The Sun.
London, England, 1831-04-21 00:00:00

SIR. ROBERT WILSON.

We hope soon to.be freed from the necessity of men-
tioning the name of au individual, to whom circumstances,
a restless activi,y, and love of nitoriety, have elevated tp
a degree of consequence which his judgment at:d talents
never would have obtained for him, and who, from his
want of steadiness, has enjoyed, perhaii,., less of the con •
&knee of distinguished individuals than any public cha-
racter of our times. We were by no means deluded by his
dec!aration on Tuesday night, that " the moment he
heard the propositions of his Noble Friend, he determined
rather to relinquish his seat in that House, than give his
support to that part of the Reform Bill (relating to the
diminution of Members). For he had been sent ii.to
that House as a reformer, and he would not appear to his
constituents an enemy to Reftrin, by withholding his sup-
port front the Reform proposed by the Government with
which he was associated on the general principles of their
administration, and on the general question -of Re-
form He was prepared to surrender

to Lis constituents the trust which they hail committed to
him, if they disapproved of his conduct and withdrew
their confidence." If the withdrawal of the confidence of
Lis constituents were all, we were sure that Sir Robert
Wilson would not temain a (lay louger Member of South-
wark; but Sir Robert must not always he taken at his
word. A deputation of several of the most respectable of
his constituents waited on hiM )esterday, with the follow-
ing document, signed by a number- of the first names in
the Borough 1—
We, the undersigned electors of the Borough of Southwark,
begrminibrin )ou they arc utterly .at a loss to conceive the
motive of your vote in support of General Gascoyne's motion of
last night, it being so directly contrary to the pledges given to us
on the hustings, and renewed at the last Town-hall meeting,
where you must have been aware the electors were unanimoiam
support of his Majesty's Ministers. Viewing your vote with
alarm, and thinking you cannot serve them any longer as their
representative, request you will, without delay, resign the trust
they have committedto your lianas :
John Stewart J. B. Lings, 216 Borough

Geo. Radford, 168, Blackman-st. W. Huttiiii' :IA ditto
John Smith, 109, ditto Wm. Brocksopp and Sons
John. Alderson, 110, ditto Win. Morgan, .35, High-street,
J. H. Clark, 99, ditto Borough
Robert Clark, ditto • . • Thomas C. Smith
John Hinton, 96, ditto Charles Woods, '232, High:.street,
Thomas Phillips, 84, ditto Thomas Russell, '127, ditto
H. Hutson, 72, ditto James Russell, ‘/....,7, ditto
Joseph Taylor, 68, ditto John Ellis, 81, ditto
Thomas Smith, 66, ditto B. Woods, Calvert's-buildings,
T. Powell, 67, ditto ditto
J. T. Ratcliffe, 64, ditto Thomas F. Marcy, 87, High-
James Breillat, 61, ditto street, ditto
Joseph Breillat, ditto Martin Maylard; 95, ditto -
J. and E. Heath, 59, ditto George Pole, ditto
Francis Waring. 58, ditto Samuel Powell, 99, ditto
John Vaughan; 56, ditto Joseph Parker, 101, ditto
Alan Miles, 76, ditto Henry Haddock, 103, ditto
Samuel Haanson, Alfred-place John Bunton, 184, ditto
.la. Harding, 82, Blackman-st. J. Warter and Sons, 105, ditto
Thomas S. Ni, Jenner, 7, Dover-J. H. Waiter, it, Paragon, New
place, Old :lent-road Kent-road
J. Bunnett, Newington Causcway.Michael Drew, 113, High-street,
Wm. Sheppard, Blackman-street, Borough
Borough A. Putley and Son, 114, ditto
Geo. Odling, High-street, ditto Joseph Russell, 118 ditto
' Matthew Riley, 160, ditto J. B. Whiting, 76, ditto
Abraham Barber, 169, ditto George Pink, 65, ditto
W. Bennett, 170, ditto W. Reed, 90, London-road
Geo. Cross, 175, ditto Richard West, Three Crown-sq.
Geo. Packwood, 181, ditto James English, 134, High-street,
Richard Searle, 181, ditto Borough
Anthony Morpeth, 187, ditto George Patley, 136,-ditto
W. J. Millard, 189, ditto Thomas Burdock, 242, ditto
Daniel Birt, 190, ditto John Adderley, ditto
P. Hyam, 198, ditto John Adderley, jun. ditto
John Patrick, 199, ditto John Ruck, ditto
Chas. Rice, Friars-street, Black. Cornelius Ruck, ditto
friars-road Josh. Turner, ditto
Thomas Perry, 203, High-street, T. J. Swan, Lant-street, ditto
Borough J. J. Baford, 72, Blackmail.
J. Fitch, 6, UniOn-st., Borough street, ditto
Wm. John Aprey, 216, Borough B. Brooks, 207, High-st., ditto
We are assured, that if time had permitted, thesigna-

