The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-02 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 2, 1854.

THE REFORM BILL.

The New Reform Bill has been pginted. It is entitled " A
bill further to amend the laws relating to the representation
of the people in England and Wales." It contains 67 clauses,
the contents of each of which are indicated by the -usual mar-
ginal descriptions.
Clause I declares that certain boroughs shall cease to send
members to Parliament, viz. :—Andover, Arundel, Ashbur-
ton, Caine, Dartmouth, Evesham, Harwich, Honiton, Knares-
borough, Lyme Regis, Marlborough, Midhurst, Northaller-
ton, Reigate, Richmond, Thetford, Totnes, Wells, Wilton.
Clause 2. Certain boroughs to return one member only.
They are :—Bodmin, Bridgnorth, Bridport, Buckingham,
Chichester, Chippenham, Cirencester, Cockermouth, Devizes,
Dorchester, Guildford, .Hertford, Huntingdon, Leominster,
Lewis, Ludlow, Lymington, Lichfield, Haldon, Maltou, Mar-
low (Great), Newport (Isle of Wight), Peterborough, Poole,
Ripon, Stamford, Tamworth, Tavistock, Tewkesbury, Tiver-
ton, Weymouth, Windsor, Wycombe (Chipping).
Clause 3. Certain counties and divisions of counties, &c.,
to return three knights, viz.:— Bedfordshire, Cheshire,
northern division ; Cheshire, southern division ; Cornwall,
eastern division • Cornwall, western division ; Derbyshire,
northern division ; Derbyshire, southern division; Devon-
shire, northern division ; Devonshire, southern division ;
Durham (county), northern division ; Durham (county),
southern division ; Essex, northern division ; Essex, south-
ern division ; Gloucester, western division ; Hampshire,
northern division ; Kent, western division ; Kent, eastern
division; Lincolnshire, parts of Lindsey; Lincolnshire, parts
of Kesteven and Holland ; Middlesex, Monmouthshire ; Nor-
folk, western division ; Norfolk, eastern division ; Stafford-
shire, northern division ; Staffordshire, southern division ;
Somersetshire, western division ; Somersetshire, eastern di-
vision ; Shropshire, northern division ; Suffolk, eastern divi-
sion ; Suffolk, western division ; Surrey, eastern division ;
Sussex, eastern division ; Warwick, northern division ; Wor-
cester, eastern division ; Yorkshire (East Riding) ; York-
shire (North Riding) ; Glamorganshire, Wales.
Clause 4. Lancashire to be formed into three divisions, the
West Riding of the county of York to be divided ; three
knights of the shire to be returned for each division. •
Clause 5. Provision as to polling places and districts for
new divisions of Lancashire and divisions of West Riding of
the county of York.
Clause 6. Certain cities and boroughs to return three mem-
bers. They are :—Birmingham, Bristol, Bradford (York-
shire), Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, and Wolver-
hampton.
Clause 7. Borough of Salford to return two members.
Clause 8. Parishes of Chelsea and Kensington to form a
borough and return two members.
Clause 9. New boroughs to return one member—Birken-
head, Burnley, and Stalybridge,
Clause 10. Inns of Court to return jointly two members.
Clause 11. University of London to return one member.

