The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-11 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

that Clarke had instigated bet to take her uncle's life ;
and that he (Clarke) had frequently beaten and ill-
used her when he did not have as much money from her
as he wanted. Here, again, the conduct of Gardiner was
❑niversally reprobated, particularly by Mr. Serjeant
Adams, the Counsel for the prosecution. The only cir-
cumstances of suspicion adduced against Clarke, in addi-
tion to those contained in the above details, consisted of
his statements at the factory next morning, of his having
been present when the deceased supped the night before,.
rral his betraying a knowledge at an early hour th it the
old man was dead. When called on for his defence, he
put in a written address, in which he principally dwelt
upon the vagueness of the evidence adduced against him,
and asserted his innocence of the crime imputed to him.
The female prisoner merely said she was innocent, and left
the rest to her Counsel.

Several witnesses gave Clarke a good character; but
none appeared on behalf of Higgins.
The Jury, after deliberating for about six minutes, re-
turned a verdict acquitting Edward Clarke, but finding
Mary Ann Higgins Guilty.
The Learned Judge then, in the usual form, sentenced
the wretched girl to be executed at Coventry, on Thursday
next, and her body to be dissected.
She wept all the time sentence was passing upon her,
and cried piteously on being led front the bar. Her youth.
Cul appearance, and the &ea:lfni situation in which she
then stood, as being about to expiate, in the brief space of
forty-eight hours, the dreadful crime of which she had
been convicted, excited powerful emotions in the breast
of every person present. The women in Court sobbed
aloud, and the Jury and several other persons shed tears
when the sentence was pronounced.
With this fearful and lamentable caA., terminated the
pt mat assizes.

CROYDON, Aua. 9.

Edward Hogsden, a man of about 50 years of age,
stood capitally indicted for violating the person of Harriet
Hogsden, his own daughter, only 17 years of age.
The prosecutrix, a good-looking and apparently decent
young woman, lived with the prisoner, her mother, and
a younger sister, at a cottage they had, near Ashstead-
common, in this county. On the 27th of July, last
month, her mother, as was her habit, got up at four
o'clock in the morning and went to work at the establish-
ment of Mr. Hagget, a farmer in the neighbourhood, by
whom bath herself and the prisoner were constantly em.
ployed. The prisoner had not slept at home the night
before, but returned about six o'clock in the morning,
after the prosecurrix's mother had gone out, and after stay-
ing a few minutes in his own room, adjoining to that in
which the prosecutrix slept with an infant, her own
babe, he came into her room and told her it was six
o'clock. The prisoner then threw himself on her bed,
and proceeded to take the liberties she described, and
in spite of all her remonstrances and resistance he fully
perpetrated the offence with which he stood charged.
She even as an inducement to restrain him pointed to the
infant by her side, the consequence of his foregone ill-
usage of her, and told him that if he accomplished his
purpose on this occasion, she should not survive it, but
would put an end to her miserable existence ; but his an-
swer was, that if she did not be quiet he would cut her
- head off; and after he had completed his crime, he
told her she might then go and hang or drown her bastard
and herself as soon as she liked, and that if she did not
get up and quit his house before he returned from his work
to breakfast, he would put an end to her himself. The
prisoner then went away to go to work at Mr. Hagget's,
and she called up her little sister, who slept in another
room, the only person in the house at the time, and sent
her to her mother to come to her iinmediately, which her
mother did, and took her to Mr. Ilagget's, to whom she
related the whole transaction ; and Mr. Hagget instantly
conveyed her the same morning to the residence of Baron
De Teissier, a Magistrate of the county, who, on her de-
position, issued his warrant for the prisoner's apprehension.
The prisoner asked the prosecutrix, in a cross-exami.
nation, if she had not had a criminal intercourse once
with a packman or yedlar, but she indignantly replied that
she never had.
A question was then put to her by Mr. CLARKSON,
who conducted the prosecution, in answer to which she
said that she never in her life bad any criminal intercourse
with any man except her father.
B iron de Teissier was examined, and said he took down
in writing what the prisoner said in answer to the accu-
sation, having first cautioned him that any thing he might
say to criminate himself would be used against him on
his trial.

