife, and her mother =kit a point with him that
support the family." So wags the house.
selfishness. is the ruling characteristic in parliament
sect...ahem and if you only. dive deep enough into
H"ok.. of action, you will find few men who
ki„.e,,t a private motive fur their public conduct.
1t no titne and under no circumstances was this
gnut fact so vie idly developed as during the •
,ex
the the Iteform Hills which you successively
eahmitted to parliament in 1831 and IKI2. In the
letters I have already taken leave to address to you,
hies endeavoured to exhibit sane of the effects of
„4.1ei.,h course of puller. The principle of the bill
eels ..wrifieed to expediency—the rights of the
„„„irde were. in too many eases, bartered
I.r a temporary rapport. And the
b,,Wietzhniongers, as it seviis to me, were not half so
tulp able t hese nelociat a 111:4.t.he whig goverument
with whom they neritiatesl. •I he boroughmengem
evenly and avowedly treated their boroughs u
th,ar prepertv—as property which they were as
ouch entitlea to barter as any other part of
their estates. Ilut the government assumed to
take their stand upon great principles. They affected
to be inilue need by a pure regard for the people's ,
rizlits: anti it was their duty, at whatever sacrifice
vi !.slim. to see that justice was done and to main-
tain it. yet. my lord, I believe there was a very
great amount tit troth in the allegation which was
vow:ly made in those days that the whig
adminw-
trati.sa wen• themselves the gnmtebt jobbers iu con-
se lion with the bill.
hi looking thronah the debate's of IS:II, one is
otrvek with the inee.rreness of the local and status-
tiial information which was brought to bear in the
debates: this has led me to compile, fur your informa-
tion the following table, in which 1 have arranged all
the count iea areklitlia4 TO t heir relative values io regard
• rrlierty. population, and the number of houses
thee cntain. It is the tint list of the Tort, I ba-
bel" that has been published :

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II
N.,w. my lad. I request your attention whilst I
to avour. very briefly. to point out some of the
xionialits this table presents to us.
the csiunties which arc obviously excessively repre-
mutt,' in proportion both to property and popula-
tion art•—liuckitighantshire, I)orsetshire, Wiltshire,
Sti—ex. I lunipshire, and Devonshire.
It i. these counties which contain the small nomi-
nation boroughs, the circumstances and peculiarities
of which it has been one of the objects of these letters
to exhibit.

BITKINCII‘NISIIIIRE contains Aylesbury, Bucking-
ham, Marlow, and Wycombe. returning two metn•
hers each, though all towns of small population.
'hoist rsit I its: C. littains Bridport, Dorthe. ter, Lyme
Poole. Shaftesbury, Wareham, andWeymouth,
t..s 114 which under a new arrangement would be
alsquately represented by six members, instead of the
number they return at present.
WILT.,IIIRE, besides Salisbury and Devizes, re-
turn• members for Caine, Chip penham. Crieklade,
Milinesbury, Nlarlhoroug:,, Westbury,and 'Wilton,all
nomination boroughs, which would he adequately re-
presiited be 1 members, instead of 10.
St -six hiss one large town, Brighton, and two
smaller constituencies, Lewes and 'lasting& All
its other boroughs are rotten, namely Arundel, Chi-
cluster, Horsham. Midhurst, Rye, and Shoreham.
Ilwy might be satisfactorily re-arranged and fully re-
prisionted by half the number of members now re-
turned for them.

II v41.'41110: has five boroughs. which would be
fully represented by half the number of members
they now return. These boroughs are Andover,
Cnristehurch, Lcmington, Newport, and Petersfield.
The towns of 'Portsmouth, Winchester, and South-
ampton are of more consideration.
Di ‘ossitimr. contains at least six boroughs which
C,Caire to be dealt with, viz., Ashburton, Barnstaple,
Itittmouth. Honiton, Taviatock, and Totness. These
t .wris return ten members. and would be more than
suiquatt ly represented by five. Tiverton is doubtful.
litronpurt, Exeter, and Plymouth are large consti-
tuencies.

