The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-29 00:00:00

tf
nitwit in ifttestittskeen into
itnpnreteto in tlint o'f""population, intelligence, and
wealth, are not • represented ets4 terhibUinthere,
which have, surds into ineignifirenees,eujoy ate*xer-
eke the privilege of sending Northers to. Parliament.
Togrstit the just claims of those greet eommunities,
would be perfectly o tnsistent with the pructice of
farmer times. In the reign of Healy NU, the re.
presentative' of the people were 298 in number.
In the reign of Edward Vi., 48 were edded-e-21
were added in the reign of Queen Mary-esElizebeth
added 60—and further additions' were made in the
subsequent reigns of Charles'', and 11. This proves
a recognition on the part of the Legislature of the
principle of extending the franchise and enlarging
the representation--adapting - them, in this words
ef: the resolution, to the " etate,und eircurnstoices
of the coutitiy."—(Cheers.)
..lii Scotland, the re-
presentation of shires was indodueed by James 1.,
and it appears that all freeholders, without regard to
their properties or holdings, enjoyed the elective
franchise. James VI. fixed the qualification at forty
shillings of what is called old 'extent, a velsation
made three hundred years before; and Chitties It.
made it 400 pounds Scots °trent where no evidence
of the old extent remained. The euffregcbs the
choice of Magistrates of burghs, also. *oust A4Vd
been anciently extensive, for the inducive ettnte of
the introductions of the present-system of
tion in 1469, and which -the ulltfibit+iiita• c)f., the
Scotch towns have borne-with for nearly four .cen-
turies, thus selling their birthright—was, as the
Statute expresses it, the " ;rest contention •zeitly
fur the clueing .of Aldermen, Bellies, and other
officiates, threugh multitude amid clamour of con,-
moues, simple personec!'-s-(Laughter,) At the
time of the Union of the two kingdoms, the popu-
lation of Scotland was about., onessisth of that of
England, and. although the revenue of the limner
country was compatutively small; yet new t -xes were
imposed, immediately upon the
.eompletiou of the
treaty. The. most important: udvanteges have old-
mutely accrued to Scotiand front the Union ; bat
there is no doubt that the Commissionets uppointed
on our part to protect our interests in the adjustment
of this interesting and important transaction were
corrupted by English money, and duo they sold. the
independence of their country. The Scottish Pars
Murton consisted at thii time of I+s Noblemen and
160 Commoners. This body was extinguished,,and
seats for only. 16 Peru a end 45 Commoners in the
British Parliament were stipulated for, and obtained;
and although the populetion of Scotland is now two
millions and a hull, orshout a fifth of that of Eng-
land and %Vides, and her annual net contribution to
the revenue of the Vetted Kingdom, is at least four
millions, this shadow of
.a representation bee, res
muined unaltered.for the lest 12:3 ',ram But even
in the election of the 45 represents t ices, the people
of Scotland have no, voice, The quelificatioe, for
voting both in Euglend and Scotland was, and still
is, 40 shillings; with this essential difference, how-
ever, that in Scotland it is 40 shillings of old extent,
a rate made 600 years ago, mind not subject to change
according as the value of money deeteased, mid in
England it is 4.0 shillings of the money for the time
being, the necessary effect of which is, to render
the franchise sufficiently extetteive in the one comitry,
and confine it to Is very small number in the other.
—Scotland, therefore, has not yet been in tee%
admitted to the benefits of the o(4l4olmia /1. It. is
a theory of that Constitution, that the people are re-
presented in the. House of Commons anti ;mow in
the enactment of the laws, but as regal di *Teeple
of Scotland this theory is untrue--,Pedianteht Japm-
tipotente—an Act of Parliament, it has been ,üb-
served, can do any thing except to make a 4144 a
woman or a woman, a inen.---(A, laugh.),--Now it is
plainly unjust to subject a nation to this power with-
out a full and free voice in the legislature. It was
the imposition of taxes Without. representation that
roused the United State" 'of America to a seas i+ of
their rights, end issued in the establishment or their
independence of the mother country. The cases
are by no means parallel in their Circumstances, but
each involves the same principle. As to the pro-
priety of holding this meeting, and petitioning for a
ReforM in the reoresentstion, certain esullomm
from US. They say that es the Ad-
mieistration is pledged to Reform, it i in,xpethent
for the people to move or interfere in the matter.
