The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-15 00:00:00

THE NEW REFORM BILL

We subjoin the fall text of the Reform Bill and
of the schedules. It is "prepared and brought be
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Bit G. Grey,
and Mr. Villiers :
1 A Bill to *steed the Wit of Voting at Elections of
Members of Parliament in England sod Wales.
I Whereas it is expedient to extend the right of voting at
islectioss of members et parliament for mantes, cities, and
boroughs In England and Wales :
Be it enacted by the Queen's most exeelleut Majesty, by
and with the advice sad *meat of the lords spiritual and
temporal, and commend is this present parliament as-
sembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Puratinssr.
L This set may be cited for all purposes as "The Fran-
also Act, 186&"
IL This act shall sot apply to &wilted or Ireland, or to
the university of Oxford or Cambridge.
111. The following terms shall in this act hate the mean-
ings hereinafter assigned to them, unless there I. some-
Ithing in the context repugnant to each omstrootioo ; (that
In le say,)
"Meath" shall mean Weeder meth.
"Member" shall lecluie • knight of the shire.
"Musty" shall sot include a amity of • city or county
el • town, but shall extend to and mesa say county,
riding, parts or division of a county, returning a member
or members to serve in parlianteet.
"Borough" shall exased to sad mean any borough, city,
Oak or combination of places, not being a oonnty as hers- I
listelom defined, rstartung • member or members to serve
ha parliament, and shall include every p!ace sharing in the
election of • member (or • borough.
" Clear yearly valise,* as applied to any premises, shall
mesa • nun equal in amomt to the rent • tweet might
ressosably be expected to pay by the year for such pre-
mises if let to him, he undertaking to pay all used
tenant's rates sad tires, and tithe coaunatation rest-
eharge (if say), bat no itednotions being made is respect
of the probable animal average cost of repairs, lemmas,
sad other expenses, if any, necessary to maistsia the pre-
mises in a state to command each rent ; and for the pur-
.of this act the gross estimated rental for the time

