The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-15 00:00:00

justly considered as fettering- the choice of the people?
it deserve to be stigmatised as it had been stigmatised? It
would, however, undoubtedly secure the election of perpons
who, so far as property went, would be fit for the situation%
which they occupy. No qualification could he conceived
which would not bear hard upon some one. He was moss
anxious, as anxious as the Noble Viscount, that the Bill should
pass into a law. The subject had created great excitortent
and agitation. He was anxious therefore that the Bill hhOUld
be passed in such a shape that, if it did not meet with the fa,
your, would at least experience the toleration, of the otlmt
House of Parliament.
The Marquis of WESTMEATH oliorved, that wit!, re.
ferende to the question of qualikatlen, the Irish Tit!,„ Con,
position Act provided that persons voting ute;,, that Act
should have votes in proportion to their propel Ey.
• Loral-LYNDH URSI said that he waP 'so atiXious to meet
the wishes of the Noble Lords opposyo.-that he would consent
to modify his proposed clause.
Lord BROUGHAM o
ord better take the 10'.
that the Noble and Learned
L Lordhad LYNDHIJR,97. then we qualint fication at once.
down to the table and
read his modiiita op.use;
nature of the me- but we were unable to collect the .
L74,..,111
fieti UG HAM said he would vctc against the rnodi-
-4-
eudtnent; meaning thereby to express his opinion
mat any qualification whatever.
Lord TE YNIIAM said a few words, which were inaudible
in the gallery.
The Committee then divided. The numbers were
Contents for the amendment
Non-contents, against the amendment
Majority in favour of the amendment
Lord BROUGHAM whiled to know whether his N'-oble and
Learned Friend meant to reduce the classification, as ho had
intimated he would.

•
Lord LYNDHURST proposed that the clause should then
be added to the Bill, meaning het carter to move the recommit-
ment of the Bill, in order to consider maturely the queitien put •
to him by the Noble and Learned Lord.
Lord BROUGHAM begged then, with no unfriendly spirit-
or purpose, to submit to their Lordships' consideration the pros ,
bable effect that would be produced upon the country by leer-
mg the clause as it was at present. His Noble and Learned
Friend said it was his wish to make the Bill as perfect as he
could—to make it work well. Now, in order to its working
well, it must be made acceptable to the Country ; and was that
likely, so long as the measure contaiited.se _invidious a dis-
tinction between rich and poor is this clause contained? Ac-
cording to the argument of his Noble and Learned Friend
very little wasgained by this'elause. He (Lord Brougham)
thought otherwise as to the effect of it. He thought a great
deal was obtained by it. But, assuming that his Noble and
Learned Friend was right, and that he was wrong, he would
ask was it fitting, was it wise—he would not say was it safe,
because he might be misunderstood and misrepresented ; but.
was it sound, or even well considered towards themselves,
or calculated to secure the well working of the measure, to
stamp upon this Bill that most hateful appearance of exclud-
ing every person who was not of the richest class in the com-
munity ? By adhering to the provision to which he alluded,
wealth would become the criterion of eligibility ; for it would
not be confining the qualification to those who possessed a
certain amount of property, but it would be excluding ttP who
did not belong to the richest class of society: • Would it, be
asked, be a good moral result of their labonrs.to establish
such a principle in the government of the; ift-airs of this
country ?

The Earl of DEVON s;id he had lookt4 upon the question
in the last clause simply as one of qualification or no qualifica- •
tion. It was his intention to trio,: that those who possessed
the required amount of proprrry, although not included within
the first class, should be elif;ible for civil office.
Lord LYNDHURST'said the Noble Earl would have an •
opportunity upon a subs.;quent clause of moving the aniead-
merit he had referred to.

The clause was then added to the Bill.
Clauses 16, 17, and 18, were that agreed to with verbal
amendments.

On clause 19 beinr, put
The Duke of RICHMOND suggested the propriety of
having the amendments of the Noble and Learned Lord
( Lyndhurst) .opposite., printed.. and proceeding to the consi-
deration of them ~n. Monday.
Lord BROUGHAM said they were merely consequential.
on the amendments which had been already made. Ho had
suggestions to make himstAl.
The Duke of ItlefrvlOND—lt was the more important
that the-arriendmep,',s of the Noble and Learned Lord should
be printed, beea.:ise they were sure to be carried.
Lord BIOnJGHAM—There was a still weightier reason
in behalf-i,t- his own amendments—because they ought to be
"riio".l—( Laughter.)
clause was agreed to, as were clauses 20, 21, 22, and 23.
On clause 24 being proposed,
Lord \VHARNCLIFFE rose to move some amendment
which he said would occasion considerable debate, and had
'perhaps better be-postponed in consequence.
Lord BROUGHAM said the question was, whether, if it
were adjourned until-Monday, it would not occasion more dis-
cussion than if it were taken at once.
Lord L YNDiIuRsT could promise, as far as he was con-
cerned, that the 'could be got through in Committee on
Monday and Tuesday:
Lord BROUGHAM believed it could, as they had already
got through the more difficult portions of the measure.
--The House then resumed.— The -Chairman-reported pro-
gress, and obtained leave to sit again on Monday.
Their Lordships then adjourned at half-past eleven.