What the witness took down was then read, as spoken
by the prisoner to the Magistrate, and consisted merely of
theso words :—" There was always temptation in the
way. She is no daughter of mine. I admit that I had
connection with her, but she was always agreeable."
The pi isoner, during the progress of the trial, once or
twice interrupted the proceedings. The prosecutrix, he
said, was always willing that lie should have connexion
with her, and in fact he had done as he liked with her
ever since she was nine years of age.
When the case was closed for the prosecution, the pri-
soner handed in a written defence, in which he denied the
charge altogether. He had been out all the night before
the morning in question, be said, watching his poor mo-
ther's grave, who was only buried the day before.
The prisoner called no witnesses, either in his defence or
to his character, and the Jury, after hearing the Judge's
charge, in which his Lordship observed upon the pri-
soner's strange denial of the prosecutrix being his daugh-
ter, although there seeme I no ground whatever for that
denial, pronounced a verdict of Guilty against the prisoner
without a moment's hesitation.

Mr. Justice GASELEE then put on the fatal black cap,
and pronounce the awful sentence of death on the prisoner,
telling him not to indulge in the slightest hope of any
commutation of his sentence, but to prepare for that igno-
millions dealt which inevitably awaited him.
The prisoner, who throughout evinced the most callous
indifference, maintained the same feeling apparently until
removed from t! ,e bar.

It was stated as an ascertained fact that the prisoner's
mother had been buried the day before this shocking occur-
rence, and that the prisoner had actually, as he had stated,
sat up all night in the church-yard watching her grave.
The assizts ended here this evening at five o'clock, and
the Judges quitted the town immediately for London.

PORTSMOUTH, AUGUST 10.

This afternoon the Tweed, of 20 guns, and Victor, of
18 guns, sailed for the Downs to join the fleet.
His Majesty's ship Rattlesnake, 2S, at this port, has also
received orders to join the fleet in the Downs.
His Majesty's ship Britannia, 120, which was to have
sailed yesterday, has been detained, and does not now sail
till Friday.
A very line Amerlean corvette, of 10 guns, the Ken-
sington, commanded by Captain Ramsay, arrived yesterday
at Cowes.

The Marquis of Doußo, who retired from
the (jOtli, or King's Royal Rifle Corps, in November, 1830,
in order to attain the rank of Major on the unattached list,
has been appointed one of the Majors of the 2d battalion
of the Rifle Brigade, conttnanded by Major-General Sir
GEORGE BINGHAM. His Lordship's brother, Lord
CHARLES WELLESLEY, is a Captain in the first battalion
of the Rifle Brigade. N',ither the Noble Marquis nor
Lord CHARLES have, iniwever, seen any active service,
although the distinguished corps to which they belong is
now stationed in the Mediterranean Islands. The Duke
of WELLIN6TON is Colonel-in-Chief of the Rifle Brigade—
a circumstance which may account for both his Grace's
sons holding commissions in the same regiment.
The fleet of Sir E. CODRINGTON passed
Brighton last Monday evening, on its way to the Downs.
It was a magnificent sight, and the cliffs were lined with
spectators. There were elevenships, led, we believe, by
the Donegal, the Admiral being second, and the Prince
Regent about the middle of the squadron. The Asia
made a noble appearance, as did the Parham, which out-
sailed the Prince Regent considerably, and ,6 that black
looking devil," the Caracoa, which brought up the rear.
The wind was a light one from the north, so that the fleet
was able to come in unusually close to the shore. They
were in sight several hours, although the weather was hazy.
—Brighton Gazette.
The following summary of the number of
speches delivered by the champions of the Opposition,
since the Bill went into Committee, may, perhaps, amuse
our readers :—Sir E. SuonEN, 25; flusa, 20; PRAED,
23; PELHAM, 30 ; Sir IL PEEL, 51 ; CHOKER, 63 ; and
Sir CHARLES WETHERELL, '73 !—Ltrerpool Chronicle.
MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—Yesterday
evening, between seven and eight o'clock, as Capt. DANCE'.
FIELD, a gentleman between fifty and sixty years of age,
residing in Baker-street, Portman-square, las driving his
wife in his gig along York-terrace, Regent,v s park, he was
suddenly seized with an apopletic fit, and instantly fell out,
apparently 'in a lifeless state. He was immediately as-
sisted into the house of JENKINS, Esq., in York-
terrace, a surgeon was procured, and after bleeding him
copiously, signs of re-animation appeared, and he was so
far recovered as to be enabled to he removed to hit resi-
dence in Baker-street, in a coach. The sufferer is for the
present entirely deprived of the use of his left side. There
are but alight hopes of his recovery.

