The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-19 00:00:00

iNPERIAL I'ARLIABIENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING.
REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (SCOT-
LAND) BILL.

On the reading of the order of the day for going into
committee on the Representation of the People (Scotland)
Bill,
Mr. BAXTER moved "That it be an instruction to the
committee that, instead of adding to the numbers of the
house, they have power to disfranchise boroughs
in England having, by tho census returns of
1861, less than 5,000 inhabitants." The hon. member
said he felt it au imperative duty to make the present mo-
tion, and he hoped after what he had to say in support of
it had been heard that the house would be induced
to give its assent to the proposition. Since
the year 1710, five years after the Union,
the progress of wealth in Scotland has been very groat.
Front that period down to the present the wealth of Eng-
land had increased 800 per cent., whilst that of Scotland
had increased no less than 2,500 per cont. lle altogether
opposed the proposal of increasing the number of members
of that house, awl he thought that the way in which the
additional members for Scotland ought to be pro-
cured was by disfranchising some of the smaller pocket
boroughs in England. (}fear, hear.) fie brought the
matter forward solely on his own responsibility, and• that
as a constitution question was involved iu the matter ho
hoped the house would agree to his proposition.
Mr.WIIITBREAD supported the proposition of the hon.
member for Montrose. _ _

Sir R. KNIGHT LEY moved, as an a-nendment to Mr.
Baxter's instruction, that one seat bo taken from all the
boroughs returning two tnombors having less than 12,000
inhabitants. He also strongly opposed an increase in the
numbers, and maintained that was wiser to curtail the pri-
vileges of corrupt little places like Bridgwater and Barn-
staple than totally to extinguish the representation of any
single place.
Sir W. STIRLING MAXWELL supported the instruc-
tion. _ _

Mr. CHILDERS showed by an elaborate analysis of
the population returns that, while Mr. Baxter's motion
took members from counties already over-represented, Sir
R. Knightley's would substract them from parts very in-
sufficiently represented.
Mr. • B. COCHRANE (lloniton), and Lord E. HOWARD
(Arundel) spoke in favour of Sir R. Knightley's alterna-

Mr. DISRAELI reminded the house that its numbers
had been twice increased within the present century, and
on each occasion a proportionate increase in its legislative
efficiency and influence had followed. The house, in his
opinion, was not too large, and it never could maintain its
position as a popular and representative Assembly if its
numbers were to be limited. But he admitted that there
was a strong feeling even among his own friends against
increasing its numbers, and tho practical question there-

fore was reduced to this—were the members necessary to
do justice to Scotland to be obtained by Mr. Baxter's or Sir
R. liniglitley's plan ? He supported the last, reminding
the house that twice last year it had decided not to ex-

:inguish the representation of any place. Ile urged, how

ever, above all, a speedy decision, and whatever it might
be, the Government, he added, woull use their best efforts
to facilitate the passing of the bill.
Mr. GLADSTONE supported Mr. Baxter's instruction,
as more favourable to the equable diffusion of representa-
tion, and the same line was taken by Mr. IL Baillie and
Mr. Yorke, speaking on the Conservative side ; while
Mr. M'Laren, from the Liberal benches, supported Sir R.
Knightley. Mr. Sinclair Aytoun and the Lord Advocate
endeavoured to make some observations, but were unable
to obtain a, hearing from the impatience of the house. On
a division, Mr. Baxter's instruction was carried by 217 to
196.

Mr. M'LAREN next moved a resolution asserting the
claim of Scotland to an increase of 15 members, but with-
drew it after a short conversation, in the course of which
Mr. Beresford Hope made some trenchant remarks on the
recent vote. Though the house had bat since November,
more or less, it had done nothing yet but upset the Eng-
lish Reform Act and throw the Irish Church into con-