The Sun.
London, England, 1833-06-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT .OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

„,,,The'4lAg and anxiously-desired Parliamen-
tary report on municipal corporations, and the
....
minutes of evidence taken_ hefOre the Committee,
have just been printed and distributed with the
papers of the House of Commons. - The reform
of the notorious and flagrant abuses of the exist-
ing borough and city. corporations, and the le-
gislative provision of popular municipal institu-
tions for the unincorporated communities of
England, Wales, and Ireland, have long been
considered as among the first and most essential
objects of the amendment of the representative
systeM. During the all-powerful dominion of
the boroughmongers, the attainment of this
great national object was utterly hopeless ; and
equally vain were all attempts to reform the in-
ternal government of the Royal burghs of Scot-
land. Indeed the close and decayed constitu-
tion of. the corporations and burghs of the
United Kingdom, formed the grand apparatus
for the tyranny of the few over the many in their
several localities, and constituted the chief ma-
terials for packing corrupt Parliaments. We
have reason to know that it was the earnest de-
sire of the present Administration, on their advent
to office, in 1830, to have proposed in Parliament
a substantive and legislative reform of corporate
abuses, with a uniform municipal system for the
government of the unincorporated towns. Notices
of a Bill for this purpose have been twice given in
the I-louse:of Commons, and the Government in-
stituted inquirieS.in the large towns for the pur-
pose of obtaining the necessary information.
We believe, however, that difficulties of an in-
surmountable description were soon perceived.
The incorporated towns all differed in the con-
stitution, usages, and customs of their local
government. The trust property equally varied
in amount, and in the principles of its admini-
stration. It was discovered to be impossible im-
mediately to assimilate the numerous and dis-
sonant charters of England, Wales, and Ireland.
The existing civil and criminal jurisdictions of
the municipalities of the several boroughs and
cities are not suited to their present municipal
wants. Further, the difficulties attendant on the
introduction of any general or uniform munici-
pal system for the unincorporated towns were
insuperable. The various nature of the local
juisdictions for debt and crime—the different
existing.institutions of an honorary and stipen-
diary Magistracy—the various ability of diffe-
rent communities to bear any additional local
taxation—rendered any general or immediate
legislative measure of Municipal Reform almost
impossible. The same doubts and difficulties
attended the institution of a popular and effec-
tive police. We were always of opinion that
inquiry must precede legislation; and, under these
circumstances, Lord Althorp, early in the present
session, wisely proposed a Select Committee of
the House of Commons, ” to inquire into the
state of municipal corporations in England and
Wales and Ireland ; and to report to the House
whether any and what defects exist in the con-
stitution ; and what measures it may be, in their
opinion, most expedient to adopt for remedy
thereof." Thirty-seven Members of Parliament
constituted this Committee, with power to send
for persons, papers, and records; and five being
the quorum of the Committee. They prose-
cuted their inquiry in twenty-seven successive
days of sitting, and examined upwards of eighty
witnesses—chiefly the corporate officers of diffe-
rent boroughs and cities of England. The re-
port is a brief and able document. We re-print
it entire; and refer our readers to its recommen-
dation of the appointment of a Royal Commis-
sion. The evidence attached tothe report occupies
391 folio printed pages. Thenames of the Coin-
inittee—comprising, amongotherindividuals,Mr. II
Abercrombie, Sir J. Campbell, Mr. Carter, M r.P.
Thomson, Sir John Wrottesley, Mr. O'Connell,
Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. Wallace, Mr. Buller, Mr.
Divett, Mr. Jervis, Mr. Ellice, and Mr. Ord—
rare a sufficient assurance of the honesty of the
Jnquiry, and the necessity of the recommenda-
tion in the report. Mr. Vernon Smith, a mem •
her of the Committee, has given notice for to-
morrow of a motion for " An Address for the
appointment of a Commission to inquire into
the state of municipal corporations in Eng-
land, Wales, and Ireland." We know that
there exists a very natural prejudice against these
commissions, and their consequent expense and
delay in remedial measures ; but we are satisfied
that there is no other mode of safe and effective
legislation. There are also many difficulties to
be wisely solved in the remedial propositions
suggested by the best informed and most liberal
practical men. Many insignificant corporations
may be wholly suppressed. The West of Eng-
land, and almost every county in England and
Wales, contains many municipal corporations
unnecessary and injurious, some possessing
trust funds, others entirely pennyless. The
principle of self election must be abolished. At
present nearly every inhabitant of a community
who should not be intrusted with authority
possesses it, and all those best qualified for the
offices of corporators are excluded. Little
grid will result unless the " old stagers" are
,router!, and a system of rotary and periodical
election adopted. Now these points—the quali-
fication of burgesses and corporators—the mode
of election—the executive management of the
property of the more wealthy corporations, and
many other matters require patient inquiry and
much deliberation and mature legislation. The
dilapidation and misappropriation of the trust
property of the corporations are notorious, and
will demand particular investigation and legal li
redress. The internal government of the towns
by the establishment of a police based on popu-
lar principles—and any other civil force in this
country, will excite an outbreak of fierce oppo-
sition—is an important and most difficult de-
partment of a municipal commission. The
proposed inquiry also should, by all means,
include authority to investigate the present
municipal state of the unincorporated towns.
The same commission may economically con-
elnct the two inquiries. The necessary ambula-
tory, or itinerant commissions, reporting to a
Lindon board of three commissioners, would
est)on complete the inquisitorial department of
the inquiry, and much of the necessary infor-
mation respecting the municipal state of the
unincorporated towns may be obtained by the
London board through the circulation of queries.
The cost of the proposed cornmission will be
immaterial, compared with its substantial bene-
fits, provided competent persons are appointed,
and full powers are granted by Parliament. The
question of municipal reform is one essentially
relating to the Commons, to their government,
and to the freedom and purity of popular elec-
tion. The Lords "cannot decently oppose any
difficulties to a thorough amendment of the
corporate system. The •day is past, never to
.....,inekortin ripen Lord Lyndhurst dare repeat his
extraordinify-judicial proposition—that the trust
,-.:l"tinds .of''-,innnicipal corporations are privpte
:'.-ifs roger _S' obci t Peel can no loovr art-
" . ---\-- •-• ~.±.:=:.
c,,,v;t.,,,,,, ..,,,t J---- 4...!,,,,,::
..5...'
V -..• :' "3;.. I

OD-I‘),lw6z