LONDON,
THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 11, 1831.

One of the most important branches of the Re-
form Bill, that we mean which regards the divisions
of counties, comes on this night for discussion in
the [louse of Commons. On this subject there can
scarcely, we conceive, be two opinions. The pro-
posed divisions, if carried into effect, will emasculate
the Reform Bill and deprive it ofall vigour. in fact they
will break in on its leading principle, which was to take
the nomination of Members out of the hands of the
aristocracy, and bestow the privilege on those who
are alone entitled to it, Nye mean the people.
Once split into divisions, the several counties
will be immediately placed at the mercy of
the great landowners in the vicinity, and
thus we shall have nomination boroughs merely ex-
changed for nomination counties. We hope Mi-
nisters will not he so ill-advised as to press this
point. if they do, they may rely on it they will
have the people unanimously opposed to them, and
sending up petition after petition, remonstrance after
remonstrance, from one end of the kingdom to the
other. For what purpose has the great battle
been fought for the last six mouths to the neglect of
every other consideration ; for what purpose have
the people, in order not to embarrass Ministers,
agreed fur a time to throw overboard the ballot, if
after all the disinterested sacrifices they have made,
they are still to be placed at the mercy of the great
leading Aristocrats, if not through the medium of
boroughs, at least of counties ? Let any of our readers
peruse the list of counties inserted in schedule G,
and they will see at a glance in what way the pro-
posed division of them will work. Cumberland
will be once again in the power of the LONSDALE
family, who will nominate their own Members with
as much facility as ever, the people having little or
no power to prevent them ; Derby will send two
of its representatives at the pleasure of the
Duke of DEVONSHIRE, and two others at that
of the Duke of RUTLAND; Northumberland will
belong to the great Aristocrat of that name ;
Kent will be represented by the KNATCHHULL and
WINCHILSEA faction ; and so will it be with nearly,
if not quite, all of the remaining counties. Surely
whatever literal difference there may be, in spirit at
least, there will be scarcely any between this system
and that of the rotten boroughs ! At no distant
period one will become quite as offensive as the
other, and be objected to by the country with
equal indignation. The great object of the Re_
form Bill, without which it is little better than
a farce, is to enable the people to retura their
own Members, the men of their own choice. This
it is impossible they can do, if the several counties
are to be so divided as that the electors of each divi •
sion shall be liable to be tampered with by their
wealthy aristocratic neighbours. Each county should
be rendered unpurchaseable by the aggregate number
of its electors ; this is the true spirit of Reform,
and to this point all the sincere friends of the
measure should direct their earnest attention. The
Chronicle of this morning argues the question with
considerable force and dexterity, and we direct our
readers' notice to its arguments. They are unan-
swerable. We intreat Ministers to weigh well
their present proceedings, before they decide
on them. The Press supports •them solely on
patriotic principles ; it knows no interests but-those
of the people; and, regarding the proposed divisions
-of counties as inimical to those interests, is prepared

immediately to eider its tuchit decided picres
against them.

After an animated discu,sion on the Irish Pool
Li►vs, growing out of a petition presented by the
Catholic Bishop, of Ireland, the House went into
Committee on the Reform Bill, which we are happy
to say made satisfactory progress.

A meeting of his Mijesty's Ministers took place
it Lord ALTHORP'S residence in Downing-street,
this morning, relative to Merthyr Tydvil.

A Cabinet Council is summoned for this even'tig,
at the Foreign Office.

