The Sun.
London, England, 1832-07-10 00:00:00

save, whea divided by the number of tenants, the valise of
101. to each person.
Mr. STANLEY said, that the difference of the customs
in England and Ireland rendered it more difficult to app!y
this prr,vision to the latter country. In England the county
assessment was a means of ascertaining, in cases of joint
te.,,ancy, the number of bona fide occupiers of 101. in.
terest ; but in Ireland no such test existed.
Mr. SHEIL was in favour of the proposition, and
thought its principle ought to be extended to counties.
Mr. CRAMPTON thought the EltUite ought to take
time for consideration before acceding to the present motion.
Lord ALTHORP said, that the assessment in England
prevented any fraudulent votes being made from joint te-
nancy; and no similar means of testing the soundness of
votes existed in Ireland. He thought, however, that the
proposition was worthy of consideration ; and he hope
the Hon. Member would defer pressing it until Slit bring-
ing up of the report. If adopted, he was of opinion that
it ought to apply to boroughs, as well as to counties of
cities.

Mr. CROKER thought that the county cess in Ire-
land would serve as the assessment in England to test
soundness of votes arising out of joint occupation.
Lord ALTHORP said that in England a person must
be assessed before he could vote ; but that in Ireland the
assessment was not necessary to establish the right of voting.
Mr. CALLAGHAN said, that he should, in compliance
with the suggestion of the Noble Lord (Althorp), with-
draw his amendment for the present.
The Committee then proceeded to the consideration of
tht postponed clauses.
On clause 54 being read,
Mr. JEPHSON rose to propose that the elective fran-
chise should be transferred from the scholars of Dublin
University to the Masters of Arts ; and also, that all per-
sons who had taken the degree of Bachelor of Arts should
have the liberty to replace their names on the books of
the Dublin University. He decidedly objected to con-
fining the elective franchise to the scholars of the Uni-
versity; because no man who was a Roman Catholic, or
who possessed much property, could, according to the
charter, become a scholar. Consequently, young men f
the greatest abilities, and who had obtained high honours,
were excladed from the possession of the elective franchise.
The students were mostly intended for the church or for
the bar; and if the right of voting was left exclusively in
their hands, they would elect either a stickler for ecclesi-
astical abuses or a lawyer; and though he had the greate-t
respect for the latter class of persons, be must say that he
thought there was enough of them in the House already ;
and he did not believe them to possess in any eminent de-
gree those qualities which were essential in a Member of
Parliament —industy and common sense.—(Laughter.)
Mr. CROKER objected to the amendment, on the
ground that the resident scbol as would be completely
overpowered by the great number of out-voters whom it
would let in. He thought it would answer every useful
purpose, if words were added to the clause in the Bill,
which would extend the franchise to all persons who ob-
tained the degree of Master of Arts, or any higher degree.
Mr. JEPHSON withdrew his amendment, and moved
the insertion of the words suggested by the Right Hon.
Member.

Mr. LEADER approved of the amendment.
Mr. CRA\IPTON considered the amendment sug-
gested by the Right Hon. Member quite as objectionable
as the one originally proposed. Any person could acquire
the degree of Master of Arts in Trinity College, upon
payment of the sum of 101., and attending three exami-
nations in the course of the year. With respect to toe
degree of Bichelor of Arts, he never knew any man so
great a dunce who could not arrive at it. The resident
scholars would be completely outvoted by these persons.
He contended that they would act wisely in assimilating
the franchise to that of the universities of England, and by
so doing get rid of all the sectarian distinctions. There
was no reason why the franchise should not b.r extended
to Masters of Arts of the University of Dublin, as well as
to those of Oxford and Cambridge, except, perhaps, that
the examinations in the latter seats of learning were mo n
strict. This, in his opinion, formed but a very slight
ground of objection.
Mr. LEFROY had been intrusted with conflicting
petitions on the point before the House, from different
bodies conneceted with the University of Dublin, and he
should therefore decline either expressing an opinion or
giving a vote upon the subject.
Mr. S. RICE objected to the exclusive and sectarian
character- of the proposed constituency, and would (as we
understood) support the amendment.
Mr. M. O'CONNELL—if the present amendment were
disposed of, should propose that the elective franchise be
granted to those graduates who had obtained University
honours.

Lord ALTHORP said, that as it appeared to him that
the getteral feeling of the House was in favour of trans-
ferring the privilege to the Misters of Arts, and as the
proposition went to include a large number of respectable
persons in the constituent hody, he thought it desirable
that it should take effect, with this provision, however, that
merely honorary graduates, should not be entitled to vote.
Sir R. BATESON thought that the extension of the
franchise to the Masters of Arts should be ach4ntageous
the University.
Mr. O'GRADY was in favour of the proposed exten-
sion of the franchise, as a corrective to the exercise of
undue political influence in the University elections.
Mr. H. GRATTAN approved of the amendment.
Mr. O'CONNELL complained of the partiality which,
out of the five additional representatives conceded to Ire-
land, had conferred one on the University of Dublin. He
protested against the principle on which this representa-
tive had been given, as insulting to his country, and tend-
ing to perpetuate dissension between Catholics and Pro-
testants. He would support the amendment, though lie.
believed its effects would he to increase the expenses of
elections in an University where corruption had been prac-
tised, and where, according to report, a suns of 500/. was
offered at the last election for a single vote.
Mr. CRAMPTON said, that the Hon. and Learned
Gentleman had forgotten to state that the bribe had been
indignantly rejected by the scholar to whom it had been
offered.

Mr. LEFROY, in allusion to what fell from the Hon.
and Learned Member for Kerry, distinctly and positively
disclaimed having tendered any bribe, either personally or
by his friends.
Mr. O'CONNELL—I don't believe that the Hon. and
Learned Gentleman offered any thing.—(A laugh.)
The amendment was then put, and carried.
Mr. STANLEY proposed to add a proviso to the clause,
with a view to exclude honorary graduates from the right
of voting.
After some observations from Sir C. WETHERELL, Mr.
CROKER, and Mr. CRAMPTON, the proviso was adopted,
and the clause agreed to.
Clause :55 was agreed to.
Mr. CROKER, in reference to the amendment respect-
ing the Masters of Arts, suggested that those who were
entitled to take out that degree should be allowed the benefit
of a special commencement, for the purpose of voting at
the next election.

After a desultory conversation, in which several Hon.
Members joined,
Mr. STANLEY should consider the proposition of the
Right Hon. Gentleman.
The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to schedule A, which
was agreed to without discussion.
Schedule B, after some verbal amendments, was agreed to.
Clauses 1 to 6 of schedule C were agreed to without
amendment.
Oa the 7th—the chattel clause—being read,

Mr. O'CONNELL proposed the introduction of the
words '° or other instrument," in order that the right of
assignees might be preserved.
Mr. CRAMPTON would not oppose the amendment,
though be thought it superfluous after the specification
clause, which made " lessee" generic, including all that tbt•
Learned Gentleman understood by the terms sub-lessee and
assignee.