Star.
London, England, 1831-03-04 00:00:00

REFOILM.-.POPULATION RETURNS.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved for various returns as to the po-
pulation of particular boroughs to be disfranchised ; the various returns
to he selected from the census of 1830.

Sir C. ‘VETHEItELL said it was a most extraordinary course to
adopt ; first to bring in a bill, and then to call for the posthumous in-
formation.
Mr. O'CONNELL replied, that such was not the fact ; first, there
was us yet no bill, and, secondly, the motion was only to provide infor-
mation to facilitate the enquiries of honourable members.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said the information required distinguished
the boroughs under a population of 2,000, mid between 2,000 and
4,1M0, from the census of 1830 ; and if he heal moved for the informa-
tion be now moved for, and in the shape in which lie had moved for it
before he had moved for leave to bring in the bill, he should have let
the house into the nature of the plan now submitted to the house, pre-
viously to its being regularly brought forward.
Mr. CALCRAFT said, the Noble Lord had not known the plan
twenty.four hours before lie brought it forward.
[Considerable sensation and amazement were excited by the cannon-
ading of the " Lumber Troop" craft, which passed down the ricer at
this time.]
Lord JOHN RUSSELL replied, that he knew the plan in the middle
of January In all its great and leading outlines—none of which had
been changed—and they were those which he had proposed.—(Cheers )
Sir H. liA RDINGE expressed the wish to have information as to
the present state of the population of Gateshead, North and South
Shields, Sunderland, &c. before these revolutionary measures went
further. The plan was to give in the county of Durham six additional
Members ; that he considered an unfair application of the Noble Lord's
principle of taking population in some degree for the basis.
Oh. STANLEY wished to have the fullest information before the
house, convinced that the more information they bad, the more satisfied
the,country would be with the plans.
Lord NUGENT said, the returns regarding the population of the
census now preparing, would remove many'srron regarding Caine and
Tavistock.

Mr. HUME said, he wished the time of the house to be saved, and
observed, that he had never before seen the call for information thus ob.
strutted ; if it were not sufficient let more be called for.
Mr. SLANEY trusted that the house and the country would mark
the spirit with which information was thus obstructed.—(Cheers and
No.) It was obstructing information.—(Cheers and No.) Yes ! and
it was because the light was feared. That was the truth, and be re-
peated, he trusted that the country, as well as the house, would not fail
to mark the spirit which characteriaed this opposition.
Mr. CHOKER rished not to obstruct ihe information ; but to obtain
more than was proferred, and this he considered was requisite to the due
understanding of the subject.
Sir M. W. RIDLEY said, the information contained in the
census for MO was now printing, if they would only wait for it ; it
was already on the table, and the returns now asked were selections from
such docmcnts.

Mr. PERCEVAL was for additional information, because the more
that was given, the more decidedly would the measure be scouted by the
house.—(Hear.)
Mr. HOBHOUSE complained of the language of the late Secretary
for Ireland (Sir H. Hanlinge) in calling the measure revolutionary—
language ought not to be use ;that was not proved by argument..—" Re-
volutionary !" why half the aristocracy, and all the people were
calling for the Reform.—(Loud cheers.) Respected as that 1011.
vidual was, his language would have its weight, and he therefore re-
gretted its precipitate use.
Sir H. LI AR HINGE replied, that he had used the word revo-
lutionary advisedly. The measure was most revolutionary, and
he declared it was calculated to pull the crown from the king's head.
—(Cheers.)
,He hoped there would be a clause introduced to su-
persede the necessity of sending bills to the other house--(Cries of
" No, no.")
Sir G. IVARRENDER trusted that the information would not he
resisted, and he lamented the feeling that had shown itself this evening
on both sides of the house. Calm discussion would effect more a here
the cause was good.
Mr. BARING moved, that the returns as to the amount of popu-
lation should regard all boroughs, not only those which sent Mem-
bers, but all where there were less than 2,000 or under 4,000 inha-
bitants.—(Hear.)
Sir C. WETHERELL seconded this amendment, for the purpose
of repelling the charge that he wished to keep back information.
Lord J. RUSSELL had no objection to the additional information
being produced.
The motion was eventually agreed to be put is amended by Mr.
Baring.
Mr. K. DOUGLAS moved for returns of the population of all
boroughs in Scotland.
Mr. KENNEDY said the adjacent places were required to be in-
cluded, for many of the boroughs in Scotland did not constitute one-
third part of the towns.
Mr. LA BOUCHERE said the like remarks would apply to Taun-
ton and other places in England.
All the returns were eventually moved.
REFORM OF PARLIAMENT.

The Order of the Day haying been read for resuming the adjourned
debate on Lord J. Russell's motion,

Mr. G. BANKES said the House and the country had becn
placed in an extraordinary situation, in consequence of the unusual
secrecy which the ministers had observed regarding the bill, for it was
manifest that the noble mover was in want of information, and now was
obliged to ask for fresh light. As to secrecy, where was the necessity
for it, and what did the country care about it ? The house was ready
to give the information, and he (Mr. Bankes) was ready
to receive the information; but if, as the First Lord of the Treasury
had said that it was, that the house should have this information, he
(Mr. Bankes) would remind him that it would take a considerable time
to make up the return, which the house should have had before. ['he
house had been surprised at the announcement of the measure, so had
he (Mr. Bankes) been very much surprised indeed at the announce-
ment; yet the noble lord said that he was in possession of the plan of
the measure for three months. The plan had now gone out to the
public—and now, when the measure was in the third night of the dis-
cussion, the house was still without further information on the subject,
but what had been given in the speech of the noble lord on this sweep-
ing measure. The honourable member for Westminster (Mr. Hob-
house) had reprobated the phrase revolutionising being applied to the