The French Papers are more occupied with spe-
culation than real news. The following from the-
Times contains all that took place on Tuesday.
On Tuesday the French Chamber of Deputies
met to receive the report of the commission upon
the Address to the KING. The tribunes were all
full, and the public anxiety at its height, when
at half-past one o'clock, after some preliminary
business, the President announced that the copy
of the Address was before him ; but that, ac-
cording to a rule of the Chamber, it must be re-
ferred to the bureaux (of the Chamber) gene.
rally for their perusal, before the public discussion
could arise. The prolix form was ordered to be com-
plied with, and the House adjourned to the bureaux,
in which they were engaged nearly two hours, in this
perusal and examination of the prepared Address.
They had not finished when our account left. All the
Ministers were present, except Marshal SOULT.

We have received a copy of the Address, as it
went into the bureaux late on Tuesday : it is an echo
of the KING'S speech up to the passage relating
to Poland, and upon that it speaks in warmer
terms than the KING did ; from that downwards, it
speaks out much plainer upon the foreign policy of
France. The paragraph about Belgium is,--" that
France associates herself with transport to a ge-
nerous movement, of which the object is to de-
fend and establish the principles of our glorious
revolution, to fix definitively our relations with
our neighbours, and to dissipate all the doubts
which painfully agitate France." It afterwards
,ays, " France will guard with jealous care
her own independence," and compliments the
KING upon the valiant example which his sons
after himself have set in hastening " to fire
the first cannon in the cause of liberty." This ad-
dress was in a firmer tone than the KING'S speech,
hut equally expressive of a hope that the general
peace would, " under existing grave circumstances,"
be still maintained.

The French Government anxiously await the
steps of foreign Powers respecting Belgium.

The Funds have this day risen, under a belief
that peace will be maintained :

FRENCH FUNDS.-PA 111 S, AUGUST 9.-Five per Cents., 85f.
25c. 33c. 40c. 35c. 50c. 45e. 50c. 30c. 50c. 83f. 60c. SOc. 84f. 15c. sc.
84f. 84f. 20c. 84f. 841. 10c. 841. 84f. 23c. 35c. 50c. 60c. 70c. 75c. 70c.
85f. 83f. 10c. 30c. ; Loan of 1831, 83f. 35c. 40c. ; Four per Cents.
6811 67f. 75c. ; Three per Cents., 51f. 90c. 52f. 52f. 10c. 52f. 52f:
10c. 25c. 30c. 52f. 20e. 25c. 20c. 15c. 25c. 15c. 25c. 35c. 50c. 52f. 55c.
60c. 80c. 90c. 53f. 53E 10c. 25c. 3,)c. 33c. SOc. 70c. 65c. 60c.; Bank
Stock, 1,500 f. ; Bente Perpetuelle d'Espagne, 441,i 1,5;
itente de Naples, 63f. 80c. t4f. 641. 50c. Exchange on London,
one month, paper, 25f. lire. ; money, 2.5 f. 10c.; three months,
money, 25f.-Coors Authentiquc.

We have abundance of news from Belgium, but
nothing of a decisive military character. There was
much rranceuvring, marching, and counter-marching,
in both armies, but no fighting of any consequence;
A great battle wa4, however, expected to take place
yesterday or to-day, for the distance between the
respective armies was every moment getting less.
It appears that Antwerp has been taken under
the protection of France and England, and all
Europe, which latter part of the protection we
cannot clearly understand. The consequence was
an armistice between General CHASSE and the
Belgians till further orders from the Dutch
KING. The suspension took place on the Gth,
and on the 9th orders were received from
King WILLIAM, by which the armistice was
set aside, but General CHASSE promised not to
renew_ hostilities unless provoked. Thus matters
stand at present. The following are extracts from
Brussels Papers of the 10th instant, and two
extracts of letters :

Extract of a letter from the Agent to Lloyd's,
dated Antwerp, the 9th of August :-

" A steamer arrived last night at the citadel with a
reply from the King of Holland, as to the armistice con-
cluded here on Tuesday with regard to the town. A❑
official communication has been made by General Chasse
to the General commanding here, by which the armistice
ceases this evening at ten o'clock ; however, no firing
will take place upon the town, unless it provokes the cita-
del by shells. The following Belgic vessels have been
taken and detained by the Dutch squadron :—Therse, Mi-
naer, from Antwerp, for Liverpool, Sans Repos, Van
Dyck, and Packer, from Brussels. At Flushing all the
Belgic vessels have been stopped.

