Star.
London, England, 1831-08-22 00:00:00

SPIRIT Or TIM DAY'S JOURNALS.

TlMRS.—There are two sources of remedy for the
vices or inconveniences ingrafted on the original bill.—
I. Give back to the counties what has been taken front
them in the persons of fully qualified, though non-resident
town and borough voters, indemnifying the boroughs by
an Mame of electors from among their own iuhabitants ;
or, 2. Reinforce the counties by a well-qualified class of
electors from the inhabitants of unrepresented towns. We
have said that, in our judgment, seven years was too shat
a term whence to draw the qualification of a leasehold elec-
tor, and that tenancy at will is something a good deal worse.
One pernicious consequence of the Intrusions upon the hill
hat, it seems to us, been overlooked by all partiesoe.se mean
its probable effect upon British agriculture. There is
nothing better understood than the utility of giving farmers
a certain, and nos a short, interest in the soil which they
cultivate; because, without $ legal, or at least a renewa-
-1 able, &entrance that he will be repaid foe his outlay, none
but a fool will think of spending money upon another
man's land—that is to say, he will never put it into a
wholesome or productive condition. landlords have here.
tofore been inlisenced to vent leases of a compensating
duration to their tenantry, or to make equivalent engage.
ments with them, for .the sake of having their estates int.
proved, or not deteriorated in value. But henceforth anew
interest arises, a political interest, at direct variance with
that *which would Induce them to look to the advantage of
their property, and through it to the public good. Tenants
of all kinds are made voters, and it will been me the object of
the English, as it was that of the Irish, landlords. (of el.ri.
ous memory 1, to make as few independent or ling-leescel
tenants as partible or, in other words, as few bold and
systematic and productive cultivators of the earth, rand
as many as possible of that description. whose tenures being
absolutely dependent upou the landlord's pleasure, (in order
that their votes may he at his disposal), will shrink front
any liberal or useful outlay, and keep the land in a state
of penury and sterility, eorrespond.ng to the precariousness
of their own helpless position. There is no doubt mat such
a change in the state of the tenantry, and in the productive-
ness of the land, must bring with it a reduction of rents
exactly or very nearly la the same proportion. In the same
ratio, hide d, in which the landlord's ambition prevails over
his cupidity, or maintains a struggle with it, to that
same degree may we asokipste an abridgment of leases, a
degeneracy of the soil, a decay of agricultural produce, and
—what, as the result of such causes, must be deemed cala-
oettoger.-as fall of rents in many parts of England. Bat
di= is yet time to cure, or much alleviate, the evils menaced
by these departures from the principles of the bill : the
mere rescinding of the county-splitting clause would go a
gent way towards a remedy.
GERA f.D.—ln the city there is scarcely two opinions
epos the effect of that alteration in the Reform Bill, which
admits farm tenants at-will to fir county members. It
is looked upon as destructive of the principle of the Bill,
and many pteple are decidedly or opinion, that, if me men.l
ogre ever Imo toil (Termite:, the state of the
representatleo will be even worse than it is at present. We I
always considered the bill with the exception of the dia.
franchising and enfranetsie; clanks as little better than •
mast of absurdities. The destruction, however, of the nota