The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-12 00:00:00

THE REFORM MOVEMENT,

LORD NUGENT AND MR. HUMIS'a MOTION.—The
following is an extract fro,' a letter sent by Lord Nugent to
tb It ,v. W. J. Oates, in reply to a communication asking
his lordship to attend a public meeting in Aylesbury, to
take into consideration the reform measures proposed by Mr.
Hume
London, May 31, 1848.—My dear Sir,—• • You well
know the opinions 1 have always held on the subjects of ex-
tending the electoral suffrage, shortening the duration of
parliaments, and electing by the way of ballot. My <pinion
is, that the spread of education among the mass of the people
entitles them, of righ', to a wider extension of their share in
the administration et public affairs; and, therefore, I ant
strenuously in favour of household auffrege. That they are
entitled, of right, to a more frequent oprortunity of passing
judgm, nt on the manner in which thetrusttheyhave reposed
in their representatives has been, from time to time, fulfilled;
and thereon, I am strenuously in favour of triennial par-
liament., as formerly and often recoinincnded by the noble
lord now at the head of her Majesty's councils. That the con-
stituent body are entitled, of right, to an entirely free exer-
cise of thr ir electoral privileges ; and therefore I am stre-
nuously in favour of election by ballot, as bearing the nearest
analogy to the laws and immemorial customs of England, in
other cases where the exercise of great common law privi-
leges and duties is guarded by secrecy against the influences
of corruption and usurped power. To these three measures
of reform, then, I need hardly say I shill continue
to give my hearty support. On the fourth of Mr.
Hume's proposals I must take leave to pause. lam
yet to learn that a district representation is any
part of the theory of the Er.gliah constitution, or
would he a reasonable part of any scheme of popular repre-
sentation. The doctrine I have al ways held is, that the
representative is elected, not to represent exc:usively the
interests or feelings of those who have elected him, bat that
he is chosen by them to take his 'hare, on their behalf, in
the general repreientation of the people of the united
empire. If lam right in this principle, the inference is
irresistible. When you shall have given to the people of
the united empire, generally, an extended suffrage com-
mensurate with their rights, a more frequently recurring
control over their representatives, and perfect freedom and
security in the exercise of that franchise, then the person
sent to parliament by all classes of the constituency of Ayles-
bury and its hundreds will represent the general interests
of all classes of the people of the united empire
no less adequately than be who may be sent by a
larger district. But, If I agreed with Mr. Hume in this '
proposal of his as thoroughly as I do in the three preceding,
I should still protest as strongly as I do against their being
brought before parliament in the manner he has given notice
of, each and all of them being thus made to challenge the
opposition of every person who has an objection to any one
of them separately. The more eagerly I might agree with
him is each er all of these proposals, the more strenuously
would I remonstrate against what appears to me the extreme
and fatal indiscretion of thus clubbing and confusing them
together. And this I am justified in saying is not my im-
pression only. I have found it shared and avowed by all,
with but two or three exceptions, of the most eager friends of
ref 'am to the House of Commons with whom 1 have conversed ;
and 1 have conversed on this subject with many. On these
grounds, whenever Mr. Hume may propose his question in
its present shape (should he, indeed, persist, against fill ad.