The Express.
London, England, 1848-05-15 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 1848.

third of it) was concentrated in Middlesex, Stafford-
shire, Cheshire, Lancashire, the West Riding of York-
ltenfrewshire, and the county of
stFhOiWifreerill: lAalanndtharmawk.hatticiicti;isnirvaillPagespuliastirreaotlfyilineellismcsall
of the agricultural population.
The householders in the towns and villages of these
counties are almost to a man liberal ; and equal elec-
toral districts, with secret voting, would give from
these counties an overwhelming independent majority.
What is the prevailing characteristic of the population
of these counties is also the characteristic of extensive
portions of thaw counties through which the remain-
ing two-thirds of the aggregate population of England,
\Vales, and Scotland are distributed. Birmingham and
he suburban villages, those portions of the metropolis
which extend into Kent and Surrey, the various mining
districts, and many more, would contribute their quota
to the independent and intelligent portion of th e electoral
body. Nor can there be a grosser instance of what
may be called provincial cockneyism than the assump-
tion that there is no independent thought or intelli-
gence among the rural community.
The argument of the Leeds Mercury, oven were it
based upon facts, would amount simply to this, that
by the present distribution of the electors into consti-
tuencies, the sentiments of the class to which the
writer belongs have a preponderance in the legislature ;
and that this state of affairs ought to he continued.
Halle has been mistaken as to Ids facts. lie has indeed
constructed two tables, to show that the borough repre-
sentatives carried the Irish policy of April, 1839, and
the reform of the corn law. A similar
table would have shown that they rejected
the more equitable apportionment of the income tax.
In the two first cases the borough members yielded
what their masters could no longer refuse to popular
opinion : in the third, they denied what their masters
thought themselves still strong enough to withhold.
Equal electoral districts would ensure to public opi-
nion its due weight in the Rouse of Commons, with-
out the mischievous necessity of first frightening the
borough lords into good behaviour.
Equal electoral districts would ensure a fair repre-
sentation of population and property. At present
330 members are returned by 180,1100 electors, and
3244 by 900,000. The disproportion of representa-1
lives to electors is great, but not greater that
the disproportion of representatives to property. I
" The total annual value of the property assessed to
England, in Ix4l, to the poor-rates, observes Mr.
NI v. KAY, "was 59,000,000 f. I lalf of the property so
rated is concentrated in the nine counties of Kent, I
Lancaster, Lincoln, Middlesex, Somerset, Stafford,
Surrey, \Varwick, and York. lneluding county and
borough members, these counties have in all 161 re-
presentatives in parliament. rhe other half of the
assessed property is distributed amongst the remain-
ing 31 counties, which return in all 310 members.
The account then stands thus between them :
The nine counties having 50 per cent. of
the whole property, have 34 per cent. of
the whole English representation, the 31
counties, with the other half of the property, having
the remaining b 4 per cent. of the representation.
Thus the representation of one-half of the whole
rateable property of England, if pitted against the
other, would be overborne by a majority of no less
than 140 votes. It is an important feature in the
case, too, that seven out of the nine counties alluded
to arc the chief seats of the manufacturing and com-
mercial enterprise of the country. The calculation is
exclusive of the immense amount of machinery in the
manufacturing counties, particularly in Lancashire,
Yorkshire, and Middlesex, which is not rated ; the
value of the machinery in Lancashire alone being
computed at twenty millions sterling. In all ques-
tions of taxation, therefore, it is obvious that the vast
majority of the property of the country is at the
mercy of the minority."
The actual state of our representation therefore,-1
a state which must continue unimproved so long as
the present unequal electoral districts are retained—is
this. The representatives of a numerical minority of
the constituency are a majority in the I louse of Com-
mons. The representatives of the owners of by far
the smaller portion of the property of the constitu-
ences, are a majority in the I louse of Commons. No
wonder, then, that we find laws made for the benefit
of the minority; the taxes imposed so as to relieve the
minority from their due share of the burden ; and
sinecure places, and supernumerary appointments
kept up to procure livelihoods fur the relations and
dependents of the minority.
If the people of England lay these things to heart,
they will not be deterred from demanding equal elec-
toral districts by such miserable appeals to local and
class jealousies as that made by the Leeds 3fereury,
when it reminds them that this arrangement would
increase the proportional number of metropolitan and
Irish members.