tore of almost every elector would have been attached to
the above document. Sir Robert, however, did not appear
to relish the invitation to resign. He said the cad on him
was premature—that his speech had nut been correctly
reported in any of the newspapers—that there) was a con-
sp,r of the Papers to misreme,ent him—and that be
wishe_i thin to suspend their judgment respecting his con-
duct till Friday, when they should see a Report of his
speech, corrected by himself, in the Mirror of Parlia-
ment. One of the gentlemen of tee deputation asked Sir
Roheit whether Mr. Stanley's speech was also misrepre-
sented in the newspapers, because Mr. Stanley appeared
to understand his (Sir Robert's) speech exactly in the
sense in which it was understood by his constituents? To
this posing question no answer was given. The deputa•
tion wished him to look at the names to the paptr, and
said they thought a resignation without more ado would
come with more grace from him than a resignation-after
further steps. Sir Robert said that he would circulate
1,000 copies of his speech, corrected by 'himself ; and he
repeated that every statement he had made was garbled
and wilfully misrepresented. He cool I not attend to nor
• invitation to give up his seat which did not proceed from
a public meeting. The deputation assured hitn that a
meeting would be called, with a view to obtain the object
they had in view, without delay, and that they were quite
sure theme were not ten persons in the borough who would
not agree with them.
The following Requisition has, we understand, been nu-
merously signed, and was forwarded last evening to the
High Bailiff of Southwark. It is proposed that the meet-
ing should take place to-morrow (Friday).
To John Holmes, Esq.ailhaariahrlof the Town and Borough

We, the undersigned Inhabitant Householders of fl u_ I.'wn
and Borough of Southwark, do request you to call a public' Nleet
ing of the Electors of this Borough, at the Town Hall, +0 k,:
t
Ito consideration the Parliamentary conduct of Lieut-exaa
General Sir Robert 1 'toms Wilson, Islnt„ one of our Represen) tt-
tativcs in Parliament, ancl particularly in reference to the in:
structions given to him at the Meeting of the Electors at the
Town Hall on the Bth day of March last, and the pledge then
given by him to comply with those instructions.--Dated this 2tith
day of April, 183!."

DISRAELI'S HISTORY OF CHARLES I.
This important and highly curious wotk is at length com-
pleted, by the publication sfthe liferVl olutue, in which will
be found the history of Coitn,,VPatnE's purge, recently al-
luded to in the House of mrnons; with an account of
the circumstance which induced CHARLES to deem ;
-elf " A Martyr for the People," and many other elticiet,..
Lions of the transactions of those times, never fully brought
to light by any other historian.

THE KING'S LEVEE.

Yesterday his Majesty held a Levee, at his Palace in St. Tames's.
. His ilLjesty entered the State _Rooms soon after two o'clock,
and proceeded to hold his Court. The Field Officer in waiting
and the Colonel of the Guard had an audience of his Majesty,
who gave the military pass word Of the day.

The Duke of Norfolk had an audienceof the King, and pre-
szmted a;1 Address from New Shoreham.