Clause 12, At every contested election, after the end of
this present Parliament, of three knights of the shire, or for
any county now returning three knights of the shire, or for
any county, or riding, parts, or division of agounty, which by
virtue of this act, shall return three knights of the shire to
serve in Parliament, and at every contested election of three
members for any city or borough which shall return three
members to serve in Parliament, no voter shall be entitled to
vote for more than two candidates.
Clause 13. At every contested election, after the end of this
present Parliament, of four members to serve in Parliament
for the city of Loudon, no voter shall be entitled to vote for
more than three candidates.
Clause 14. Every male person of full age, and not subject
to any legal incapacity, who shall occupy within any county,
or riding, parts, or division of a county in England or Wales,
except within the limits of a city or borough which shall re-
turn a member or members to serve in Parliament, or of a
place sharing in the election for a city or borough, as owner
or tenant, any house, warehouse, counting-house, shop, or
other building, being separately or jointly with any land
within such county, riding, parts, or division (except as afore-
said) occupied therewith as tenant under the same landlord,
of the clear yearly value of not less than ten pounds, shall, if
duly registered, be entitled to vote in the election of a knight
or knights of the shire to serve in Parliament for such county,
riding, parts, or division : provided always, that no such
person shall be so registered in any year unless he shall have
occupied such premises as aforesaid for twelve calendar
months next previous to the last day of July in such year,
nor unless such person, where such premises are situate in
any parish or township in which there shall be a rate for
the relief of the poor, shall have been rated in respect
of such premises to all rates for the relief of the poor in
such parish or township made during the time of such his
occupation so required as aforesaid : provided also, that
no such person shall be so registered in any year unless he
shall have resided for six calendar months next previous to
the last day of July in such year within such county, riding,
parts, or division.
Clause 15. Provided also, that the premises in respect to
the occupation of which any person shall be entitled to be
registered in any year, and to vote in the election for
any county or riding, parts or division of a county as afore-
said, shall not be required to be the same premises, but may
be different premises occupied in immediate succession by such
person during the twelve calendar months next previous to
the last day of July in such year; and where any premises as
aforesaid, in any such county, riding, parts, or division (ex-
cept as hereinbefore excepted) shall be jointly occupied by
more persons than one as owners or tenants, each of such
joint occupiers shall, subject to the conditions hereinbefore
contained, as to persons occupying premises in any county,
or riding, parts, or divisions of a county, he entitled to vote
in the election for such county, riding, parts, or division, in
respect of the premises so jointly occupied, in case the clear
yearly value of such premises shall be of au amount which,
when divided by the number of such occupiers, shall give a
sum of not less than ten pounds for each such occuPier, but
not otherwise.
Clause 16 refers to enactments requiring payment of rates
and assessed taxes by occupiers of houses, &c., of the yearly
value of 101. previous to registration. (Parts of sects. 27 and
28 of 2 and 3 Wm. IV., c. 45, and the whole of 11 and 13
Viet., c. 9 ) repealed.
Clause 17. Occupation of any building (other than the oc-
cupier's dwelling-house) jointly with land, not to confer a
right of voting in counties or boroughs, unless such building
be of 51. annual value. 2 and 3W.4, c. 45, s. 24, 25.
Clause 18. In every city or borough in England or Wales
which shall return a member or members to serve in Parlia-
ment, every male person of full age, and not subject to any
legal incapacity, who on the last day of July in any year shall
have occupied, during that year and the whole of each of the
two preceding years, within such city or borough or within
any place sharing in the election for such city or borough, any
house, warehouse, counting-house, or shop, in respect whereof
he shall have been rated during the time of such occupation
to all rates for the relief of the poor of the parish or town-
ship in which such premises are situate, on a yearly value ex-
ceeding six pounds, and also during the time of such occupa-
tion shall have been an inhabitant householder within such
city, borough or place respectively, or within seven statute
miles thereof, or of any part thereof, shall, if duly registered, be
entitled to vote in the election of a member or members to
serve in Parliament for such city or borough ; provided always
that nothing in this enactment shall be deemed to affect the
right of any person to be registered or vote in respect of the
occupation of premises of the clear rental of not less than
ten pounds.