sition, or even of dissent. His rule of the
popular' party in Irelaud in this respect was fre-
quently felt to be oppressive; and it unquestionably
aided in unfitting those who followed him for the ex-
ercise of the habitual duties of mutual concession
without loss of individual independence, and of manly
difference without open quarrel. Its ill effects of this
kind are now perceptible. The small men who have
grasped the fallen rem@ squabble among themseThlves,
and then " make it up again," like big boys. ey
wholly leek what our French neighbours cell reserre.
They can neither forbear to bully or to embrace—to
Lick or kiss—to insist tempestuously on minute con-
formities, or to fling
.away coneietency altogether,
when the humour seizes them. Permanent policy
or plan they have none. Yesterday they were resolved
never more to attend parliament, and whoever did so
was a recreant and an enemy to repeal. To-day they
are in:a wholly different mood, and intend to resume
their places in the imperial senate. For months we
have heard of the rival zeal of Confederation and
Conciliation Halls to hasten the mumbling of the
Convention of Three hundred, which in plain
English means, and was meant to mean, the sum-
moning of an Irish parliament without the Queert's
writ. And when, the other day, Lord CLAIM:-
INN was credulous enough to believe that
they were in earnest on the matter, and warn-
ingly intimated to the public at large that such things
were in specific terms forbidden by the law, and there-
fore could not be, Mr., SMITH O'BRIEN promptly
issued a counter-proclamation, which was duly puffed
and extolled, calling upon the people to proceed forth-
with to the election of the threatened Three I f undred.
No sooner, however, has a truce been made between him
and the" little fat gentleman" whom he has so long com-
peted with for the agitatorial crown, than both agree
to sink all further mention of the difficult and embar-
rassing topic ; and now, whoever asks any question
about the Convention will be assailed as a marplot,
or perchance a spy.
While O'Cosisi ELL lived ho managed these things
better. The inconsistencies of his course were neither
few nor far between ; but then he was irresponsible,
and people asked no questions ; or, if they did, his
marvellous versatility and humour were ever at
hand to cover seer the fault or to divert attention.
When he desired to drop an inconvenient topic he
was evr ready to seize upon another, and to handle
it withe so much freshness and vigour as thoroughly
to concentrate upon the new object the popular
curiosity and isterest. But poor Mr. O'BRIEN,
and O'CoNNELL's poorer son, Mr. JOIIN, are as
devoid of humour as of sagacity, and possess as little
force as fun. There is not one good hearty laugh in
either of them ; and as for an original idea, principle,
or illustration, they know not whit these are. Ileum
their powerlessness as leaden, and the feebleness of

FRANCE.

PARIS. SATVRTHLY. 6 P.M.
M. Bethmont, Minister of Public Worship, has This timely addreid procured
given in his resignation. the enemy, and made the greater part waver. A sergeant
came over with a whole company, and offered, if assured of
The grand national fete appointed for to-morrow is rardon, to bring another, which he presently did. General
postponed to the 2lst. desertion and surrender now took place. Still some 100
The Refforme publishes the following letter, ad- soldiers held out, fighting desperately ; and their fire could
dressed to it by M. Barbee : only finally be silenced by the braze guns being brought up
against them, and rammed with grape and shrapnel. These
Citizen Editer,-1 have always been of opinion that the men, the bravest of their regiment, encountered the word
high functions of representative of the people wire Meow- doom' 78 of them were made prisoners at discretion, togs-
pebble with any other function. Having been called almost tber with 16 paissnos. The whole affair might be considaed
at the same time to the honour of commanding a legion of over at seven. Twenty-six puissance were left dead on the
the national guard of Paris and to the honour of representing spot, among whom are numbered Don Domingo Veto, for-
th* people in the National Assembly, I should have made tnerly Cones deputy, and two Italian brothers named Tam.
my option in favour of my election to the National Assembly, The number of military killed and wounded is not know'.
had not counter-revolutionary manieuvres made it my duty Cervino, commander of a battalion of the Cazadores of BARN
to remain at the poet which the good citizens of the 12th was stabbed with poniards by two paisanoe, who were immse
legion have entrusted to me. I cannot give way to the diately pierced by bayonets.