Prince Lieven, the Russian Ambassador, had an audience of
his Majesty, and presented the Baron Behr- d'Edwahlen.
'I he Danish Minister had an audience of the King, and pre-
sented Mr. W. G. Coesvelt, jun. attache to the Danish Legation.
The Mexican Minister also had an audience of the King; and
presented M. E. de Gorostiza, attache to the Mexican Legation.
Ar the Entre Levee were—

The Russian, Austrian, French, and Netherlands Arnbassa-
dors ; the Prussian, Danish, Swedish, American, Russian, (on
a special mission,) Neapolitan, Sardinian, Wirtemberg, and Mexi-
can Ministers; the Baron de Ralamb, Swedish Charge d'Af-
faires; the• Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the Council,
rite First Lord of the Treasury, the Lord Privy Seal; the Secre—
Nries of State for the Home, Foreign, and Colonial Departments ;
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the President of the Board of
ContrOul, the first Lord of the Admiralty, the Earl Marshal, the
Lord Chamberlain, the Master of the Horse, the Groom of the
Stole, the Captain of the Hon.. Corps of Gentlemen Pensioner:,
he Captain of thb Yeoman Guard, the Vice-Chamberlain, the
Treasurer of the Household, the Judge Advocate General, the
Lord Mayor, the Clerk Marshal, Mr. Hancock, Clerk of the
Cheque, the Attorney-General, the Master of the Ceremonies,
the Common Serjeanteand the high Sheriff of Sussex.
At the General Levee were—

l)UKES—Gordon, Richmond, Norfolk, Buccleugh.
Marquis of Hastings.
EARLS—Spencer, Carlisle, Aboyne, Amherst.

Viscount Gage.

LORDS—Dufferin, Auckland, Ravensworth, William Lennox,
George Lennox, Carbery, Radstock, Rolle.
RIGHT H ONOURAB LES—Sir JOhn Nicoll, Charles Grant,
R. Grant.

HONOURABLES—Sir Henry Blackwood, Charles Law, E.
Petre, General Duti; Robert Curzon, jun., Ref. Mr. Ca• heart,
Captain Caulfield Browne.
SlRS—Robert Gardiner, Geo. Nayler (Garter), W. W. Wynn,
Edward Kerrison, M.P., Robert Wigram, Bart., John Sinclair,
William Boothby, Henry Tichborne, Oswald Moseley, Robert
Liston, John Wrottesley, George Shiner, M. W. Ridley; John
Lowther, A. Edmonstone.
BISHOPS—EIphin, Gloucester.
ARCHDEACONS—GIover, De Grey.
REV. MESSIEURS:-William
._Strong, Mr., Keysall, John
Halfward.

MESSIEURS—James Hudson, Mead Waldo, Watson Taylor,
John Kingston, Donovan, Schonewar, M.r., George Dunn, Fitz-
herbert, Drewe, Henry Porcher, Hamilton Storey, Massy .Daw-
'son, A. Stewart, R. H. Hurst, Baynard, Wyndham, M.P.,
Alexander Sinclair, Wm. Collins, J. Barham, George Cochrane,
Clayton East, 'rreby, Edw. Stewart, jun., Andrew Drummond,
Sharpe, Granville John Penn, Ridley, Irvine, Duckett, Thomas
Nettleshipp, Barry, James Browne, Edw. Drummond, Lowther,
R. W. Roberts, Agar Robartes, Pearse, Littleton, Ravenshaw,
Campbell, Luttrell, P. Williams, M.P.
ADMIRALS—Hon. Sir H. Blackwood, Sir H. Hotham,
Halkett, Palmer, Lawford, Maitland, Sir J. Williams.
GENERALS—ArchdaII, Sir Edw. Kerrison, Hon. J. Duff;
Sir R. Hale Sheaffe, Sir A, Campbell, Sir John Keane, Brooke,
Fraser, Slade, Dickinson, J. Fuller.

