The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-26 00:00:00

THE SCOTTISH FREEHOLD MOVEMEBT.

A meeting of members of Parliament who sup-
ported Mr. Locke King's motion for the extension
of the county franchise in England was held on
Tuesday at the King's Arms Hotel, New Palace-
yard, Westminster, for the purpose of hearing the
explanation of a deputation from Scotland, con-
sisting of the Rev. Dr. Begg, Baillie Grieve, and
Mr. Duncan M`Laren, on the subject of extending
to Scotland the 40s. freehold franchise of England.
Among the members present were Mr. Cobden,
Mr. Laing, Mr. Thompson, Mr. J. B. Smith, Mr.
Baxter, 1171 r. L. Heywood, Mr. J. Bell, Sir Joshua
Walmsley, Mr. A. Black, and Mr. G. Duncan.
There were also several well-known political refor-
mers present.
Mr. WLAREN having taken the chair, said that
there was no franchise in Scotland similar to the
English 40s. franchise. Every voter in a Scotch
county must be either a 501. a-year occupier, or the
owner of a house or land of the value oflo/. a-year.
This was the first grievance. The second was,
that no man having property in a city or burgh
could vote for the county. The consequence
of this law was to throw the whole power of elect-
ing county members entirely into the hands of the
agricultural interest. All the property, both in the
counties and in the towns below the value of 101.
a-year, was wholly unrepresented. By a fiction of
the Scotch law everything within a borough was
held to be out of the county. The practical effect
of this was that there were not more than two
counties in Scotland the members of which were
not returned by some one or two great landowners
who were peers, and therefore members of the
Upper House of Parliament. This was a fraud
upon the constitution, and was felt to operate more
severely in Scotland than in England, because in
England there were 359 borough members, while
there was less than half that number of county
members, whereas in Scotland the boroughs re-
turned only 23 members, while the counties
returned 30 members. In that way the Scotch
boroughs were deprived of a large proportion of
that power which the English boroughs en-
joyed. There was no justification for this diffe-
rence in the representation of the two countries.
A bill was passed last session to assimilate the mer-
cantile law of England and Scotland. If it were a
right thing to unite the commercial law, surely it
was equally a right thing to unite the political law.
These were the leading points on which the deputa-
tion desired, on behalf of Scotland, the sympathy
' of the meeting. He had not met a single English-
- man who did not admit that the claim now made
by the people of Scotland was unanswerable. In-
deed many members of Parliament were actually
ignorant of the inequality that existed between the
electoral franchise of the two countries. As there
was no general Reform Bill before Parliament, they
were desirous of obtaining this instalment for Scot-
land. When that was gained, and England and
Scotland were put on an equality, they could run
the race together for whatever further reforms it
might be desirable to obtain.
The ReT. Dr. BEGG observed that the electoral
rights of the two countries at one time were pre-
cisely similar. Scotland was deprived of the 40s.
franchise in 1681 for the purpose of putting
down the political influence of the smaller Co-
venanters. The people of Scotland then fell into
a state of vassalage and degradation, and con-
tinued in that state till the passing of the Re-
form Bill, which they were glad to obtain, not-
withstanding its imperfections. Scotland claimed
the 40s. franchise on the broad ground of ju-tice.
Its possession would induce the working classes to
save and acquire property. The Scotch were de-
scribed as a drunken nation, and there might be
some truth in that allegation ; but the great mass
of the people were acquisitive, and if they knew
that it was in their power to obtain the franchise
they would eschew drink and become the holders of
property. There was a time when the two great
families in the county of Lanark were at variance.
The house of Douglas fought with the house of
Hamilton, and in the struggle there was some liberty
sacured ; but the Hamiltons had gone over to
Rome, and there was no opposition now. Mr. B.
Cochrane, the member for Lanark, was nominated
by two persons only, the whole mass of the county
looking on. Mr. Cochrane no more represented
the political opinions of the people than he repre-
sented the inhabitants of China. This movemeat
had only been about two months in existence, but
nothing had occurred in his time in Scotland which
had made such a rapid progress, or bad gained so
much influence over the common sense of the
people.
Mr. LAWRENCE thought the claim to be so rea-
sonable that no one would object to it, but he
warned the deputation against relying on Lord
Palmerston for support, for there was no man more
remote in feeling and sympathy from the Reformers
than the present Prime Minister. Of this any one
might be convinced who bad read the noi;le lord's
speech on the motion of Mr. Locke King.
The Rev. Dr. BEGG said the deputation waited
on Lord Palmerston as Prime Minister of the coun-
try, without knowing the line which the Govern-
ment, after considering the question in all its bear-
ings, might take.
dr. LAING said he was determined, at all events,
the question should be brought before Parliament,
and an appeal be made to the people of this coun-
try whether the same political rights should not be
enjoyed by the people of Scotland as had been
already conferred on the people of England.
Mr. COBDEN said ho had. been asked to move the
following resolution
" That this meeting has learned with much satisfaction
of the efforts now making in Scotland to procure the ex-
tension of the 40s. franchise to that country, an exten-
sion which considerations of justice and general policy, and
the peculiar circumstances of that country, not only
t *n of h
is
justify,
but imperatively require. That in the
op.
meeting the present moment is eminently favourable.ato
the vigorous prosecution of such demands, and that the
Scottish Reformers, in the steps which they are now tak-
ing, aro entitled to the earnest and zealous support of their
English brethren."
He begged to move that resolution, and to say on
his own behalf, and he WrtS sure he spoke the sen-
timents of all the Liberals in the house of Com-
mons, that ho should be very happy to give this
movement his support, provided there should be
any necessity,
but be really hoped that
uld meet with nao° opvveroy_
reasonable a proposition wo

sit ion.
Mr. COOK EVANS seconded the resolution. Re
accompinied
the deputation when they waited on
14,:rd Palmerston, and that noble lord did all that
could be reasonably expected. He listened to their
arguments, and said he would take the matter into
consideration.
After a few observations from Mr. A. Black, Mr.
Beal, Sir J. Wahnsley, and Mr. Vaughan,
The CHAIRMAN said that the committee in Edin-