Clause 19. Provision for successive and joint occupation.
Clause 20.—N0 person elected, made, or admitted a bur-
gess or freemen after the passing of this act, shall, as such
burgess or freemen, be entitled to vote in the election of any
member or members to serve in Parliament for any city or
borough, notwithstanding such person may have been so
elected, made, or admitted in respect of birth or servitude.
Clause 21. Existing provisions (2 and 3 Wm. IV. c. 45, s.
30, 14 and 15 Vic., c. 14) enabling occupiers to claim to be
rated, repealed. Occupiers may claim to be rated on all
rates to be made during their occupation.
Clause 22. Compositions not to be disturbed and land-
lord's liability not to be affected.
Clause 23.---Every male person of full age, and not sub-
ject
to any legal incapacity—
Being entitled to any yearly sum of not less than one
hundred pounds payable yearly, half-yearly, or quarterly, or
in other fixed portions, not less than quarterly payments, as
the salary or wages of any office or employment whatsoever,
whether public or private, or as a superannuation, or other
allowance or pension, in respect of any office or employment
previously held by such person or otherwise in consideration
of his past services.
Or being beneficially entitled to a yearly income of not
less than 10/., arising from all or any of the following sources ;
(that is to say) from the dividends of any of the Govern-
ment or Parliamentary stocks or funds of the United King-
dom, or from any annuity for life or lives for years granted by
the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt,
or from the dividends on the stock of the East India Com-
pany, or of the governor and company of the Bank of
England.
Or being charged to any of the duties of assessed taxes, or
to any duties which for the time being may be payable to her
Majesty on profits arising from property, professions, trades,
and offices, or to any duty payable in respect of any annual
certificate or license, or to fill any of the said duties, with a
sum of not less than forty shillings for a year.
Or being a graduate of any university in the United
Kingdom.
Or being a depositor in any savings bank in the county,
riding, parts, or division, city, borough, or place where he
shall reside, whose deposit shall amount to not less than
fifty pounds, shall be entitled, to vote as hereinafter men-
tioned ; (that is to say), where such person shall reside in
any county, or riding, parts, or division of a county in
England or Wales, elsewhere than within a city or borough
which shall return a member or members to serve in Parlia-
ment, or a place sharing in the election for a city or borough,
he shall, if duly registered, be entitled to vote in the election
of a knight or knights of the shire to serve in Parliament
for such county, riding, parts, or division ; and where such
person shall reside within any such city or borough, or any
place sharing in the election for any such city or borough,
he shall, if duly registered, be entitled to vote in the elec-
tion of a member or members to serve in Parliament for
such city or borough; provided always, that no such per-
son shall be so registered in any year, unless he shall have
so resided for twelve calendar months next previous to
the last day of July in such year : provided also, that no
person shall be so registered in any year by reason of his being
entitled to such yearly sum or yearly income as aforesaid, un-
less lie shall have been so entitled and iu respect of the same
for twelve calendar months next previous to the last day of
July in such year ; and no person shall be so registered in
any year by reason of his being charged to all or any of the
duties hereinbefore mentioned with a sum of not less than
forty shillings for a year, unless he shall have been so charged
for one year within twelve calendar months next previous to
the last day of July in each year; and no person shall be so
registered in any year by reason of his being a depositor in
any savings bank, unless he shall have had not less than fifty
pounds deposited in such savings bank for three years next
previous to the last day of July in such year : Provided, also,
that no person having two or more places of residence shall
be entitled to be registered or to vote under this enactment,
iu respect of his residence in more than one place.
Clause 24. Provided always, that no person who shall be
charged to any of thessaid duties on profits arising from pro-
perty, professions, trades, and offices, shall be entitled to vote
in respect of any sum so charged which he shall be entitled as
a tenant, trustee, or otherwise to deduct, retain, or be reim-
bursed; and any person from any payment to whom any sum
so charged or any part of such sum shall be by law authorised
to be deducted or retained in respect of any charge of the
said duties, or who shall be liable in respect of any such
charge, to reimburse any other person any such sum, or part
of any such sum, shall, for the purposes of this act, unless he
be entitled to deduct, retain, or be reimbursed the same, be
deemed to be charged with the sum so charged, or so much
thereof as shall be mithorieed to be deducted or retained from.