t,,:senttwi
rnitolu, marchingay,
Extract of a letter from Dover, dated yesterday
evening :
" I arrived this morning in twenty hours from Brussels
to Calais, with a courier. The King was at the head-
quarters of the army when I left, at half-past twelve.
Some partial out-post actions had occurred. A general
action was expected this day or to-morrow. The Dutch
army had advanced from their lines near Breda, with a
view of joining detachments from Maestricht, part of
which were in possession of Diest (and I give it as re-
ported) of Hassell and Hera., and also St. Troud, on the
high road from Liege to Louvain and Brussels. It was
reported that the inhlbitants of Illaestricht had risen in
the absence of the greater part of the garrison, in which
many of whom were killed.
hrneeennitohjune(sii;sm of the whole population of Belgium
es at the highest, and all capable of serving are
in all directions to join the army. The road
for many miles, between Brussels and Ghent,
,sas covered with volunteers to join the army. The 22d
Regiment of the French line (very strong), marched out of
Vice les Beige !' Amort a
les Hollandais I'
Dunkirk this morning, at five o'clock for Lisle, Sze.,
shouting
But I
posed the frontier."

BausseLs, AUG UST 8.-It is more than ever necessary
to he on our guard against the bad news which are so
easily circulated. In general they are the result of false
reports, which increase as they advance. We cannot too
earnistly remind the citizens, that when a piece of news is
bad, that is a reason to believe it false. Some Journals,
which, iu general, are best informed, should be consulted
by those who wish to know what is passing in the army.
If the Moniteur publish little news, it is because it is
thought prudent at head-quarters to keep the operations of
the artny secret. It is known that the Dutch have nu-
merous spies, which shows how much they desire to be ac-
quainted with our movements, and if we can conceal them
the advantage for us will be immense.
There is no truth in the report of the occupation of
dv i t
Tirlemont by the enemy. Persons who have left Louvaine
to-dal'', at nine o'clock, affirm that four thousand Dutch
troops had advanced from Diest to St. Troud.
Thei
m diligenceeet
h which left Brussels yesterday evening,
has returned, not being able to pass through St. Troud.
I t
d net
any enemies at Tirlemont.
The post froth Liege not Laving arrived this morning
we have not received the Journals of that city.
M. Adair was expected at Brussels yesterday evening.
The King left Malines yesterday morning, and arrived
at Louvaine at eleven o'clock.
Gen. Baudrand, Aide-de-Camp to the Duke of Orleans,
has arrived at Malines with General Belliard.
The heavy cannonade beard yesterday was occasioned

ly an action between the enemy and out troops, who are
id to have retaken Diest. It is in consequence of thi,
hisadvantage that the Dutch have advanced to St. Troud
The day before yesterday there was an engagement be-
tween the army of General Dalle and a Dutch corps neat
lasselt. Our troops gained acute advantages.
Official news has ju,t arrived (four p.m.), that the
troops which sallied from Ma-stricht yesterday have beer
eaten and forced to retire to that city ; that the army
he Meuse, commanded by General D line, had arrived a•
flerck, near Diet, after having beaten at Oethal -the
Dutch General Georges, who has fallen back toward,
tluseyck, whence he will be kept in check by the Belgian
bHgade of Colonel Vanderbroek.
The troops that sallied front Maestricht left behind
',vend carts with wounded.

The army of the Scheldt, under Tieken de Terhove, is
,id to have arrived in the environs of Herenthals, five
eagues from Diest. . _ .

BRUGES, AUGUST S.—Colonel Moyart, Commandant
if the provinc?, has fixed his head-quarters at Danne.
No Dutchman is to be seen to-day along the whole line.
lur troops remain in their positions.
In the night of the sth the Dutch were for a moment
nasters of the sluice of Hagegras, and burnt the house of
he sluice-keeper ; but they were soon repulsed.
GHENT, AUGUST B.—On the 6th the Dutch made
•ally from Hulst upon the 'Change ; they were repulsed la)
the Civic Guard.