intrigues of party, and shall wait till the sussembly shall have It was an inexpressibly dismal sight to see the prisoners,
deciued upon the question of incompatibilities. Health and but particularly the military, bearing about their races, hdr,
fraternity. and clothes all the marks of a desperate fight, with their
The following placard was posted on the walls of elbows tied behind their backs with cords, marched within
Paris this morning, but was in many places torn down a double hedge of the bayonets of the garrison, from the
with marks of indignation : I'oat•offlce to the Prado. The women crowded to the sad
The government engages to guarantee the existence of spectacle in tetra, seeking cause to shed more. But no one
the workmen by labour• It engages to guarantee labour to was suffered to penetrate beyond the end of the
all citizens. It recognises tbe principle of amociations of Alcala. A forest of bayonets barred all further Insr
workmen in order that they may enjoy the legitimate fruits grass
of man, woman, or child, while the military
of their I;hour. The government gives to the workmen, to tribunal established inside the palisade of the garde%
whom it belongs, the million of the civil list. —feminize of the Retiro, opposite the barrack of the garden,
PAHES, Lama BLANC. held their hurried inquest, and pronounced their bloody
To Tot WORKIIRM.—The promises made on the barri- sentence. The court-martial was held in the open air. the
miles not being fulfilled, and the national assembly having officers seated on drums, the prisoners occupying in turn a
in its sitting of the 10th of May refused to create a ministry chair. A few minutes were given to each. It was only
ee labour, the delegates of the Luxembourg refuse to be pre. to affirm that the prisoner had been caught with
annestesmine hit hand. Thirteen, consisting of one sergeant, two
mat at the fete de la concorde.—LAOAßDE, president; PRES-
WARD, GO MM, LA worn, rice-
as corparals, five common soldiers, and five paisanos, were
sentenced to be shot. Thus the military prisoners were
Thee ollowing placard hoe also been posted up, and I decimated. Those of the civil who had shows the mod
like the preceding was torn down almost immediately: I determined resistance were selected to undergo the same fate.
Poland is being maasacred, and you are invited to our A military friend who was present, enforced by duty, at this
fetes. The programme of the fete of the Champ de Mars painful spectacle, told me some expressive details, which are
in a place for the German, Itali in, and Polish deputations certainly true, and may be found interesting. One of the
in the precession of the approaching solemnity ot the re- paisano prisoners called out, "Water, for the love of God, ens
public. ltis jest that the Italians who are the victors over 1 drop of water, that I may die like a man, tor this thirst is
Fein oppressors should take part in the triumph of the I insufferable." Not the least notice was taken of this goo-
French people, and the Germans who by means of the re-1 Ming appeal; upon which another said bitterly, "Do yots,
public have gained constitutions may mingle their cries of foam?
suppose those will give us water who deny us a con
trod
Joy with those of their brothers on toe banks of the Seine. This he said, supposing they were all to die i for these s
Fr to the Poles, it was rather to a funeral man thsil were kept studiously in ignorance of their fate
France should have Melted our brothers, of the North. Their last moment. Meanwhile the condemned, who wed
place is at the foot of the altar. It is there that they must confessed, appeared to the poor fellows, who w re der-
implore God, their sole protector, for the salvation of their tined to witness the sufferings of their companions, un*
country and the repose of their slaughtered netion.—(Signed) ~ the impression that they themselves were Ton be see-
Several true friends of Poland. witted to the same, to enjoy a spiritual piilege dr
A numerous meeting of the friends and defenders Our nied to themselves in order to aggravate their dims.
intelligence from the capital of Berne is to the
of the Polish cause took place on Thursday evenin, This is a barbarous usage in Spain, which, by culling '
effect that on the 9th an bootee was on the point of
Rue Taranne. M. de Lasteyrio presided, and MM . man through ell the terrors of anticipated death, inflicts
breaking out there, in consequence of the intelligence pun•eUment on the feelings more distressing than the pdfl
Nlontalembert, de Ilarcourt, Vavin, Considemnt, Ser- of M. Ocheenbein's resignation ; and calm was only of dissolution. Alter the court-martial had selected *
I runs, die., were present. The Position of the duchy of restored by the announcement that the committee victims these were marched up rut of the Pe uetertamiry
on ila de Alcelcs
I'osen, which excites so much interest in France, was charged with pronouncing on the acceptation of the just beyond
e the B circeeuusiientle, re,.