any payment to him, or which he shall be so liable to reim-
burse as aforesaid.
Clause 25. Every person not subject to any legal incapacity,
who shall have been admitted to the degree of barrister-at-
law in any of the inns of court herein-before mentioned, and
who shall continue of that degree, or be of the degree of Ser-
jeant-at-law, shall be entitled to vote in the election of any
member or members to serve in Parliament for such inns of
court.
Clause 26. Every person not subject to any legal incapa-
city, ou whom the degree of Master of Arts, Bachelor of
Laws, Doctor of Laws, Bachelor of Medicine, or Doctor of
Medicine, shall have been conferred by the University of
London, or who shall be a Bachelor of Arts in such Univer-
sity, of not less than three years standing, shall be entitled to
vote in the election of any member to serve in Parliament for
the said University.
Clause 27. New rights of voting and variation of rights of
voting, to take effect in and from the registration of 1854.
Clause 28. Registers of voters to be formed in 1554 for
new boroughs.
Clause 29. No person shall be registered in the respective
registers of voters to be formed during this present Parliament
for the counties and divisions of counties in which the bo-
roughs constituted by this act may be respectively situate
who would not be entitled to be so registered in ease the same
were now boroughs returning members to serve in Parliament ;
and all persons who would be entitled to be registered in the
respective registers of voters to be formed during this present
Parliament for the counties and ridings and divisions of coun-
ties in which the boroughs in the schedule (A) to this act are
situate, and to vote at elections of knights of the shire in Par-
liament for such respective counties, ridings, and divisions,
in case suchboroughs did not return members to serve in Par-
liament, shall be so entitled, in like manner as if such bo-
roughs did not now return members to serve in Parliament.
Clause 30. Nothing in this act to affect any register of
voters now in force.
Clause 31. Registers for boroughs in schedule (A) to con-
tinue in force during the present Parliament.
Clause 32. Provision as to new boroughs in case of a dis-
solution before their registers are in force.
Clause 33 makes provision as to pleetions for Lancashire
and West Riding during the present '.Parliament, after regis-
ters for new divisions come into force.
Clause 34 makes provision for elections for new divisions of
Lancashire and divisions of the West Riding in case of a dis-
solution before the registers are in force.
Clause 35. Provision for appointment of returning officers
for new boroughs.
Clause 36. The treasurer for the time being of the Inner
Temple shall be the returning officer for the said Inns of Court ;
and the respective treasurers for the time being of the Middle
Temple, Lincoln's inn, and Gray's Inn, shall be deputies of
such returning officer for their respective Inns ; and the writ
for any election of a member or members to servo in Parlia-
ment for the said Inns of Court shall be directed to the said
returning officer.
Clause 37. Vice-Chancellor of University of London to be
the returning officer.
Clause 38. Elections for Inns of Court and University of
London to be within six days after receipt of writ, three clear
days' notice being given.
Clause 39. Polling at the Inns of Court and University of
London may continue three days.
Clause 40. Returning officer for Inns of Court and his de-
puties to appoint poll clerks, &c.
Clause 41. Provision for appointment of Pro-Vice-Chim-
cellors and poll clerks to conduct the poll in the University of