The heal-quarters of General Wantier are at Basseveldt,
which the Mitch were compelled to abandon yesterday ;
•heir loss was considerable, the blood flowed in the streets
Basseveldt. Our loss was trifling. Too much praise
cannot be given to the brave civic guard, which admirably
seconded the troops of the line.
This morning we were in ponseaion of Eede, but at
ten o'clock we were forced to abandon that position to a
foice too considerable to be resisted.

A battalion and three companies of the second battalion
of the fist van of our civic guard set out this morning for
Capelle. Their departure took place with singing and crit s
of joy.
The vessel sent to the Hague to carry to the
King of Holland an armistice eoficlnded with the citadel
has not yet returned. It is supposed that that Prince has
come nearer to the army. The Dutch are positively re-
tiring on our whole line in the province of Antwerp;
they have abandoned Turnhout, Putie, and West Wesel,
hut we have no troops to join theta. The Dutch have
some ships at Flushing that were comlng to Antwerp.
LOUVAIN, AUG. S.—This morning the King slept
at Louvain in a private house, and set out early with his
staff for Aerschot, where he now is. Considerable forces
are assembled at that point.
The enemy occupies the same positinn!= enly that he'
has advanced between Tirlemont and Tongres, and taken
posse•sion of St. Troud, a town of little importance. As
the King has not returned from Aerschot, it is thought he
will fix his head- quarters there, to be nearer to die ad.
vanced posts on that side. The King is indefatigable.
BRUSSELS, AUGUST 9.—A French Cabinet messenger
passed through last night, coming from Paris. He had
despatches for General Belliard, and others for the Happ.
It is said that the Belgian army assembling at Louvain
already amounts to 35,000 men. There arc said to be
a million of cartridges at Louvain. Eighty thousand
muskets arrived at Brussels yesterday, and are going to be
sent to Louvain.

The Minister of the Interior announces that the King
has received from England the news that the Belgian
troops at Java had established a Government there, in the
name of the Belgian nation, to which the whole island had
submitted.

LouvAts, A tic. B.—M. de Brouckese was nearly taken
prisoner yesterday as he was going to the army of the
Meuse. He was at the gates of St. Troud when he learnt
that it was occupied by the enemy. The centre of the
enemy's army is 20,000 men ; these are the Rower of his
troops ; it has good cavalry and a great number of cannon.
The left consists of 15,000 men ; these too are good
troops. The corps of Van Geen, which forms the right,
is numerous, but the troops are not good.
BP.USSELS, AUG. 9.—The Dukes of Orleans and Ne-
mours, and Marshal Gerard, have fixed their he id-quarters
at Maubene.
None of the Brussels Papers mention the entrance of the
French army into Belgium.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

FROM LLOYD'S.

DEAL, Auc. 10.—Wind S,E. moderate.—Arrived, and sailed
for the river, the Constitution and Salus, from the Cape of Good
Hope ; Enterprise, from the Mediterranean land Douglas, Buck,
from Faro. Sailed for the westward, the Wellington transport.
The squadron under Sir E. Codrington remains.
PORTSMOUTH, AuG. 10.—Arrived the Margaret, Waters:
from Sierra Leone. Sailed his Majesty's ships Tweed and Victor,
for the Downs.

BRISTOL, Auo. 10.—Arrived the Memnon, Mather, from
Quebec.
LIVERPOOL, AM. 9.—Arrived the Superior, Pulman, and
Eleanor, Child, from New Orleans; Hellespont, Pratt, from
Charleston; Superior, Sewell, from Savannah; and Ward, Hare,
from Virginia.

GREESTOCK, AtJa. B.—Arrived the Glasgow, Hunter, from
Jamaica ; Science, Snell, from Demerara ; and Sylph, Morris,
from Montreal.

DOVER, Aun. 9.—Arrived the Lotus, Watts, from Virginia.
PLYMOUTH, A[•c. 9.—Wind S.V.—Arrived the Eliza,
Leonard, from Sierra Leone; and New Eagle, Quick, from St.
John's, N. B.

GUERNSEY, Arc. S.—Arrived the Mora, Lemesurier, from
Monte Video; and Two Brothers, llumphreys, from Rio Janeiro.

