The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-10 00:00:00

the rejection of the equitable and judicious propo
sition last night brought forward by the Honourablk
Gentleman the Member for East Surrey, in a speed
of excellent sense and great moderation. The applica-
tion was made on behalf of a numerous and
influential class who, through some strange omission.
were deprived of the privilegesito which other person
similarly circumstanced were entitled. The only
distinction was one of venue. The favoured parties
resided in what are termed "boroughs," which had
the privilege of returning Members to Parliament,
and where, in consequence of the smallness of the
constituencies, each vote was of considerable im-
portance. The others resided in rural districts
or, perhaps, in towns, which constituted parts of
different counties. Not only was the franchise
less valuable in such cases from the number of
electors, but the qualification was placed on a very
different foundation. In the one town every occu- ,
pant of a house of the value of 101. sterling per
annum was entitled to a voice in the election of r
Member to represent his wants and wishes in the pee
pular branch of the Legislature, and to assent tc '
the taxation that might be required for the
liquidation of the national liabilities and
the maintenance of the national establishment,
In the other, a person so circumstanced would nee
only be excluded from the list of the voters, but even
if he occupied for his exclusive use a house cf
the annual value of 491. per annum, and paid one-
third as much more for the general and local taxation
thereof, and also contributed largely to the
income-tax and other imposts, and was it
every respect a man of education and re-
finement, not only well qualified to vote for but to
sit as a Member of the Imperial Parliament, he would
be totally excluded from what ought to be the birth
right of every freeman Aho contributed in any de-
gree, however trifling, to the nation it Exchequer.
It was to remedy this strange anomaly that 11r.
LOCKE Kuser, last night, asked leave to bring in
Bill to assimilate the franchise in counties in England
and Wales to that in boroughs, by giving the right
of voting to all occupiers of tenements of the
annual value of 101. The Hon. Gentleman pointed
out the absurdity of allowing persons to b. taxed, and
that heavily, without being represented. He showed
that "many men who had good houses in the coun-
try, worth something less than 501. per annum, who
kept taxed servants, taxed horses and carriages, and
who contributed largely to the expenses of the state in
the shape of income-tax and other assessed taxes, were
not allowed the privilege of a vote, while a man, who
held freehold property of the annual value of 40s. a
year, in forty different counties would possess as
many different votes," and pertinently inquired,
" why should a 101. householder in Andover be en-
titled to vote for two Members for that borough,
while a 40/. householder at Ba-ingstoke should not
be entitled to a vote at all," and " why a 101. house-
holder at Reigate should base 1-198,11 share in send-
ing a Member to Parliament, while a person living
in a larger and better house at Croydon,
but paying something short of 501. a year, was not
allowed to have 1-0000th share in returning Members
for the eastern division of Surrey?" There are
many similar cases that might easily be enumerated,
but it is unnecessary to do so. There is, perhaps, not
a single person in the entire country who could not
cite several cases of extraordinary hardship within his
own knowledge, where the parties excluded are emi-
nently qualified to exercise soberly and discreetly
the inestimable privilege of which they are deprived.
The really working metnbers of what are termed
the learned professions—the curate, who toils in his
vocation, carrying comfort and hope to many a
humble cottage, is not entitled to vote, because,
although a graduate of one of the universities, he
cannot afford to devote 50/. per annum for
house rent out of the 1001. which he re-
ceives as a fitting remuneration for the
laborious duties cf his profession ; the legal
or medical practitioner ; the bustling or retired
tradesman, the half-pay officer, who has devoted the
best years of his life to the service of his country, and
braved the dengers alike of armed foes and un-
healthy climates, are placed in the same category ;
but no relief is to be afforded to those aggrieved par-
ties, and all because Lord JOHN RUSSELL chooses to
entertain a superstitious veneration for the Act
of 1832, or considers that Liberal Members
should yield an unreasoning and blind submission to
the Government. A more arrogant, a more petulant,
a speech in every respect more unjustifiable, could
not have been uttered than that in which the Noble
Lord resisted the equitable proposition, and dared to
read a lecture to the Hon. Gentleman the Member
far the Tower Hamlets for the expression of a very
natural impatience at the snail-like pace at which
her MAJESTY'S Ministers were disposed to travel on
the path of reform.

The taunts as to bringing into power another party
may be responded to in a manntr by no means satis-
factory to the very Liberal Government that peremp-
torily rejects any extension of the franchise, bowel er
triflir g.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

-
We have received the Paris journals of Yesterday.
In the course of the debate on the law of the
press, M. RouxEx, the Minister oF Justice, designated
the revolution of February a funeste catastrophe'
whereupon M. EMILE DE GIRARDIN called upon Al.
DurtN, the President, to call the Minister to order,
a demand with which M. DUPIN refused to comply ;
whereupon he was asked how he would have acted
had any one in the dlys of LOUIS PHILIPPE spoken
of the revolution of July as a catastrophe ? The
President became enraged, the Assembly followed
his example, and the debate was adjourned amidst a
scene of indescribable confusion. I i the evening a
meeting of the Members of the Mountain was held
at which EMILE DE--GIRARDIN proposed that
they should resign en masse,, a propsition which,
althcugh seconded by M. MicuEL DE BOUEGEB, was
rejected. It was ultimately determined to draw up
a protest against the language used by the Minister,
and deposit it on the tribune.

M. 1-101:11EU, who has been guilty of this escapade,
is a little provincial lawyer, and a mere tool in the
hauls of the parti-pretre. The National accuses
him of cowardice and treason.

" Yes, cowardice (it imys), b: cause in pronouncing
condemnation on the revolution, which is the origin of
the present government, and in despising the principles
which then triumphed, M. Rouber knew that he did so
with impunity, and treason, became the act against the
Republic is commited by a Minister of the Republic."
Even the Debats blames M.-ROUSER. It says :
" We are not republicans—we are not obliged to share
the virtuous indignation of the Mountain—yet we admit
that the word (catastrophe) does seem rather strange in
the mouth of a Minister of the Republic. It must be,
however, admitted that the word has a meaning of a
very just and profound character, when we a(e the truth
thus peering through an cfficial fiction."
It is ascertained beyond a doubt, that the lad
WALKER, who charged himself with intending to
assassinate LOUIS NAPOLEON, is mad. Ile is to be
transferred to an asylum.
PARIS BOURSE, JULY 9.—Latest Prices.—Five
per Cents. 95f. 30c. ; Three per Cents. 57f. 30c. ;
Bank Actions, 2,250 f.
BUSLNESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, JULY 9.

Boulogne and Amiens, B—Dutch Renish , 2—East Indian,
75A—Luxembourg, 2%—Northern of France, 1411—Orleans
and Bourdeaux, 3—Paris and Rouen, 2314—Paris and Stras-
bourg, 6!42—Rouen and Havre, 9A—Tours and Nantes, 314