London.
Clause 42. The provisions of 2 Wm. IV., c. 45, to be applic
able to this act.
Clause 43. Certain provisions of 6 Viet., c. 18, repealed,
and certain provisions of this act substituted.
Clause 44. Clerk of the peace to have forms of precepts,
&c., printed. Clerk of the peace to issue his precepts with
forms of notices, &c., to overseer.
Clause 45. The overseers of the poor of every parish and
township shall, on or before the 20th day of June in every
year, publish a notice, according to the form numbered (2)
in the said schedule (G) having first signed the same, re-
quiring all persons entitled as in such form mentioned to vote
in the election of a knight or knights of the shire to serve in
Parliament who shall not be upon the register of voters then
in force, or who being upon such register shall not retain the
same qualification or continue in the same place of abode as
described in such register, who are desirous to have their
names inserted in the register about to be made, to give or
send to the said overseers on or before the 20th day of July
then next ensuing, a notice in writing, by them signed, of
their claim to vote as aforesaid ; and every such person and
any other person who being upon such register may be de-
sirous to make a new claim, shall, on or before the 20th day
of July, deliver or send to the said overseers a notice signed
by hiuc of his claim, according to the form of notice set forth
iu that behalf in the said form number (2), or to the like
effect.
Clause 46. The overseers of the poor of every parish and
township shall on or before the last day of July in every year
make out according to the form numbered (3) in the said
schedule (G), an alphabetical list of all persons who on
or before the 20th day of July then next preceding, shall
have claimed as aforesaid ; and in every such list the Chris-
tian name and surname of every claimant, with the place
of his :abode, the nature and particulars of his qualifica-
tions, shall be written as the same are stated in the claim ;
and the said overseers, if they shall have reasonable cause
to believe that any person whose name shall appear in
such list of claimants, or in the copy of the register be-
lating to their parish or township, and received by them from
the clerk of the peace, is not entitled to have his name upon
the register then next to be made, acid the word " ob-
jected" before the name of every such person on the margin
of such list of claimants or the said copy of register ; and the
said overseers shall also add the word " dead" before the name
of any person in the said eopy of ttterregister4whom thersball
have reasonable cause to believe to be dead ; and the over-
seers shall cause a sufficient number of copies of such list of
claimants and of the said copy of the register, with all such
marginal additions as aforesaid, to be written or printed, and
shall on or before the Ist day of August, sign and publish the
same ; and the said overseers shall likewise keep a copy of
such list of claimants and of the said copy of the register,
with the marginal additions respectively as aforesaid, signed
by them, to be perused by any person, without payment of
any fee, at any time between the hours of ten of the clock in
the forenoon and four of the clock in the afternoon of any day
except Sunday, during the first 14 days after the same shall
have been published, and shall deliver written or printed
copies thereof, signed by them, to all persons applying for the
same, on payment of a price for each copy after the rate con-
tained in the table numbered (1) in the schedule (D) an-
nexed to the said act of the sixth and seventh years of her
Majesty.
Clause 47. The list of claimants (if any) so to be made
out by the overseers of every parish or township, together
with the said copy of the register, with the marginal addi-
tions respectively as aforesaid, for the time being relating
to the same parish or township, shall be deemed to be the
list of voters of such parish or township for the county within
which such parish or township may be situate, for the pur-
poses hereinafter mentioned, and for the purposes of the said
act of the sixth and seventh years of her Majesty.
Clause 48. Auy person ou the register may object to any
other person named in the list as not entitled to be upon it.
Notice of objection to be given to the overseers; and also to
the party objected to.
Clause 49. List of persons objected to be published.
Clause 50. Lists, &c., to be delivered to the clerk of the
peace.
Clause 51. Town clerk to have forms of precepts, &c.,
printed. To issue his precepts to the overseers.
Clause 52. Overseers to give public notice requiring per-
sons to send in claims to vote in respect of rights conferred
by this act, except in respect of occupation of premises.
Clause 53. Overseers to prepare and publish lists of per-
sons (other than freemen) entitled to vote.
Clause 54. Persons omitted from the lists, and claiming as
occupiers, or in respect of any right not conferred by this act
to give notice of their claims.
Clause 55. Persons named in the list may object to others
as not being entitled to be on the list. Notice of objection to
be given to the overseers, and also to the person objected to.
Clause 56. List of persons objected to be made. Such list,
and the lists of claimants to be published. Copies of lists and
notices of objection to be kept for inspection.
Clause 57. Overseers to deliver copies of lists to the town
clerk.
Clause 58. Persons entitled to vote where resident not to
vote out of their own polling district.
pha ecvteive at
the time of making such
1
lanCdla, 5g9.
the company
of the Bank of Eng-
Bank of Ireland, the
Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, and
Y' shall, upon the request
the
aEnyastplenrdisoan Company
snhyailes
p
request, and shall have had for one year before the making,
thereof, standing in the books of the said governor and com-
pany of the Bank of England or Ireland respectively, any sum
or share of any of the parliamentary stocks, funds, or annuities
of the United Kingdom, or iu the books of the said commis-
sioners any annuity, or in the books of the governor and com-
pany of the Bank of England or of the East India Company,
any sum or share of the stock of the said governor and com-
pany, or of the East India Company, shall cause to be given
to such person a certificate thereof in the form numbered (1)
in the schedule (I.) to this act ; and the trustees or managers
of any savings bank in England or Wales, upon the request of
any person leaving in such savings bank a sum of not less than
fifty pounds, and who shall have had not less than such
amount deposited in such bank for three years before the mak-
ing of such request, shall, giye or cause to be given to such
person a certificate thereof in the form numbered (2) in the
said Schedule (1.) to this act; and any such certificate shall
on all occasions touching the right or title to be registered, or
to vote at any election, be received in evidence of the facts
therein mentioned, without proof of the signature or of the
official character of any person appearing to have signed the

