The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-10 00:00:00

tution, and se • to a still greater extent power f
PUnr.RIGHT, judging by the intelligence displayed
•
by the ratepayers between U. and 101. a year be
local matters, believed there was no danger of the
electoral body being deteriorated in character by the
noble lords' plan; but he regretted that care was not take's
to prevent the exercise of coercive influence by large nano.
facturen and others, who had many of these smaller voters
dedendent upon them, by introducing the protection of the
ballot. He saw no reasons for lowering the county fray.
chime to 201. which did not apply with equal lures in favour
of earrTing the reduction to 10r. What reason was then
for saying that the men who occupied a 101. house in the
country was not as intelligent and as respectalik ea the road
who lived in a 111. home. in • borough ? The noble lord
bad talked about maintaining the balance of interests,
but the preponderance of the represei.tatives of the laud
and opponents of the settled question of free trade, which
he supposed he meant, was not n balance of interests
hut merely a dead lock to the governnient• lie warned
to know why such places as Thetford and Barwick
should send two members, while such boroughs WI Man.
Chester, Finsbury, or Westminster sent no more j A settle.
ment on such a lauds could not he permanent nor ought it
to be so. Be urged the noble lord to consider between this
and the next stage of the bill the propriety ut withdrawing
the eitetencre from those small beroughs he proposed to en.
large, and apportioning them to the large coustituencies or
to new constituencies raised from more popiiiii.e. didricts
Urging the desirability of short Parliaments, approving the
course of the Government as regarded oaths, if oaths were
to be taken, but recommeuiling that there should be ea
oath at all, he regretted that Lord J. Itunell bail not done
more now, instead of leaving open questious for future
sessions.
Mr. 11. BAILLIE taunted Lord Jobe with net providing
for the repeal of the Septennial Act, if be meant to make
the measure a democratic one ; so I expressed his decided
opinion that no measure of return would give satisfaction
which did not propose to aliorteu the duration of perineum.
With regard to the small boroughs' the only fair ?aide of
dealing with them was to extinguish theta altogether. Ile
then complained of the unfair proportion of representeti,
enjoyed by England as compared ,itit Irelaind and Soot_
land; and thought the members for these two couetres
would fail in their duty if they did not unite in demanding
have
thatv, to.
recwhoiremh
bill,they
letwere
them h
justly ,
have
entitled.
areal
atut
~
ub
If
.theyt. ,wi
..,i ereootee
one that would give a fairer andmore equal distribution of
the franchise to all classes of the people.
Mr. ItOCIIE was surprised to hear such liberal senti-
ments as had just been enunciated by Mr. Baillie COating
from what used to be called the tory can,
- ... and au4urid
from it that the people would nut be diseppointed this time
in übtairing a real reform bill. Mr. Ruche then en mined
the measure on the supposition that it war to be applied ia
its integrity to Ireland.
Mr. NE WI/EUATE condemned the tacking of the Jew
Bill to that for the reform of parlioinent, for no porisse
that he could understand hut to curry favour with a sery
small class of the community, at the risk of giving offence
to the House of Lord..

Mr. TILELAWNY spoke in favour of the plan.
Sir,J. WALMSLEI boGcvod that the government rata.
sure would nut meet with the approbation Of the cuuntrr,
and contrasted the liberal speech of Mr. Baillie with ti
noble lord's statement. He dwelt especially Oa the alism
of the ballot—the withholding the right M repr,sentatim
from many populous towns, and declared the bill Will t.
tally unworthy of beina trolled a Roman Bill.
Lord RAWLY VANE fully approved of the principles I
the hill.

Mr. ANSTEY accepted it ma large instalment of reform,
and es a means of acre lerating that larger
eluding the ballot and short parham itts—which he asi
many others wished to ace carried, 'flie ballot wu. quad,
necessary as a protection against the influence of the
lord and the interference (in the ease of the Reinke ca.
tholies) of the busy, meddling !tricot. Ile was vs iv
to find that it was not intended to interfere with the aunty
constituencies of Ireland. Ito hoped the noble bird would
yet give compensation to the enmities of that country hada
electors absorbed from them to make up the borough con•
stituencies.

iiii.IYRELL thought the hill en extremely harmless
one, but doubted whether it %mild be sati•factory to say
party. lie remarked on the tart of the noble lard, who,
supposing his bill would not satisfy the hlanehi,tir piny,
threw out a bait to them on the educational gut +jun.
Colonel SIBTIIORP deuounced the goseniment and all
their measures.

Mr. W. 0. STANLEY said a few words in support of tie
measure, and
Lord J. RUSSELL having stated that the second read.
ing would take place on Friday sennight,
Mr. DISRAELI demanded a longer interval for re.
Section, the more especially as it was und, r-tood the hdl
would not be on the table until Thursday next. Judguig
from the minister's statemen', he did net think the project
was calculated to disturb the existing halanci of repreienta-
tion to any great extent ; thi refine his mina was much re-
lieved; at the same time he dispute(' Mr. Bright's prynCl.
ple, that because Thetford with a very small populatma
returned two members, therefore Manchester should reties
more than two. The inference was the other way—that ta
smaller town should not retain so many. lie rverved to
himself the right to consider whether it was wise to deal
with the question at the present time; and, if sg, whetter
the measure proposed was calculated to lee edici(ut for as
alleged purpose.
Sir G. GREY and Sir B. HALL spoke against delay;
the latter, however, expressing himself confident that the
noble lord's bill would make the county constituency more
corrupt than it was at present, unless the franchise fras
probated by the ballot. The principle of the preset bid
ought to be like that of IM—enacting disfranchisement est
the one band, and enfranchisement on the other. Ile theucht
the same ggialificatiou should obtain in the counties so .a
the boroughs.
Lord NEWPORT said a few words, which were Itet
heard.

Lord DUDLEY STUART considered the measure.s.
adequate to meet the requin•meim of the country, eat
hoped it would be accepted as an instalment.
After a few words from Mr. M. ()Toys tit and Capta4
llAunts,
Lord J. RUSSELL, in reply to a question from Mr. E.
B. linens, stated, that a separate bill would be iutroda,e4
tor Ireland on Friday neat.
Tim motion was then agreed to.
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.

..... -
Lord J. RUSSELL obtained leave to introduce a bill to
provide for more effectual inquiry into the esistince of
corrupt practices at elections for members to serve in pa.
liament.

On the motion of Lord Na.ts the following returns wire
ordered :—Accounts fur the third and fourth quarters of the
year 1851 respectively, of the number of quarters of what,
barley, and oats, and of the number of sacks and barrels of
Hour respectively imported into England, Ireland, end
Scotland, severally fruni the United States of Amerce,
from Canada, from France, and from all other parts of
Europe; distinguishing the quantity of those articles sect
from each country respectively; also, stating the number
of quarters of wheat to whi:h the entire number nines'
and barrels of flour from each country are all equivaliot
(in continuation of parliamentary purer, No. 565, of ICS6i4I
1851).
The house adjourned at halt-ptut 10.