Plut see the dilemma arising 'from this negUment.
Now that the Government is favouruble to Refol
those friends of ours tneititain that it is useless to
petition. When we lied a Government that was
hustile to Reform, then alio' they maintained that it
was useless to petition I--(Laughter.) Leaving
them to reconcile these irreconeilettble pleas, 1 an
glad that their views have not deemed:lod its from
meeting, or diverted us from our purpose. If they
accuse us of disaffection' are we disaffected in ex-
pressing our approval of the great healing measure
contemplated by a Governmeet based, more than
any Government that went before it, oil piddle
opinion? If they accuse us of dislo,s :thy, ate we dis-
loyal in proclaiming a stntiment of gratitude entad-
miration of the liberality and patriotism du soeefeign
ssho is, himself a Reformer? in the wortli'lth a
modern miter, slightly transposed and altered, "'we
are not assembled here to pour out the bitter wafers
otstrife and unimosity-we are not assembled, like
our countrymen in times peer, to light the torch of
civil war, or to spread repine and desoletioes liver
the land. We du not seek to restore those feudal
chains by which Highlanders were bound to the
earth.; but to support our sacred and 'inalienable
claim to just rights end equal laws. These are the
true rallyiag points; this is the true getheting of
the clans.-s-(Applative.)—We assemble in the exer-
cise of the right-of a free people, to bind the com-
munity in good will and affection 'to 'the 'King and
Government by the links of the' Constitution.”—
(Cheers.)-i—He begged to apologize for having ties-
passed so much upon the time of this very respect-
able assembly.. &popular meeting itt Inverness has
so much novelty -in it--.(A laugh).--und the sub-
jectis one of such vital importance. to the *orfgroof
the country, that he nustedit Would 'not be held a
very egregious error even in tnen:whose prdessionel
duties and private ,eoncirus domand e!! their time and
attention, to come forth from ' their re.tirettlehto, sued
expreis their sentiments upon it in the presenee of
their fellow citizens.
Mr. CASIIOI,OIa. concluded by seconding the rest).
lution.
Mr. G. MACKAY, merchant, moved time seventh
resolution.' Every enlightened and benevolent, mind,
he said, must rejoice at the present pros Peet dim-
provement in the destinies of Europe., 'There :wed,
still, however, u few, even in this, favoured country,
sitowiovihmdeoredtwlhiogiblelipyt;hreaaeovtsiesiteihoejeriutnienxiletnnitbniteiletiotaliti:evetehtisetittoain7thsohvothosoteri:uy're.::4;t'l::-:
companson, who generously end brisielystilll to 'inv-
v tehtehe
distressingeoilitron nations.poofwer
ofe
ifotniist ',tilt:L*ol;6l%efelt -
Bess end oppression who may well rejoice In the
clear light of the new day.. The toilette Governor
of the universe appeared now to be tonging, the
chains of the oppressed in all countries; bat as' they
wae More immediately concerned with their oikii
o tuntry,.he begged to state briefly a few of theisaids
twit.ing from the present system of representation, or
roller misrepresentation, of. the people in, KlM-
ment, and the necessity of it judicious and tempetate,
but firm exertion to obtain an improvement. if the
people had been truly represented in the House- of
Commons, would they have consented in 11Th to
go to war with die Amerieutscoloniesi old tOeut4i,-
so many thousand lives on both aides, and edit
millions to our national debt,- for the purpose. of
compelling the American'. colonists, limp esented,
to psy taxes, 110 e for thwirown benefit, or fur that
of the mother country, but for the purpose ofpas s
Mg a few sinecure* to the supporters of 4 tit. at
nuntstrntion ? If the British people had been trimly
represented in the Lower Houle of Parliament,
would they have consented again in 1793044 p to
war with 'the people of 14411Ces because • they at-
tempted to follow the example of this coa<tytry in
1688 ? And -would they have continued '6" w"1,
so unjustly begun, for two and. twenty years, ntarti
atwitter, for the ultimata ptirpoie of placing