The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-02 00:00:00

BOTAIMAT.

On Friday night a public meeting of the inha-
bitants of Rothesay, convened by the Bothesay Reform
Association, was held in the Victoria Hall, for the pur-
pose of expressing an opinion as to the Reform Bill just
submitted to parliament and the country by her Majesty'
government. There was a large attendance.
chair was occupied by Mr. Archibald M'Kirdy,
and amongst those present were Mr. Robert Dal-
gliah, M.P., Mr. James Lamont, M.P.; ex-Provosts Jamie-
son, Sharp, and Brown ,• Baines Heaton and Richmond,
tic. The Chairman read letters of apology reosived from
Mr. Dunlop, M.P. for Greenock, and. Mr. Graham, M.P.
for Glasgow, neither of whom was able to attend, though
both approved of the objects of the meeting. Mr. Mac-
farlane moved, " That this meeting approves of the inten-
tion of government to follow up the Suffrage Bill with a
measure for the redistribution of eats," which was
conded by Mr. John Jamieson, and sup rted by Mr. la-
mont, M.P. and Mr. Govan, and • with unanimity.
Mr. James WKirdy proposed, " That this meeting, consi-
dering the government Reform Bill to be an honest effort
to settle the question, and approving of the sub-
stantial extension of the franchise proposed there-
in, pledges itself to use its best endeavours to
support the government in carrying it through parliament."
Mr. P. B. Ferguson seconded the resolution, which was
supported by Mr. Robert Dalgliah, M.P. The latter said
—lt appears to me that there is considerable fallacy in
the argument that a bill for the lowering of the fran-
chise should also be coupled with a bill for the redistribu-
tion of seats, because I think it must be evident to every-
one that if you are to lower the franchise, or to increase
the number of electors in any district, you must do that
before you can possibly come to a redistribution of seats.
Wait tall you have got the Franchise Bill passed, and then
you will have a constituency which will render redistribu-
tion necessary. But there is another reason why I support
the government in the plan they have adopted, end it
is this—give us the greatly increased constituencies, and
after you have done so the constituencies themselves will
very soon produce a redistribution of seats, and for this
very clear reason that, if you have largely increased con-
stituencies, they will insist, whether they return tory Ml-
didates or no, that thezil:arvie a proportion of power in the
House of Commons a proportionate power. I mean
this, that the two member, for Glasgow should have no
more in the House of Commons than the two members for
the immaculate burgh of Totnes. I hold that govern-
ment's endeavours to carry reform are perfectly honest.
I do meet sincerely believe that if Lord Russell had
been able again to propose a 61. franchise in boroughs
he would have done so, but I believe that the government,
after the most serious and mature consideration of the
subject, came to the resolution that they were unable to
carry a bill with a lower franchise than that proposed. The
following resolution was also unanimously paved—" That
the Reform Association be requested to prepare a petition
in terms of the foregoing resolution, and take the neces-
sary steps to have the same largely signed by the friends of
reform, and presented to parliament through Mr.
Lamont ;" and the meeting, which had throughout been a
most enthusiastic one, separated.