same.
Clause 60. Any commissioner or collector acting in relation
to any of the duties in respect of the charge of which- a
right
to vote may be conferred by this act, and having cus-
todytinhehriespiest(of
asnu
any
such person
person
ers o na a c assessmentcharged
orcertificate
i duplicatensuch
in assessment thereof,th e Form
numbered (3.) inr
or uplicate, give
m
Schedule (I.) to this act, signed by such commissioner or col-
lector, certifying that such person is so charged, and specify-
ing also the description of such duties and the amount
thereof to which he is so charged ; and such certificate shall,
on all occasions touching the right or title to be registered or
to vote, be received in evidence of the facts therein men-
tioned.
Clause 61. Where 'any person being a trustee, shall obtain
any such certificate as aforesaid in respect of any sum or share
of any of the said parliamentary stocks, funds, or annuities,
or any such stock as aforesaidf or in respect of any such an-
nuity as aforesaid, for the purpose of enabling any person
beneficially entitled to be registered as a voter in respect of the
income arising therefrom, or any part thereof, such trustee
shall endorse on such certificate a declaration in the form
numbered (4) in the said schedule (I.), setting forth the
Christian name and surname, place of abode, and rank, calling
or occupation of the person so beneficially entitled and in the
actual receipt and enjoyment of such income or of a certain spe-
cified portion of such income, and declaring that the person men-
tioned in the said certificate is in fact a trustee of the income aris-
ing from the dividends of the sum or share of the stock, funds,
or annuities, or stock, or from the annuity mentioned in such
certificate, or of a specified portion of such income, for the
person so beneficially entitled ; and where any person shall
obtain any such certificate as aforesaid in respect of any such
charge of duties for the purpose of enabling any person, from
any payment to whom by the person obtaining such certifi-
cate, the sum charged in respect of such duties, or any part
of such sum, shall be by law authorised to be deducted or
retained, or who shall be liable to reimburse the person ob-
taining such certificate, such sum or any part thereof, such
first-mentioned person shall endorse on such certificate a de-
claration thereof in the Form numiNred (5) in the said Sche.