COLONELS—Sir Chas. W. Thornton, Poten, Gore Langton,
M.P., Hughes, Rochtbrt, M P.. Clayton, Arnold, M. W. Browne,
Story, Sir A. Dalrymple, Fludyer, J. 'ltalie, M.P., Douglas, Sir
A. Frazer, K.C.8., D. Macdonald, Grant, Thackwell, James
Hug' es, Fanshaive, Adye, Wynyard, Jones, Astel, Sir C.
Broke Vare.

MAJORS—Breton, Pringle Taylor, R. Macdonald, de Roos,
W. F. Forster, Pip6n.

COMMANDERS—W. G. C. Kent, Arrow, H. Kent, E. K. C.
Bawn, W. G. H. Which, Broke, Cornwall, liremer.
CAPTAINS—BasiI Hall, R.N., C. Heneage, D. H. O'Brien;
R.R., D. Tyssen, Rattray, R.N., H. Pigot, R.N., Meyer, M. H.
Dixon, R.N., Thor°ld, Robilliard, ,R.N., Perceval, 31,Cprdy,
Rainer, R.N., Hon. J. Cust, Warren, W. Rochfort, R.N.,
Chads, R N.

LIEUTENANTS—HaLkett, R.N., Fitzsimon, Lord F. Rus.
sell, R.N., J. S. Jephson.
Cornet M. C. J. Campbell, Ensign Sandeman.
The following Noblemen and Gentlemen presented Addresses
to the King :

Earl Grey, from the Mayor, Justices, Aldermen, Capital Bur.
gesses, and other Inhabitants of the borough of Congleton ;
the Parishioners of the parishes of Whitstable and Seasaller,
Kent; the inhabitants of the town of Rye; Vestrymen and
Inhabitant Householders of St. Paul's, Shadwell ; the Free
Burgesses of the borough of Maldon ; Inhabitants of the town
and parish of Woolwich ; Freeholders and others in the county
of Ross interested in the Bill to amend the representatio.i of
the people of Scotland ; Inhabitants o: Stoneh ouse, in Lanca-
shire ; Freeholders and Inhabitants of the town of Newton
Elmavady, county of Derry; Freeholders and Inhabitants of
the town of Ballinrobe, county Mayo.

The Duke of Gordon, from the county of Aberdeen and Royal
burgh of Forres, against the Reform Bill.

The Lord Mayor, from the ward of Castle Baynard, in favour of
the-Ninisterial plan of Reform.

Lord Durham, from the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of
North Durham, and from the Inhabitants of Mile-end Old
Town, Middlesex, in fa,;tour of Parliamentary Reform.

The High Sheritrof the county of Sussex, with an Address.
Mr.'ll.. H. Hurst, Lords G. and W. Lennox, with the Address
from the county of Sussex.

Earl Spencer, from Towcester, in Northamptonshire.

Mr. Fitzherbert, High Sheriil'of Staffordshire, from the comity;
it favour of the Reform Bill.

Mr. Wm. Collins, from the Political Society at Warwick

Lieut.-Col. Clayton, from the boroUgh of Great Marlow and its
environs, in f..vour of Reform