The Timm repeats smie of the arguments used by Mr. Pal" °ftn"'
onoraria, and Mr. Laing, with a view of halal „ any Pramual. asanarmineg for the purposes of
Lowe, Mr. H the poor-vies, shall, until the oontrary is proved, be deemed
showing that there has been no well-pronounced wish for
reform in any quarter ; that the bill outrages by its very t° the dear yearly vans of each
„The Registration Acts" shall mess the sot of the sixth
incompleteness the want of a vigorous and albite
year of the reign of her present Majesty, Chapter 18,
dammed ; that Mr. Gladetone's speech was the speech
end the act of the 23th per of the reign of her present
of a man employed In a work he does not
Majesty, chapter thirtrera, and any other acts or parts of
care about ; and that it would be hypocrisy to
acts relating to the registration or qualification of persons
deny that his new electors will be just them who are most
open to 00eruptiou. Quoting some know nineties", the entitled. to vote at the election of members Is serve in
parliament for England and Wales.
operation of the act in Liverpool, where same twenty-five
1 or tweety-emes, thousand will be added to that poor class oouerr Ann BOSOUGH FILANCEIISTS.
who sr* heeded together for the purpose of selling theb. IV. Every mile shall be entitled to be registered se
voter. and when registered to vote for a member or mem.
borough, the 711110 says it has no objection to that clam
taming the scale here and there, and being suitably bers to serve in parliament for a county, who is qualified as
repreeented, but there is every reason why they should follows that to say,
sot preponderate over all ether climes, and form the I. Is of full age, and net subject to any legal hicapecit7
lasing constituency of such towns as Liverpool. and
The Daily News points oat that the parliamentary ova- 2. Is on the last day of July in any year, and has during
lbws who are adverse to reform argue as if the question the twelve months imine betels. preceding, been the maca-
ws what degree of participation in their privileges they pier, as owner or tenant, of premises of any tenure within
should of gram and of their own mere motion accord to the comity of a clear yearly valor of 141. or upwards.
Mee rest of their (l
truth «a shut their eyes to the g- The rinalifYind premises mud "milt of a house or
either alms oc with laud held by the
feet that in actual truth the massed are the real deposi. Mahar building whisk,
taxies of power. If the five millions and a half of adult mampier in the county, is of the vain aforesaid, with this
Beglishmec speak their will through the legitimatechannels Proviso, that where the premise connect partly of a house
of public meetings sad the press, wheee is the power ia the or other building and put'y of land, the building mast
legislature or the constituency that could withstand them? either be the dwelling-house of the omupier, or must itself
It is bemuse the will of the majority hes been recogoised by be of • clear yearly value of 61. or opwaris : and
perliernent of late years before it has spoken that matters 4. Where the occupier is tenant of the qualifying pre-
ys" net owns to snob a *Atka Codemtio" of this mimes the whole moat be held Guilt' the same landlord.
bad furnish the stroegest of all reasons foeorurging the men- V. Every man shall be entitle Ito be registered as a
aition of facts by au extension of the franchise. Our bug- voter, and when registered to vote far a member or
sem is to reconcile realities with the forms of the isoustien• members to serve la parliament for a borough, who is
the, and to impose the restraints of power on those who clalitand as follows
know they hold the substance. 1. Is of full age, and set subject to any legal imam-
The Poet contends that no chases ere more efficiently oily and
sepronnted in the House of Commons thin the working R Lon the last day of Jnly in any year, and has daring
awes, and that the tendency of our legislation is to do the twelve months immediately Feuding, been the OttOl-
owsy with whatever curtails their freedom or their o-m- Pier, as owner, or tenant, of premises of any tenure
mend of the comforts of life. Mr. Bright's sympathies within the borough of a clear yearly value of 71. or
are averse from the principles of our monarchical genre- upwards.
mint, and it may be presumed he is of opinion that this 3. The qualifying premises mast consist et a house or
immare would be the means towards his end. If those other building which, either alone or with land held by
who differ from him as to the object think with him that the occupier within the bwough, is of the rains aforesaid,
the proposed lowering of the franchise would be a step in with this proviso, that where the premine consist partly of
the direction which they ivre justified in avoiding, the infer. a house or other building, and pertly of land, the building
is.. b obrionsly and irresistibly repot, must either be the dwelling-house of the occupier, or must
The Herald says the whole weight of argument and of tsslf be of a clear ye itly views of 31. or upwards ; and
&smote, in the debate was against the bill. When the 4. Where the occupier Is tenant of the qualifying pre-
saw% classes and the elite of the working wee, rho are mires the whole must be held under the same bollard ;
already in possewion of the franchise, contrast the and
abEdish tit ipseques of Mr. Villiers and the Mum rhodo- IA The meeraier ma t have roiled is the borough. or
menende of Mr. Bright with the brilliant logic of Mr, within seven statute miles of some part of the borough, for
Lows end the short, copper, and statesmanlike reasoning he six myths immefittely Preardieg the said last day of
of Lord Cranborne, they will elect to leave wall alone, and 3017 in snob year.
refuse Is destroy "the noble work of their forefathers," VI. Different Premises occupied is Fleeced" by
to which they 01,3 the liherties and the prosperity they person as owner or tenant shall have the same sleet in
enjsayl gralifyieg such person to vote for a county or boom& as
The Telegraph refers to Mr. Bright is teems of a'most the continued occupation of the same premises, and where
passionate eulogy, dwelling, not merely on his intellectual , premises are in the joint oecuPetioe of several Femme
as
gifts and oratory, but on the proof be his given that be owners or tenants, and the aggregate value of such pre-
knows how to be moderate, practical, and content with mime is such es, estimated according to this act, and
the possible instead of the theoretical. i divided amongst the several occupiers, would, so far as the
The Star directs publics attention to the unexpected value is concerned, confer on each of them • vote, thea
and extraordinary part played in the debate on Tuesday each of such joint occupiers shall, if otherwise qualified,
by Mr. John Hardy, the tory member for Deeonposa and and subject to the conditions of this act, be entitled to be
brother of Mr. (Whom° Hardy. For years be hes sat reffiebered at • voter. and when registered to vole at an
idlest sad listless le the hope, but on Tuesday the diodes !ebatlee for any county or borough.
Akins embed upon him all Monte, and like the Pythoness, i VII. Every man shall be entitled to be registered as a
he must give it utterance. No sentence he uttered had say voter, and when registered to vote for a member or mem.
coonexion with any other, and cone had any conceivable ben to serve in parlisineet for a borough, who is qualified as
relation to the Maimr of ibe sight. He ingenuously follows—that is to sty :
acknowledged that be spoke not because he had 1. Is of full age, and not subject to any legal lacepeeity ;
aortae( particular to say, but because he really and
found it easier to talk than to listen. Now the house 2. Is on the let day of July in any year the occupier of
'laughed with the orator, and now they laughed at but lodgings within the borough, Gad during the twelve months
laughter cf one sort or other followed every mitoses. Even immediately preceding has been In the eseePlitioe of the
the Chancellor of the Etehequer utterly bet his gravity on setae Weep, such lodgings being part of a dwelling.
more thee me occasion. The Star sincerely congratulates home, end of • clear yearly vains if let unflaruiehed, of
hale Tory party upon having • funny orator of their own 101, or upwards ; and
'at lest. 3. His resided in such lodgings durieg the six mouths
immediately preceding the said let day of July ; sad hes
IfISCILLANZOITS TOPICS. on or before the 20th day of July I. each year claimed to
The Time finds ht a trial at the late melees In the cranky be regleterei as a voile at the next easuleg registration of
Miershae, relative to the murder if an elector In a con- voters.
diet with ea Omega matingent, • text for some VIII. Every man shall be entittei to be registered as a
severe criticisms upon the disgraceful character of Irish voter, and when registered to vote at the elm** of •