dole (I.) ; any such respective declarations shall on all occa-
sions touching the right or title to be registered or to vote,
be received in evidence without stamp, or payment of any
stamp duty.
Clause 62. Persons giving certificates falsely, or without
authority, or forging certificates or declarations guilty of a
misdemeanour.
Clause 63. Persons claiming exemption not to be entitled
to be registered, and persons registered not to be entitled to
exemption.
Clause 64. Register of voters to be final.
Clause 65. The provisions of 5 Vic. c. 18 to be applicable
for the purposes of this act.
Clause 66. All election Jaws to remain in force except
where superseded by this act.
Clause 67. Writs, &r.c., to be made conformable to this act.

(From the Morning Herald.)
We must emphatically warn the Conservative party in the
House of Commons against the danger of trusting to the
abandonment of the Reform Bill by the Ministry. That bill,
if passed, is the destruction of the monarchy and the constitu-
tion. We have already declared our conviction that the spirit
of faction which was unprincipled enough to propose may be
unprincipled enough to persevere in it—and it is the solemn
duty of every friend to the monarchy of England to prepare
for an active and energetic resistance to its provisions.
With this persuasion we purpose, day by day, to examine
in detail the changes which it will effect in our electoral sys-
tem. We earnestly invite the attention of every true English-
man to the nature of these changes, in the belief that they need
but to be understood to be indignantly rejected by the good
sense, the intelligence, and the loyalty of the nation.
We begin with that provision to which we have already ad-
verted, the proposal to increase the county representation,
coupled with the provision for representing the minority. It
is of the utmost importance that the bearing of this should be
distinctly understood, and we must endeavour, even at, the
hazard of tediousness, to make it plain.
Lord John Russell proposes that whenever a constituency
returns three members then each elector should only vote for
two. It is not necessary to occupy time in proving that the
effect of this in every such constituency would enable the po-
litical party who are in the minority to return one of the three
members. It is a great mistake, we must observe, to regard
this as a mere incident of Lord John Russell's plan. It is, on
the contrary, the keystone of the entire. Without increasing
the county representation we do not believe Lord John Rus-
sell would venture to propose the democratic provisions which
are contained in his measure. But to increase the county re-
presentation simply would be to give additional power to the
landed gentry, and range on one side the Conservative repre-
sentatives of the counties, and on the other the revolutionary
delegates of the populace of great towns. The representa-
tion of the minority is a device to interpose the party of the
Whig aristocracy—the party who in almost every county
would return the third member. To this rule there may
be of course exceptions, but, as a general rule, we may
safely assert, that in the great majority of instances
the third county member would be returned by
the influence of the small section of the gentry who
entertain Whig principles, or rather the prejudices of Whig
party. To provide for this party, now almost politically ex-
tinct, a sure "refuge for the destitute" in the minority repre-
sentation of counties, is, we cannot help thinking, one of the
essential portions of the measure. We do not think that the
object will be attained. We believe that under the system
established by the bill, both the Whig and the Conservative
will, in the effect of the whole scheme, be utterly overpowered;
but it is not the less essential to expose the partisan character
of the provisions of the bill.
There are now seven counties in England returning three
members each. They are—

Berkshire
Bucks
Cambridge
Dorset
Of these seven counties, only one (Bucks) returned to the
present Parliament a member opposed to the Government of
Lord Derby. So far as the other six counties are concerned,
the effect of Lord John Russell's bill will be to take from the
Conservatives six seats and transfer them to the Whigs. The
representation of Bucks will continue as it is—two Conserva-
tives representing the majority, and one Whig the minority.
But in each of the other six counties a seat will be taken from
the Conservative majority and given to the Whig minority.
But the bill proposes to add to the county constituencies,
which it does not alter in regard to boundaries, 37. Lancashire
and the west riding of Yorkshire are to be newly divided.
But at present we confine our attention to the effect of the
representative clause as applied to existing constituencies.
Thirty-seven of the county constituencies are to return three
members instead of two, and in each of these constituencies
of course the minority will return the newly-added member.
Now of these 37 constituencies, 24 are at present repre-
sented by two Conservative members each, 8 divide their
representation, and 5 are represented by supporters of the
Coalition.
That there may be no room for mistake, we give the results
in a tabular form.

Hereford
Hertford
Oxford

Constituencies to have a third member which now return
two Conservatives :

Cheshire, North Norfolk, East
Cheshire, South Norfolk, West
Derbyshire, South Staffordshire, North
Devonshire, North Somersetshirc, West
Devonshire, South Sommetshire, East
Essex, North Shropshire, North
Essex, South Suffolk, East
Kent, West Suffolk, West
Kent, East Sussex, East
Lincoln, East Warwick, North
Lincoln, West Yorkshire, East Riding
Monmouthshire Yorkshire, North Riding

In each of these 24 constituencies the Conservatives now
return both members. In each of these Lord John Russell
proposes to add a third member, to be returned by the mino-
rity, that is, in other words, to add 24 Whig members for
these places.
On the other hand, he proposes to give a member to the
Conservative minority in the following five constituencies,
which now return two supporters of the Coalition Cabinet :
West Cornwall North Derbyshire
Middlesex South Staffordshire
East Surrey.