S:r James Browne, from the county of Mayo
131 r W. Wynn, front the county of Denbigh, in favour of Reform.
The following Noblemerrand Gentlemen were presented to the
King
Rev. W. Strong, on his re-appointment as Chaplain in Ordinary
Mr. M. Waldo, West Kent eomanry Cavalry, . late of his Ma-
jesty's Ceylon Civil Establishment, on receiving permission to
assume the name and arms of Waldo, by Col. Rochfort, M.P.
• Hmoa
jno.r.C6eLnaeirva,ilcisibreiEng eicicecrtedrisoiC),omoiml one-iSengrjaepaii)oitionfte aKi
Londoniight
Grand Cross of the Guelphic Order
Lieut.-Col. Rochfort, M.P. by General Archdall,
SirM
Ea
33rrMcr Vin.NOjimBeiHrames
eiwn
eyiddsto,l -110‘;boaut,royilr°d,iiiye.,711,eYrsli:yrb'dPr7,yeB•
Rolle
atbyoli.rFirlytelo3:iettrllefril)iyue,ol:kmir
‘orrlers.
deflAGoDrfocrewa
shyd
Archdall,
ri
Carlislev: t
cri
oe.
.l. A,ten
al
?fi
M
Sir Henry Tichborne„ by the Marquis of Clanricarde • •
Mr. Alexander Sinclair; by the Lord in Waiting
Mr. T. Barham, by Sir Philip Sidney
Mr. Clayton East, by the Right Hon. Sir William Fremantle
Mr. Duckett, by Lord George Beresford
' Sir Robert Liston, his Majesty's Envoy at ditil:rent Courts
Mr. Edward Stewart, jun., by Sir James Graham
Mr. Barry, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber
Mr. Trehy, byLord Valletort
Hon. H. Petre, by the Duke of Norfolk
Mr. H. Drummond, appointed Captain in the New ForeA Yen-
loamy
Mr. Sharpe, by Lord Teynhain
Mr. Thomas Nettleshipp, by Lord Amelius Ileauclerk,"
thaeodeLirciucteh-
Il‘.lire.upt.-oCnoolvoani e' bFyluttilly%Dr,atereonfadßilecrhGmuoanrdds, on promotion
Hon. Robert Curzon, jun., on coining of age, by Earl Howe
tis Viscountone, Bart,
Major P. Taylor, Captain Commandant Lymington Troop
Yeo-
manry Cavalry
Mr. George Cochrane, by Conunander Furber, R.N.
Major-General Sir A. Campbell, on appointment to
Miria
jnot-hGvoit,r,riogLshmipboyfsNirmAY
rßcir,uibnasli,dvica-ki,nbioy
Mr. Massy Dawson, by Lord Carbery
Hon. and R y. Mr. Cathcart, by Sir William Fremantle
Mr. Irvine, Oxfordshire Yeomanry, by General Lord Howden
Hoc. Capt. Caulfield Brown, by the Earl of Charlemont
Capt. Charles Heneage, on his appointment of Gentleman Usher
an;:rheralanin
of the Privy Chamber to the King, by the Ldrd Ch
Mr. Wyndham, M.P., by the Earl of Radnor
Capt. D. Tysso.n, West Kent Militia, by the Marquis Camden
Mr. Ridley, by Sir M. W. Ridley
Hiod.noirialigPDEP°ixsitnoatnbnl:iesint.witeou,iti,iost ;I:SijiielsatHyppo'esrsbei:itrpntitt
t to corn-
Pallas, by Sir James Graham
Capt,CCaattHlNlM.eal;neilgre; tR.
Mnar.a,n‘drthhiusrr'Sitajeews'atyrt's, osii'llPhis appointment to the Rifle Brigade
Capt.
I„ene,arblitoerod,
Hi
Major It. Macdonald, Aide-de-Camp to I ieut-Gen. Sir J. Keane,
Archdeacon.dg hGI onvdeerr,s by yt hLei eDu tate co' Sussex
on his return from Jamaica, by the Duke of Gordon
Major Breton, 4th or King's Own Regiment, by Major-Gen. Sir
C. Campbell
Rev. Mr. Keysall, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty
Lieut.-General Sir Roger Hale Shealfe, Bart., Colonel With
Regiment
Col. M. W. Browne, Bengal Artillery, by Col. Fitzclarence
Capt. M‘Cundy, by Lieut.-Gen. W. Cuppage
Capt. Robilliard, R.N, by Adm. Sir P. C. H. Durham, K.C.B.
Commander Arrow, R.N., by the Earl of Errol
Commander W. G. C. Kent, by Sir James Graham., Bart.
Commander Henry Kent, by Sir James Graham, Bart.
Lieut. James J. Jephson, R.N., by Vice.-Adze. Sir J. Rowley
• Lieut. Hanry C. hcbomberg, R.N., by Sir-Auffnas Hardy
Lieut.-Colonel Story, lid Dragoon GuardsPuy Lieut.-General 0,
J. Hamilton
Commander E. K. C. Bacon, R.N., by Sir Thos. Hardy, 13.
K.C.B.
by
Commander W. G. H. Whish, on return from Continent,
Viscount Exmouth
Mr. G. J. Penn, by Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Taylor
(4
Lieutenant-Colonel D. Macdonald, hy the Adiutant•Genera
the Forces '
-.General
Paymaster G. Dunn, Royal Welsh Fusileers,by
Sir W. Gordon
Lieutenant Halkett, R.N., by Vice-Admiral ITalkett
Lieutenant Fitzsimon, by Lieut.-Colonel S. Hughes MT.rn Comet W 'l' .C. T. Campbell, by Sir Charles Forbes, l'an•
Ensign Thomas Fraser Sandeman, by Sir G. Murray art.,
woodior.
Captain Perceval, Grenadier Guards, by Colonel Woo
Cautain Rattray, 11. N., by Sir Joseph Yorke
flis Majesty gave audiences at the Levee to— Vis-
Albemarle,
count Palmerston, Sir James Graham, the Earl of Lord Hill.
The Lord Chancellor , Earl Grey, Viscount Melboiirne,
Sir Wm. Ereemantle, the Marquisof Winchester, and