the principal subject of discussion. But what was allasthe° guru' isms, with the
resignation of M. Ochsenbein had been unanimous in artill'eorY, were pretenet,lformed in a vast crescent. The °Seer,
the most important thing in the proceedings was the
refusing it. The grand council has also decided to who acted as fiscal or accuser, read the sentence in the midst
announcement of a delegate of several clubs, that give M. Ochsenbein every satisfaction as to the poli- Meanwhile the 13 prisoners were set about 10 pied' spell!
several thousand citizens proposed to go to the tical line of conduct to be followed relative to the
National Assembly to demand prompt and energetic • •
principle of absolute neutrality adopted by him. with their backs to a wall. It seems not to be the
euse,
vat,
blindfold. The soldiers who acted a. executi mm►d'
assistance for the l'olish
n•
This communi- ranged on a line at four paces from the wall. Four a•
cation produced great emotion in the assembly. • ._ •_ . were pointed against each of the doomed. All of them, ce,
All the persons present, both French and Poles SPAIN• cepting four of the common soldiers, who wept end eettee
hardly support themselves against. the wall, exhibiteed.l-0!
(among the latter was Count Skorzewski, Vice- utmost indifference and self- on. The hallpse 150.!
Marshal of the Diet of Posen, Imown for his liberal INSURRECTION AT MADRID.
propositions in the Std
elegate of Prussia), spoorspoken of above cried cut, "No muer.o for la libetaC% Sal'
fsltaran quienes me venguen" (" I die for liberty, enc .
taneously prayed the delegate to thank the clubs for The Madrid mails of the 7th and Ath have arrived, not want avengers"). The word of command neing gale
their good will, but to say that they beseeched them, We have received an interesting letter from one cor- the 52 soldiers all fired at once. The rest of the spectacle!
respondent, giving the full details of the insurrection
on behalf of the Polish cause, to prevent any demon-
ofethe 7th, and of the horrible military executions not to be anatomised to ears of flesh and.blood„ Macy,,he",
having been killed, were despatehed by single dischaT_7l
titration of the kind. Convinced that their cause ismuzzle being brought does to some mortal putt foen.,,
followed '
whichit. It appears that oar correspondent
that of liberty, civilisation, and humanity, and that it
oven I
already possesses all the sympathies of the represents- F. in .ri ht, though contradicted by other letters of the
I tires of the French people, they would await, they same date, announcingthat the wound
scene head.
tToh„ekr There wereieee
eleshoaf tfh
pe se
set
t supplemental
x in
the shots.efteeii Thisoee ho
eT.
arid was assembled on the hill ot the Alct
11 said, with confidence, the decisions of the National • nation looking tome.
with faces full of grief or ink head the
Cap _General of Madrid, was mortal That officer which dopes down to the Prado, ie mounifid silence.
Assembly. died on the morning of the Bth. For farther party- Bull circus. After the last discharges were ..,.
culars we refer to the following letter of our cone-
' These sentiments, in the form of an address, were dt •
spon ell .
11
afterwards sent to all the clubs ;but, notwithstan tTtbmroP6ugohftthheePgaruertarisodne Abelegalalin
MADRID, MAT 8. martial airs, and the teams of mules galloping,deoezrili
rit7a
this, more than a thousand persons assembled Coding-dal', The following particulars, for the accuracy of which clouds of dust, whirling off the cannon to the....ye
scud
at eleven o'clock, at the Batik, and marched in pro- I can vouch, will serve to complete the hasty outline which I saw here a sight which must have prof at
cession, with drums and flags, along the Boulevaids to I could *end you yeesiteerclteaLlieufethethpronunciametet!
the Chamber. We observed this attrottpernent siren-
noTtheats attemptsundetcted by the offfeers. roefgtha
ofimeentee. E. did evaisano pl' tiers, 11 in number, whom lives bawl napes
gim?ut, who he ,ethoeporeguirmdeonwe nhaethdesepjaniyios4
uib
ively. With the exception of some eighteen or tgivneanrti 1 fortunatelyp for the government, remained to a man loyal and bats, their hair dusty and disordered, e
I°d, lwith'iMe ex
individuals wearing the uniform of thenational ,
imerrtyybo,
tod
tnth, that
ilwa.iitnwekssien-da, it—namely, returneo.ifictthrolod,
0 unshaken. The numerous arrests made by the government seemingly half dead with fatigue, all pinione . ,
eas sr
and some of whom were officers, they con/dated ex. as Friday and Saturday, among which were Ogee of she option, they resented the most piteous spectacle e