The eight constituencies which now neutralise their repre-
sentation we may leave out of the calculation, as the pre-
sent state of their representation supplies us with no test of
the party which form the majority or minority in these.
But it appears that, so far as we have the means of calcu-
lation, the effect of giving a representative to the minority will
stand thus—
To take from the Conservatives six seats now possessed by
them, and transfer them to their opponents, being a clear
gain equivalent to 12.
And to add to the Whig party in the counties 24 seats, by
giving a third member to 24 counties iu which that party
have now no share in the representation.
On the other hand, it will give to the Conservatives five
seats in counties, where they, in their turn, are wholly unre-
presented ; thus making the gain to the Whig interest in the
county representation 25 votes ; but adding to this the six
Conservatives displaced, making a change equivalent to 31
votes on a division.
Against this, no doubt, we must set the result of the appli-
cation of the same principle to the town constituencies ; but
while it will be applied to no less than 49 county constituen-
cies, it is proposed to apply it to only eight towns. These
towns are—
Birmingham Bristol
Bradford Leeds
Liverpool Manchester
Sheffield Wolverhampton
In one of these (Liverpool) the third member would be a
Coalitionist. In the remaining seven a Conservative. From
the 31 votes gained by the Coalitionists in the counties we
must, therefore, deduct six gained by the Conservatives in the
towns. Still the effect of the dexterous application of the
principle of minority representation is to make that applica-
tion tell against the Conservatives by a strength equivalent to
25 votes on a division.
When we remember the majority by which great questions
have latterly been decided, we may appreciate the import-
ance of this manoeuvre, by which, under the pretence of re-
presenting the minority, it is in reality attempted very seri-
ously to affect the distribution of political power.

THE REFORM BILL.

A meeting of Messrs. Gibson and Bright's election
committee was held at the League-rooms, Newsll's-
buildings, Manchester, on Monday evening, preparatory
to holding a larger and more public meeting, for the pur-
pose of considering the provisions of the new Reform
Bill. Mr. G. Wilson was in the chair. The principal
speaker was Mr. Bright, M.P., who discussed the pro-
visions of the bill at great length. • He complained that,
whereas a 101. householder need only have been in
possession for a year, the term was three years
in the case of a 61. householder ; that a man,
drawing 31. out of his 50/. deposit in a savings-bank to
apprentice his child, for instance, was to lose his right
to vote ; that it would rest with employers whether
their men, receiving 21. a-week, should have votes,
because it would be for them to choose whether they
would make advances for current necessities, and pay
the balance quarterly ; and that the different franchises
were too complex, and no one would know to whom he
ought to object. He observed that some of the disfran-
chised boroughs are perfectly pure, and some perfectly
free ' • and you might give members to large bodies under
such circumstances that a very few sitting at a private
dinner-table shall decide who are to be members. The
bill, he insisted, shows an innate hostility to popular re-
presentation, and a distrust of the people. Seats are to be
given to the inns of court, he said, not because lawyers
are wanted, but to prevent more seats being bestowed on
the large towns. The announcement that there were
not to be more members for the metropolitan boroughs
was cheered by the Opposition. Though counties
with a few more than 100,000 people were to have an
additional member, Lancashire was not to have an in-
crease proportioned to its vast numbers. A man
accepting office ought to go before his constituents ;
a minister ought to have their confidence as well as
the confidence of the Crown. The object of the mino-
rity-representation clause, lie said, was to give the
Whigs some of the 46 new county seats ; but Whig
county members were of a class that only put a drag on
a Liberal Government, as much so as if they were
Tories. Why, again, were eight or nine great towns to
send a member to Parliament to vote in opposition to
their opinions' It was most ungrateful to those eight
or nine towns, which had been mainly instrumental
in doing everything on which Lord J. Russell now
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was the pivot of the bill, and without it the bill would
insure a Tory majority. The clause, however, was
objected to by the Liberal members. The truth was,
that the distribution of members was so arranged in the
bill as to give power to the territorial interest. The bill
would not give a representation in accordance with the
opinions of the great bulk of the people ; and he had no
wish to see the measure pass into a law. Other gentle-
men followed Mr. bright, complaining of various parts
of the bill ; and it was arranged to have a general meet-
ing of the committee, which consists of 1,600 or 1,800
persona, to opnoider the steps to be taken.