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent and the Princess
Victoria walked for some time in the Parks yesterday Morning.
ished
The Duchess of Kent entertained a large and distingu iv.,
party at-dinner yesterday, at her aj.artments in the King's Pa " '
Kensington. morn.
A Cabinet Council was held at eleven o'clock Ye"erdaZhole of
the Cabinet Ministers, with the exception
ing at the Foreign Office, which was attended by
The Ministers adjourned to the residence of Earl Grey, in '-'°
„A ,„ Lord Hol
ing-street, where, subsequently, they were' Pine" "/the Ca
land. After remaining about two hours in eliberation •
binet broke up Chan-
His Majesty gave audiences at the Leve o the Lord Sir
cellor, Earl Grey, Viscount Mer)ourne, Viscount Palmrston, :
James Graham, the Earl of Albemarle, Sir William Fremantle,
of Lord 11.,,011awn,d.
the Marquis of ‘Vincliester, and Lord Hill.
Yesterday his Majesty gave a'grand dinner to all the Officers
of the First, or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards,'
in number to about 100. The party were entertained in t
1 two long
queting-room, in which tbur tables were laid. The tables
tables were laid for twenty-eight each, and the two cross a
for twenty-four each. The superb service of gold Pbte
displayed.
His Majesty, who was habited in a Field rshal's uniform, re-
ceived the officers in the Ball-room. The ing's company (with
the band) in this regiment, amounting to about cightY men'
anbenbatinng.
marched into the State-rooms about six o'clock, and lined th
Presence-chamber; the Guard chamber, the Gallery, and the
Ante-room to the Banquetting-rooms.
Soon after seven o'clock dinner was announced, when the Kin!,

left the Ball-room, preceded by Sir Frederick Watson, the Master
of the .Household, and followed by the military guests. The
King's company presented arms as his Majesty passed, and the
band struck up, " 011, the Roast Beef of Old England," which
was followed by the Hanoverian Light Brigade March. The King
took his scat in the centre of the cross table at the top of the
room. The Duke of Wellington, as commander of the regiment
,tt to the right of the King. Colonel Woodford, as the imme-
diate commander of the Regiment, presided at the bottom cross
table. Behind the King were arranged the three regimental cc_
ours and the three King's or state colours, belonging to the re-
giment, on which were the names of the battles in which it sig.
nalised itself during the late war, viz., Lincelles, Corunna, Bar.
rasa, Waterloo, ke.
The Ring's company were regaled with a supper, and a dinner
was provided for the baud at a tavern in the neighbourhbod of the
Palace.