Extract of a letter from the Agent to Lloyd's, at Ostend,
dated August 10 :—" It is reported that a French privateer, with
one hundred men, and well armed, is off this port. The Forti-
tude, Delafontain, from Batavia; and the Duna, from Soura-
baya, are at anchor oft this port waiting for orders."
The Kitty and Molly, Bine, from Londonderry to Belfast, was
stranded, near Ballycastle, the 7th inst., and had seven feet water
in her hold, but was expected to be got off after discharging.

A most important part of the English Reform
3 11 stands postponed for discussion this evening, in
that portion of it, clauses 9, 10, and 11, which give
4.lditional Members to certain counties—dividing
t .e counties into districts, and apportioning the re-
, esentatives to certain undetermined divisions. We
t tve hitherto abstained from discussing this prim-
&pie of the Ministerial measure, not wishing, by
ereatilz inopportune controversy, to add to the
t'fficulties which encumbered the path of Govern-
new-. But the period is now come when we may
.afely and plainly express our sentiments, especially
as amor'g the noticts of motions is one by Mr.
Hughes Hughes, " to move the erasure from the
11111 of all words effecting or referring to the division
of counties." The clause in question we extract from
he Bill :

" And be it enacted, that in all future Parliaments there
,ball be six Knights of the Shires instead of four, to serve
'or the county of Vorh ; that is to say, two Knights for
•ich of the three ridings of the said county, to be elected
-n the same manner, and by the same classes and descrip-
tions of voters, and in respect of the same several rights of
voting, as Head' of the three ridings were a separate connty.
" And h • it enacted, that in all future Parliaments
there shall he four Knights of the Shire, instead of two,
to serve for the county of Lincoln ; that is to say, two
for the parts of Lindsey in the said county, and two for
the parts of Kesteven and Holland in the same county;
and that such four Knights shall be chosen in the same
manner, and by the same classes and descriptions of voters,-
and in respect of the same several rights of voting, as if
the said parts of Lindsey were a separate county, and the
mid parts of Kesteven and Holland together were also a
separate county.
" And he it enacted, that each of the counties enume-
rated in schedule G, to this Act annexed, shall he divided
two taco divisions in manner hereinafter directed, and
that in all future Parliaments there shad he four Knights
if the Shire, instead of two, to serve • for each of the
said counties; that is to sty, two Knights for each divi-
sion of the said counties ; and that such Knights shall be
...thosen in the same manner, and by the same classes and
descriptions of voters, and in respect of the same several
rights of voting, as if each of the said diVisions were a
separate county."
The counties referred to in scireclule G are as fol-
low

.
" SCHEDULE G.-Counties to return each 'four Mem-
bers :—Chester, Cornwall, Cumberland, Derby, Devon,
Durham, EPsex, Gloucester, Kent, Hampshire, Lancaster,
Leicester, Norfolk, Northumberland, N•nlbornpton, Not.
tingham, Salop, Somerset, Stafford, Suffolk, Surrey, Sus-
sex, Warwick, Wilts, Worcester."
The mode of division in the pre'ent Bill (altered
from the original draught), from its importance, We
extract in full

