The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-17 00:00:00

gressions, been absolutely forfeited. But,
unfortunately, there is no other part of the measure
which will bear investigation. The more closely the
various additions to the sixty-six boroughs included
in Schedule B are scrutinised, the more irresistible
will become the conviction that the Bill is neither
more nor lesf; than a Whig job, and that one of
gigantic dimensions—that it is framed for the pur-
pme of consolidating and strengthening family in-
fluence, rather than of extending the democratic
element or promoting the freedom and purity of
election. Tho total absence of principle, or rather
the too clearly perceptible favouritism, that will
be discovered on the most cursory inspection show
that those who call thetnselves " Liberal " have once
more yielded to their ancient weakness, and taken the
very best cars of their friends.
Before entering on this part of the case, we must
explain one
.point to prevent our friends from sup-
posing that we have mistaken the number of con-
stituencies to be affected by the new Bill. Lord
Jorirt RussnLL, in introducing the measure,
announced that additions would be made to 67
boroughs. We have only alluded to sixty-six, but
we have done, so advisedly, for notwithstanding the
deliberate stal:ement of the Noble Lord, we find that
only sixty-six constituencies are included in schedule
B. Where then is the error ? Was the PREMIER
misinformed in declaring that there were so many
electoral districts in which the voters were below the
golden number of 500. By no means, His infor-
mation was most accurate ! The town of Beaumaris,
with its tributary borough of Amlwch, Holy-
head, and Liangefin, contain an aggregate of less
than 400 electors ! If there be anything of
" principle" in the measure, as has been so emphati-
cally asserted, Beaumaris should have been included.
Why should it alone be exempted from the operation
of the Act, be assimilated to " the last rose of
summer," and "left blooming alone," with far less
than 500 voters ? There must surely have been some
mysterious influence at work to induce the Govern-
ment to come in to such an arrangement. Let us try
to discover the secret. .

Beaumaril
is situate at one of the mouths of the
Menai Straits, and abuts on the Castle, in which
resides the Ilouourable Baronet who signalized himself
at the commencement of the session by the holy
horror which he entertained of " the ballot" and

" triennial Parliaments," and the ridicule which he
cast upon the more equitable distribution of electoral
power. A gentleman of such excellent sentiments
should be conciliated, and a model borough, in which
not a single contest has taken place during the
twenty years that have elapsed since the pass-
ing of the Reform Act, was deserving of en-
couragement. Up to 1832 it was represented by
the Honourable Baronet himself. After, that
time, however, he was desirous of assum-
ing the more dignified position of a " knight
of the shire." The PAGET and BULKE-
LET influeace predominated in Anglesey, and rumour
bath it that an amicable arrangement was entered
into between the Gallant Marquis and the wealthy
and influential Commoner, under and by
virtue whereof the Baronet was returned
ou several occasions for the county without a
contest, while a PAGET has walked over the course
for Beauntaris at every election between 1832 and
1852. Never has there been the slightest indication
of revolt, or even insubordination, in that
-
happy borougb, end it would be hard indeed
if the influential candidate for the Peerage,
whose services are about to be rewarded with a
coronet, could not save his pocket constituency
from being swamped by the addition of another town
or hamlet to those which bad been so devoted to the
wishes of their patron.
But let us pass over Beaumaris, and inquire
why it is that when an addition was to be made
to Reigate, the claims of Croydon, a county town
with more than 30,000 inhabitants and property rated
at 145,0001., should have been ignored; that even
Kingston, with its 21,000 inhabitants and rateable
property amounting to 109,000/. per annum, should have
been passed by with contemptuous disregard, while
Dorking, celebrated only for its " fowl," and for its
being completely under the influence of the Hoes"
family, was selected. There are doubtless equally
good reasons to be assigned for this strange selection,
as for the equally extraordinary omission of Beauma-
ris from the schedule.
We may also inquire on what grounds some of
these boroughs—which are all to be increased to
about the same dimensions—are compelled to be
contented with a single Member, while others, not of
greater importance, are allowed duplicate represen-
tatives ? Surely the twenty-nine constituencies that
require the addition of other districts to make up the
minimum number of electors, might be well con-
tentedeachff if
whilethepermitted claims
of Chelsea—so ably ad-
vocated by the Honourable Member for Glas-
gow,—of Dewsbury, Belper, Stockton, Redruth,
West Bromwich, Chesterfield, and other populous
and influential towns, which are still unrepresented,
might have been attended to. The Whip, however,
were determined to erect a monument of their im-
becility and injustice, and they have succeeded with
a vengeance.