Star.
London, England, 1831-02-01 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY REFORM.

Tads, Opinions, sad Public Idjaertioas connected with this great Na
dorsal Question.
(Ti bt antinsded until a Plan Iv brought before Parliamest.)
It is an undoubted fact, that during the American struggle,
the leaders of Congress offered to return to their allegiance,
provided a Reform of the House of Commons was effected ;
but they preferred the chances and temporary miseries of a
contest to the legislation of so corrupt and inadequate a re-
presentation, even of the people of England. The offer
was scornfully rejected by the Ministers of that day, and
hence the boroughmongering faction, not only dismembered
the empire, but by that and the subsequent wars, spent, ab-
sorbed, or wasted in a few years, above 3,500 millions ster-
ling, or more than the value of all the real property of the
United Kingdom.
After the borough faction have divided among themselves
the chief part of the public debt, and the ennrmous taxa-
tion of the last forty years, it seems they are now confede-
rating to obtain indemnity. For what have the enormous
establishments been created, but to satisfy their insatiable
greediness ? and for what have such wasteful jobs in every
form been undertaken, but to profit them, and satisfy their
demands ? Value one hundred boroughs at 30,0001. each,
and the worth, three millions, is not one farthing in the
pound of the money which directly or indirectly has been
extorted by the proprietors from the public. Any proposi-
tion for indemnity ought therefore to be resented, as the
climax of political audacity. They have already obtained
1,000 times too much.

In Cornwall alone, out of twenty boroughs, not less than
eighteen are under private patronage and controul, and there
are only two where even the semblance of free election re-
mains.

The town of Walsall has already asserted its claim, by
preparing a petition to Parliament to grant the elective fran-
chise to their " borough and foreign," the population of
which is about 15,000. A meeting was held at Salford, on
Monday, for a similar purpose.
The misdeeds of the Liverpool electors will be subjected
to a severe scrutiny on the meeting of Parliament. Several
individuals who were active agents of Mr. Ewart, the sitting
member, have been served with notices to appear before the
Committee of the House of Commons, appointed to try the
merits of the petition against that gentleman's return.
It was stated, at the Manchester Reform Meeting on
Thursday last, by Mr. Potter (which places the nature of
our representation in an instructive light) that, by the census
of 1821, 102 boroughs, returning 204 members, had an
aggregate population of 186,370, while Manchester, with a
population, by the ume census, of 187,031, was without
representation. Were there a new census, Manchester
would be found to bare a population equal to that of 130
boroughs, with 260 representatives. Of the boroughs, 25,
returotag 50 members, had only 348 voters.
The gentlemen who propose to establish an association in
Edinburgh have printed a prospectus, from which it appears
thit, tliough by no means all agreed on the minor details of
reform, yet on the following points they are unanimous, viz.
—A wide extension of the elective franchise; the abolition
of all the rotten boroughs ; shortening the duration of par-
liamiitts vote by ballot ; retrenchment in every part of the
natiosiel expenditure ; the abolition of all taxes on know-
ledge ; and free trade with all nations.
Basun Ltrox.—General Adams and Captain Bastard
underwent the following examination on tendering their
votes :—" Major-General George Bowden Adams, of Bow-
denothar Tomes, Devon, claims to vote as a freehold tenant,
burgess tenure in the borough, and answers as follows:
Does not know how low the property has been in his pos-
session ; say some years, but will not say if two months ;
declines answering any questions. Does not know who was
present when the deeds were executed ; does not know whose
possession the deeds were in ; they are not in his own, and
will not answer ; declines answering how much value be gave
for it. Declines answering if ever be saw the property ;
declines to say in what street it is • declines an-
swering whether it consists of a dwelling-house or
a field ; does not recollect when be was admitted a
bargees. Voted for David Lyons, Esq. and allowed.
—" Capt. John Bastard, of Sharphon, Devon, captain in
the Royal Navy, claims to vote as a freehold burger., paying
burgass-rent. Declines to say where be paid the rent, or
when ; declines to answer if before Friday last ; &climes
answering if he has the deeds; declines answering if he
gave any consideration for the property ; has had posesesima