" And be' it enacted, that shall be and they arc
hereby appointed Commissioners for the purpose, herein-
after mentioned with regard to elections fur countlee ; and
that the said Commistioners or the major part of them,
shall within three months after the passing of this Act,
inquire and determine in what manner each of the counties
enumerated in schedule (G) to this Act annexed, shall
thereafter he divided into two divisions, in order that each
division may return two Knights of the Shire for the same
in all future Parliaments, as hereinbefore mentioned ; and
the said Commissioners, or the major part of them, shall
divide each of the said counties accordingly, and shall also
determine at what principal place of election the Court
for tilt: election of Knights of the Shire for each division
of the said counties shall be holden, and at what
principal place- of election the Court for the elution of
Knights of the Shire for each of the three ridings of York-
shire, and 'for the parts of 'Andel., and for the parts of
Kesteven and Holland, in the county of Lincoln, shall be
holden ; and the said Commissioners, or the majority of
them, shall have power to unite and incorporate (fur the
purposes of election only) ty;th any county, or with any
division of a county to be by them made, any outlying
portions of any other county which ally he locally situate
within the former, and shall deliver a report of such their
determination to one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries
of State, Who shall forthwith lay the same before his Ma-
jesty in council ) and it shall be lawful for his Majesty
to issue his Royal Prorlamation, making known the deter-
mination and report. of the said Commissioners, from the
date of which Proclamation every county enumerated in
the said schedule (G) shall for the purposes of this Act be
and remain so divided into the divisions, and each divi-
sion shall return two Knights of the Shire to serve for the
same in all future Parliaments; and every county or divi-
o ts eh sa
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hAa
ye
et , include
been
o
as inoyn
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ratinns crustyof shall,th
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united and incorporated therewith as aforesaid; and a copy
of such report of the said Commissioners shall forthwith
be laid before both Houser of Parliament, if then sitting,
or if not sitting, then within ten days after their sitting."
It cannot be denied that these clauses—the divi-
sion of counties, and the irresponsible and arbitary
made of dividing them—are open to great objee-
' tions, and give the best friends of the Bill a full
right to independent opposition. It is unnecessary
to discuss the palpable superiority of district over
class voting, as so ably developed in the pamphlet
by Mr. George Grote, entitled " The Essentials of
Parliamentary Reform. The " ultimate end" of
our anomalous system of representation will, pro-
bably, at no distant day, he based on the principle
of symmetrical arrangement. But the prejudices of
the people and the fears of the Aristocracy would
not admit present perfectibility. Something must
evea be left to posterity, whatever the Finalists
may say to the contrary ; and Nvlien Sir Charles
Wetherell (the Robinson Crusoc of the Anti-Re-
formers) and Sir Edward Sugden (his man Friday)
rest quiet in their graves, future generations will
legislate for themselves, their heirs, and assigns.
Ministers, in the projected division of counties,
have, in our judgment, introduced into the Bill a
piece of patch work, adopting the evil of a partial
district system without any of the advantages of
that system as a whole. We must consider these
proposed clauses as applicable to England, and to
other parts of the Reform Bill. The register, arid
the subdivision of places of county poll will neu-
tralize most of the evils of our county elec-
tions. The division of the counties under open
voting with the greater part of the town free•
holds subtracted from the old constituency,
would necessarily invest the large landed
proprietors in those divided districts with the power
of nomination, particularly if the tenants of short
leases are admitted to the franchise. Hitherto the
gross number of the freeholders, and the public spirit
and independence of the inhabitants of the towns, have
operated as a counterpoise to the otherwise over-
whelming influence of the great landed properties. It
may be replied that the extra number enfranchised as
copyholders and leaseholders will amply supply the
diminution in the town votes. Tire number of copy-
holders not possessing freeholds is very small in the
majority of English counties, anti much indepen-
dence from tenants under short leases, unprotected
by the ballot, cannot We anticipated. If nomination,
therefore, is really and sincerely sought to be ex-
tinguished, let us not exchange close boroughs for
close counties. The public-virited and independent
freeholders of the large towns, who have the spirit
and the power to combine, to unite, to energise,
ignited that glorious flame which rose in the minds
of the greet body of the county constituency at the
general election. They made the sacrifices of time
arid purse, and worldly interest. It is to thern that
we are to look for future patriotism and public
honesty; and may be it is to those middle and
humbler classes that the property of the nation will
be hereafter, and at no distant period, indebted for
protection against an inundation of crime and abject
poverty. We know that the most invincible repug-
nance exists in the public mind throughout the counties
intended to be divided (Yorkshire excepted) against
this unnecessary, partial, and injurious dislocation.
The limitation of the duration of the poll, and the
taking of. votes in districts, are fully adequate to all
the honest objects of the intended division ; but if
it be projected to give the counties to the borough-
mongers, in exchange for the boroughs, let that be
openly avowed and argued. We cannot, however,
suspect the Ministry of such an intention ; we will
not even insinuate it. But we will admit that
Ministers might honestly in their difficulties (for
which great allowance must be made by -every
liberal mind) insert these clauses as a make-weight.
—a sop. Perhaps it is reasonable, cerainly prudent,
to award the Aristocracy something in exchange
for what is taken from them ; and verily enough
still remains to them and is given by a Bill, which