Your lordship thus aces that the excessive repre-
sentation of these counties is occasioned by the con-
tinuance of these small towns in possession of distinct
rights of returning members to the !louse of Commons.
Many of these towns were in Schedules A and B of
du original Reform Bill. 1 submit that in effect it
er.sald be proper to restore them to their respective
plates.
. . .

But ere I go to that topic it is proper to glance at
some other features of this table; and first of all at
thy list of counties which, in contradistinction to that
tires above, are insufficiently represented. They'
are—Durham, Essex, Warwick, Stafford, Surrey,
West Riding. Lancashire, and Middlesex. These are
the auntie,, my lord, to which the Reform Acts tailed
to do justice.
Di KIM( has two towns, namely Gateshead and
t.,4.11 Shield,. each with populations above 20,000,
and only le•rmitted to return one member.
E.,si.x has a very considerable town, namely,
laishml. which ought to be provided, for in the
n it' wal reprewntat ion.
W %an' o k contains a first class borough, namely
Birmingham, with a population of 200,000, and pro-
'arty ut the annual value of 600,0001., or
more population and nearly the same property as
Burk,.

ionD contains one borough, Wolverhampton,
with nearly 100,000 inhabitants ; and another,
Walsall, with 17,000; the latter returning only one
member.

beasts contains the two great districts of Lam-
Nth and Southwark, both of which ought to be
The Wl--4 Riot sr; contains the great constituen-
t', sof Bradford, !weds, and Sheffield. Iluddersfield,
with nearly :10,000 population, and one member;
Wakefield. with 2st or 27,000 and one member—both
very insufficiently represented.
L'AN, V.IIIKE presents a still worse example of the
injustice of the Reform Act. Here arc Ashton,
bury, ltoehdale. Salford, and Warrington—all large
trans, with one member only; and Manchester and
Liverpool. with populations of 300,000, and property
equal to the representation of several counties, and
y 4 , only returning two.
Hut if injustice is dune to Lancashire, what are we
t'l.,g• to Mtind.f.mt:x ? Lancashire has 26 represen-
t dive+. and ought to have at least a dozen more.
Ito which stands at the head of the list,
n turns only II members, or the same number as
11,'rrwtshire. which stands thirty•first on it. Middle-
b". ley lord, as the following comparative view will
"errs you. has more population and more pmperty
th,u the tsi.lve 'smallest counties put together, corn-
untiring sit), lionret arid ending with Rutland!
Property.
Annual Vales. Population.
Nhilttleset
The 12 counties hese , 7,049,377 .... 1,609,194

!Wince £535,291 .... 286,615
I e balance, my lord, is equal to the property and
Nallaiion of a county. And yet, if you regard the
aumly r of inmbers returned by these constituencies,
you Will had that
31thousia returns FOURTEEN members!

The TWELVE CoUNTIEB return EIGHTT-TWO!!
Leaving your lordship to ponder over these ano-
malies,
I have the honour to remain,
RUNNYMEDE.

Vbe Court.

WINDSOR, JAN. 12.
The Queen and Prince Albert did not take their
usual early walk this morning, owing to the unfavourable
state of the weather.
Iler Majesty and L'rince Albert rode in the riding-horn
this morning.
The l'riuce of Wales and the Princess Royal took exer-
cise in the riding-house.

Mr. Dunn had an interview with Earl Grey, yesterday, at
the Colonial-attire.
The Marquis of Normanby transacted business, yester-
due. at the Foreign-other.
bepatehes were received, ye.terday, at the Colonial-
office trona the Governor of New South Wales.
Lord Seymour has returned to town.

Lord thutricarde has declared his intention to
leave the cabinet so soon as a SUCCCISOT can be practiced.
The noble lord has been solicited to take the French mel-
ba...l. should Lord Normanby become a member of the
cabinet.— Globe.

M. Tlimts arrived in London yesterday morn-
ity by the Steam Navigation l'onipativ ship Soho.
e learn alio that ("mends Changarnier nod Laraoriciere
have also arrived in town.