some years ; declines to say when he was put in possession ;
declines to answer who has the deed ; declines to say if he
received the rents; does not remember the date of deeds, or
who offered the property to him ; declines to answer who he
delivered the deeds to; declines to say if he ever saw the
property, or where it is. Allowed by the portreeve on be-
half of Mr. Lyons. Protested against on behalf of Mr.
Attwood, on the ground of not having property in the
borough."
Yesterday, pursuant to requisition, a meeting of the in-
habitants of Reading was convened by the mayor, in the
Town-hall, to take into consideration the propriety of pe-
titioning parliament on the defective state of the represen-
tation of the , and on the numerous mischiefs and
grievances resurteiZlitherefrom ; and also for the purpose of
obtaining a rational, practical, and efficient reform in the
election of fit to serve in the Commons House of
Parliament. The mayor (J. J. Blandy, Esq,) took the chair.
There were also present, Mr. F. Palmer, Mr. C. Russell (the
two members tit the borough), Mr. Monck, Mr. Marsh,
Mr. B. Simonds, Mr. Salmon, Rev. Mr. Richards, Rev. Mr.
Valpy, Mr. H. Russell, Mr. Harris, Captain Hall, Mr.
Weedon, &c. The hall, which is large, was completely filled.
—After some observations by Mr. Mosce upon our cri-
minal code, and upon the oppressive operation of the game
laws, the speaker proceeded to read the petition, observing
that there was one thing omitted, to which be hoped some
speaker would advert—he meant the vote by ballot.—The
petition was adopted.
On Tuesday a very numerous and respectable meeting of
freeholders and heritors in the county of Roxburgh was held
in the county ball of Jedburgi., to consider the propriety of
petitioning Parliament for an extension of the elective fan -
chise in the counties and burghi of Scotland. Sir T. M.
Brisbane was called to the chair. Sir W. Scott said, the Scot-
A members of Parliament are professedly sent to a certain
house to "wce k and labour" fur the public benefit, yet the Scot-
ish public havens little to do with sending theni thither,as they
have with the elevation of the Grand Seignor to the Mosnud.
—ln the large and important county of Lanark, said the hon.
I baronet; they have only about 200 voters for the member
ilwho is to represent all their opinions and interests in Pa
liament : in the rich and thickly-populated county of Pe: :1.,
the number amounts to little more : and the freehold:.a
of the whole country taken together compose but
3,500. 1 repeat then, we must relax the cord, the
chain by which we are bound—we mu-t call in to our aid the
public voice, not only for the sake of the public, but our
own sakes, whether as freeholders or representatives ; for
where is the voter who feels comfortable under the posses-
sion of his onerous privilege ? Where is the Scotish mem-
ber, whether for county or burgh, who goes into Parlia-
ment with the conscious power and dignity that accompany
the free representative of a body of free and independent elec-
tors ? The hon. baronet concluded by reading the first reso-
lution. Mr. William Bell se-ended the resolution in an able
speech; and Sir F. W. Elliott was happy to have this oppor-
tunity of adding his contribution to the general expression in
favor of parliamentary reform.He was delighted to see the pro-
gress it had made in the interval of a few short months. He
was delighted to see such a meeting of the landed proprietors
of this county, combining in the sentiment that a Reform in
Parliament was necessary. Several other Gentlemen spoke
in support of the resolutions, after which a petition was pro-
posed, and unanimously adopted. It prayed for such as ex-
tension of the elective franchise as would be conducive to
the welfare of the country, but left the details to Government.
A meeting of the inhabitants of Lostwithiel was held at tlie
Old Palace, in that borough on Wednesday, to consider of
petitioning Parliament in favour of a reform in the repre-
sentation. The attendance was numerous and respectable.
Wm. Westlake, Esq. was called to the chair, and a petition
was proposed, which, after stating the absolute necessity of
a general measure of reform, for securing the peace of the
country, redressing the public grievances, sad procuring the
adoption of such measures as are calculated to remove the
existing distress, and restore the national prosperity, states
it to be the firm conviction of the petitioners, that no mea-
sure of reform will be either effectual or satisfactory to the
country that shall not do away with the borough-syste:n. rt
resolution in favour of the vote by ballot was proposed and
adopted by the meeting, with three dissentients only.
—ln compliance with a requisition addressed to the Magis-
trates acting for the division of the New Forest East, a
meeting of the inhabitants of the town and neighbocrlicod
of Lymington was held at the Assembly-room in the Angel
Hotel, on Saturday last, H. C. Lys, Esq. in the chair, when
petitions to both Houses, praying, among other matters of
reform, for election by ballot, and " a total prohibition of
personal canvas," were agreed to—that to the Lords to be
presented by Lord Holland, and that to the Commons by Lord
Althorp.
A meeting of the inhabitants of the borough of Abingdon
was held on Thursday last, to consider of the propriety of
' petitioning Parliament on the subject of reforming the repre-
sentation of the country. The meeting was numerous and
respectable, and a Petition, proposed by Mr. T. Fletcher,
and seconded by Mr. Richardson, was unanimously agreed
upon.—Reading Mercury.
We understand that a petition in favour of parliamentary
reform has been prepared at Banbury, and is most respectably
signed. In that borough there are only 18 electors, much the
greater part of whom has always consisted of non-resident
friends of the patrons, their tenants, clergymen who have
held livings of their gift, and persons in business with whom
they have dealt; so that any of the rest, who might happen
to be refractory, could easily be out-numbered.
The number of signatures to the reform petitions of this
town exceeds 1,000. In this list are included probably
nine-tenths of the respectable and intelligent inhabitants.
Inverness Courier.

The County of Down has led the way in Ireland on the
subject of Parliamentary Reform. A Meeting of the Free-
holders of that great county was held some days since, the
High Sheriff in the chair, when several excellent speeches
were made, and resolutions entered into, strongly exi ressi% e
of confidence iu the present Administration, and of an earth's;
yet temperate desire of Reform. Walsall, Bilston, and all
the populate unrepresented towns in the mi Hand and great
central manufacturing districts, are holding Meetings of a
similar object.