The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-01 00:00:00

GREAT YARMOUTH.

Mr. PHlLlPS,ilieChair;;;Oitileoreat Yarmouth
election petition committee brought up the report, which
stated that the committee wero of opinion that the sitting
members had been duly elected, although several cases of
bribery had been established against private individuals.
THE BREACH OF PRIVILEGE—MR. J. P.
HENNE S SY.
The SPEAKER announced the receipt of a letter from
Mr. Hennessy, the member for the King's County, apolo-
gising for his non-attendance at the committee on which
he was appointed, which the ion. member stated arose en-
tirely from forgetfulness, and not from any disrespect to the
house.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Blackburn Gas, Silverdale and Newcastle Railway, and

West Middlesex Water.
DUBLIN CORPORATION WATER BILL.
Mr. MAGUIRE, in moving the second reading of this
bill, observed that it was intended to supply a great social
want to the inhabitants of Dublin. There were 24,000

houses in that city, only 12,000 of which were sup-
plied with water, which was furnished at a low pres-
sure and was inadequate to meet domestic requirements.
A discussion ensued, which terminated in the motion for
the second reading being postponed for a week.

PETITIONS.
Several petitions were presented for and against the
budget, against the Highways Bill, in favour of the repeal
of the duty on paper, against the reduction of the wine
duties without a corresponding reduction of the duty on

malt, &C.
PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION.
Lord J. RUSSELL presented a number of petitions
praying for a rs-distribution of Parliamentary seats, and tho
adoption of vote by ballot in the election. of members to
serve in the House of Commons.
Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from different par,ts of
England and Scotland to the same effect.
THE ALLEGED AUSTRO-RUSSIAN TREATY.

In reply to Mr. STEUART,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the English Minister al
Vienna denied the existence of any such treaty.
REFORM BILL.

Lord J. RUSSELL rose to move for leave to bring in a
bill to amend the representation of the people in Parlia-
ment. He said that he disclaimed any intention of intro-
ducing any new constitution in the measure he was about
to submit to the consideration of the house. lie

disclaimed such intention, for two reasons ; the
one was that he had no desire to alter the constitution, and
the other that he found himself entirely unfitted to pro-

pose any thing to stand in the place of that glorious con.
stitution. (Cheers.) He did not introduce the presen
bill because the Reform Bill of 1831 had failed, but because
it had succeeded. (Hear, hear.) What he proposed to do
was to supply the omissions and to remedy the de-
fects of that measure. (Hear, hear.) It ' had
been considered, with regard to voters in coun-
ties, that those who had only an occupation of £lO a
year were as well entitled to the franchise as those who pos-
sessed the £5O a year qualification,and in that alterations it
was proposed to reduce the qualification to the former
amount. (Hear, hoar.) In that alteration the dwelling-
house entitled to the franchise must be of the value of £5 a
year, and the whole tenement must not fall short of £lO a
year. With regard to counties and boroughs it was in-
tended to reduce the franchise. (Hear, hear, and "No,
no.") Mr. Hume had justly said that the £lO franchise
deprived most unjustly a great number of persons
of the franchise. He contended that it would be very un
fair to exclule in the present bill a great number of the
working classes, who from their intelligence, industry, and
knowledge were entitled to have a voice in the election of
their Parliamentary representatives, and he believed by
admitting a large number of that body they would in
reality be strengthening the constitution of the country.
(Hear.) He denied that a reform bill should be introduced
only when their was an agitation on the subject which was
not only an unconstitutional, but a dangerous doctrine.
However, in the proposed reduction of the franchise for the
boroughs and cities in England and Wales, it was
still determined to adhere to the principle of rating
They found, in making calculations on this subject, that
the total number of voters in England ani Wales
wore 440,770, of which a considerable number
otherare
freemen, or voted by scot, lut, or
ancient forth, which was fast expiring. ricking
7ki_ei"uo the the
~..:
adequate deduction, which would amount to uo
franchise under the existing system would be reduced
to little more than 400,000. The £8 or £7 franchise
~.
would make but an inconsidehraeble adoition to the
• 6franchise proposed
number of voters, but by giving
the
• would be increased to 634,969.
the amount •
The bill proposed to take away a member from those
Ao
boroughswherethepopubttion fell shortof7()
,(1°
Ludlow,
l viow, ) lindoni-
-
vtoenr,
113voedllnalilnh, Evesham,etford
Totness, Harwich,
Leominster,Tewkesbury,Marlborough
Ripon, Marlow, Devises, llertford, Guildford, Dorchester,
Tewkesbury, and other places which sent two members;
and in future these place's would return but
one. Additional members would be given to
different large constituenciee, such 44 the West Riding of
Yorkshire, the two Divisions of Lancashire, West Kent,
Buckingham, Middlesex, South Devon and Essex.
and West Norfolk, West Cornwall and Staf-,