SCOTTISH REFORM BILL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Slltt—From the manner in which the Scottish Members of Par-
liament speak of the feelings of Scotland on the Reform Bills
lately introduced by his Majesty's Government, a stranger might
he led to suppose this country was hostile to any political refor-
mation whatever. While these assertions were broached by men
of no note or name, it was unnecessary, perhaps, to contradict
them. But when Sir George Murray, whose opinions must al-
ways have some weight, openly declares the same tiring, it is
high time the truth should be known. Ido not say Sir George
made such an unwarranted assertion without some grounds, and
these were most probably contained in a petition against Reform
got up by the county of Perth (or what is more correct the free-
holders of Perthshire) which he represents, and which is more
under the influence of aristocratic burgh-mongers, so to speak,
than any other county in Scotland; it is, in fact, the hot-bed of
Ultra-Toryism. The Noblemen are all Tories, with one excep-
tion; and Lord Mansfield, who, in his anti-Reform zeal is now
distributing tracts through the country, has extensive influence
among the gentry. But this petition of freeholders (! ! ! !), Jus-
tices of Peace, and Commissioners of Supply, no more expresses
the sentiments of the great majority of the respectable and middle
classes of Perthshire than it does those of so many Laplanders. The
yeomen had nothing to say in it—hundreds of proprietors had
nothing to say in it—the inhabitants generally probably never
heard of such a petition at all. It represents merely the preju-
dices of a knot of individuals, who, possessing all the servility
Scotch electors in general possess, cannot see those exigencies,
and changes in the times which render the present mode of elect-
ing in this country (originally founded on feudal barbarisms)
quite incompatible with her own interests, or even with those of
the United Kingdom.
I myself am an admirable specimen of a Scottish freeholder.
I have votes in thrqe counties—in two I have not even ever had a
foot of land, 'or the smallest interest of any kind. My estate lies
in the other; but that trivial circumstance does not entitle mete,
vote, as a Noble Lord possesses the superiority of the lands, and
his Lordship's law agent stands enrolled by virtue of a grant from
his employer. So that I, who am proprietor of upwards of 700/.
yearly in a Scotch county, would have no voice whatever in the
election of a Member of Parliament. To remedy this, and to
snake a status in the-county, I purchased the superiority of ano-
ther proprietor's lands for 10001.
Scotland is in fact a rotten burgh—Mr. Hume very properly
remarked, as rotten as any in schedule A. in Lord John's Bill,
and her representatives being elected by "the chosen few," who
have, along with their representatives, long fattened on the
public, are naturally anxious to preserve things as they are. But
it will not do. The great middle class of the people, whose influ-
ence is daily increasing, and a majority even of the upper class
are for the Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bilk Let Sir
George Murray, Sir George Clerk, Sir William Rae, William
Dundas, et hoc genus omne, say what they please. Next to the
disfranchisement of the small close burghs, and the opening of
the large ones, the present election system in Scotland requires
attention from the Legislature. Until there is a Reform here,
the counties are just so many rotten burghs. Money may pur.
chase them, and the purchaser like the burgh-monger will in re
turn prey en the vitals of the State. In England and Ireland
the representation is comparatively pure, but will the people of
England believe it when I state (and if j'alse it can easily be proved
so) that the present representative qf the greatest western county
in Scotland has spent, in the course of a few years, more their
one hundred thousaud pounds'in buying up superiority ; giving
it to his creatures, and thus seating himself down in Parliament
as a representative of the people. Nor is this all ; —until some
change takes place he will continue to sit there. Nobody has so
much superiority, and so many voters, though ins CONSTITUENTS
are woefully few. This gentleman's politics are at direct variance
with the county, end, had it a voice in tire neuter, he would
never have beers their choice. So much for things as they are.
The interests of England, Ireland, and Scotland herself, re-
quire that this system be stopped. If some in the latter have pro-
fited under it, the twq former have suffered, in the same way as
the burgh-mongers prosper at the expense of the nation. But
give. Scotland a representation like that proposed by the Bill be.
fore Parliament, and I am confident she with England and Ire-
land, will be infinitely bencfitted, and her people thankful.
I am, Sir, your very constant reader, '
A 'REFORMING SCOTCH FREEHOLDER.
Glasgow, April IE, 1831.