Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-03-14
THE BRITISH HOUSE OF COMMONS

! LIZ oRiA io11 i1OUoE OF COMMONS.
ELECTORAL AND REPRESENTATIVES SYSTEM NJ
ENGLANp.-Ihe British House of Commons is
generally considered in this country to be popular
/ legislative BODY, emanatlng from tho people, after
the manner of our own House of Representatives
and by the theory of the English constitution eyery
citzen IN the Kingdom is considered to be present in
person or by proxy, and TO have part i'm the DELHI
era,ions Of that body. When, however, we exam,
inc the manner in which the lower House of the
British Parliament is constituted, we find that the
arlstocratic element enters largely into its compost
ton According to the London correspondent of the
~ Y. Courier, the House at present consists of 65S
members-50o English; SO Scotch, and los Irish
vi this number 81 eldest sons of Peers who
upon tho death of their fathers will step into the
upper House, ITO are brothers, younger sons and
immediate relatives of Peers and l67 other mem
bers who by birth marriage are connected with
the nobility, being majority of "a over the Com
moners of the body
The government is also strengthened in this
orahch oil Parliament by asuperabundance of place
men, an evil against which our Constitution so
wisely provides and which contributed SO largely TO
produce the late French revolution The present
House comprises Go government officials drawing
large annual salaries, So Generals and Colonies,
lOo military officers of a lower grade 50 magis-
',ates, and lSu patrons of church livings who are
all more or less interested in the preservation of
present abuses. Add 10 this the fact that in the
election OF these members not one million of persons
out oil the twenty eight millions of people in the
United Kingdom entitled TO vote, and we are
then prepared to determine to what extent the mon
archy OF England is representative government,
and how far the will of the people is consulted in
the Legislation of the Parliament
The restriction of tie elective franchise is bepn
ning to attract the attention the people of Eng
land, and Society has recently been formed in
birmingham the object of which is to curta the
arisocratic power IN the national representation by
increasing the number of yoiers. The association
comprises about one thousand members, and its in
come is about five hundred pounds monthly, which
applied 10 the purchase'of large tracts Of land in
the electoral districts, where there is chance of
success, to be sold out in forty shilling feeholds to
men OF liberal principles, who do not now pos
sess the property qualifications. The liberal party
expect, by THIS means, TO obtain control of many
celebrates where they have never vet successfully
waged contest, and ultimately to work salu,ary
change in the electoral system of tho nation
Not only Is the present electoral law of England
extremely unequal In It's application, giving to the
small borough constituencies representation equal
TO That OF the large cities, but by deprvng the ten
ant at VIII OF the right of suffrage, it gives the con,ro
the elections In the counties entirely into the hand.
of the landlords. The borough of Harwich for in
stance, with population of $780, and 233 voters, re
turned twomembers, thesame number that is allow
ed to Liverpool, with population 2o2, CSC, o
whom l5,559 are voters. Manchester with pop
ulaton of 24O 900 and fl 100000 rateabe proper
| ty, sends two members to Parliament, while Buck
I inghamshire, with 1000 population and EGO.
ooo rateabie property, sends eleven. Kensington
with population of 10000, and lS,345 voters
has no member, while the little boroughs of Calne
| Dartmouth and Medhurst have one member each
and Ihetford, with less than 200 voters, has tw
members.
These facts exhibit the injustice of the British
system Representation and the suffrage aualifica
lon is In keeping with it, Only those who have
| freehold, the annual value of which is forty shi
iings, and those who pay ten pounds house rent ar
nual y, are entitled tovote. The extent TO whic
this law DISTINGUISHES the citizen is exemplified h
the fact that of the male adult population of Ens
iana only one out OF seven has the legal right
vote !; In Scotland only one in eleven is entitled
vote, and in Ireland only enc liz seventeen
But The English system is unredeemed by an
OF the advantages which might be supposed TO b.
long to restricted elective franchise. Corruptic
ana bribery prevail TO an extent unknown among an
other people. The election in the contested borough
are hothlng more or less than trials of the rel
1--WE length OF the purses of the con.ending parte
and votes are considered as mere marketable con
modiies, to be publicly bought and paid for in cas-
ciothlng provisions, fuel or in other ways to SUI
me electors. The extent Of this practice may be jud
ed from The statement oftbe Lon. Times that the
are not twenty members OF the House of Common
who have moi directly orindirecty implicated then
selves IN acts Of bribery. With such abuses and sue
practices the boosted representation of the Britt.
constitution is of little value to the people.-Ba
Patriot