The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-26 00:00:00

At that time the population was under a million

and the amount of the public revenue was not more
than £150,000. Now, in 1867, the population
amounted to 3,200,000, and the public revenue
amounted to £8,441,000 per annum. In all mat-
ters of social concern Scotland had made a very
great advance. lle did not deny that a correspond-
ing advance had been made in many parts of Eng-
land. It appeared, however, from statistics recently
laid before Parliament, that since 1832, when 53
members were allotted to Scotland, the public re-
venue of the country had increased at the rate of 67
per cent. per annum, while that of England had
only increased at the rate of 17 per cent. Under
these circumstances the people of Scotland consid,•red
that they were fairly entitled to be heard on the
question of representation before anything was de-
finitely done as to the distribution of se sts in Eng-
land. They regarded it as an exceedingly hard case

. _
hat while small towns in England, with a popula•

tion ranging from 2,000 to 7,000, and possessing a
very small number of electors, were to be still al
lowed to return one member each, in Scotland towns
ranging in population as high as 17,000 were to be
grouped as they had hitherto been, in half dozens,
for the purpose of electing a single member. Feel-
ing that circumstance very acutely, and observing
that the town of Berwick-on-Tweed, which was geo-
graphically Scotch but politic ally'English, was; with
its 13,000 inhabitants and 731 electors, still to re-

turn two members, and knowing that it was a town
notorious for its corruption, they were of opinion
that the manner in whieh it was proposed to deal
with the Scotch boroughs was most unjust. As the
redistribution of seats generally was now engaging
the attention of Parliament, the time had come when
the question of the proper representation of Scot-
land should be fully considered. They therefore
hoped that before the English bill passed through
committee the Government would endeavour if pos-
sible to introduce a resolution affirming the prin-
ciple that something more than was now proposed
should be done for giving additional representation
to Scotland. It appeared from the returns to which
he had already referred that as regarded population
Scotland ought to have 69 members, while as re-
garded revenue it should have 86 ; but they were
not inclined to press too hardly upon the Govern-
ment in favour of equal electoral districts, remem-
bering that the Constitution was full of inconsis-
tencies. There was a general feeling in Scotland
that the country was entitled to at least 15 addi-
tional members.
The LORD PROVOST of GLASGOW said there was
an unanimous feeling in the city he represented,
which contained one-sixth of the entire population
of Scotland, that the proposed addition to the re-
presentation of Scotland was most inadequate, the
country now forming part and parcel of England.
The LORD PROVOST of ABERDEEN said that
unless some adequate representation Nitre now
allotted to Scotland there would be a deep feeling
of disappointment engendered in the minds of the
people in the district he represented. They had
been told since they came to London that unless
something in the shape of a compromise were come
to there was little chance of Scotland meeting with
its due share of representation. They thought that
it was for her Majesty's Government to propose
some such concession to the house, and that too be-
fore the English bill was passed.
Mr. ROBERTSON, M.P., did not agree with one
remark which had fallen from the Lord Provost of
Edinburgh, namely, that the increase in the repre-
sentation for Scotland should be taken from Eng-
land. That was a matter which the Scotch mem-
bers thought might safely be left with her Majesty's
Government.
The Provost of DUNDEE having quoted statistics
to show the inadequacy of the representation of
Scotland as compared with that of England and
Ireland, thanked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for
the very large measure he had introduced for ex-
tending the franchise. That measure gave to Scot-
land the very largest extension it was ever proposed
they should have, and the people of that country
were deeply grateful for the generosity with which,
in that respect, they had been dealt with.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I have
received this deputation with much satisfaction, and
I have listened to the statements which have been.
made by the eminent municipal magistrates who
have addressed me with the attention which they
deserve. You must all of you acknowledge that
Her Majesty's Government have introduced a Par-
liamentary Reform Bill for Scotland which is
marked by its liberal character. The franchises, as
has just been admitted, are extended by it in a
manner which has never before been proposed, and
there has been a :proposition made for increasing