The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-10
The Elective Franchise in England and
the United States.
The Debate IN the British Parliament on
the EatcnssOn OF tgie Elective Franchise
nd.

the Extension or tgie Elective Franchise
In England.
HI ME moved for leave to bring IN his measure 10
amend the representative system, by making the
franchise depend residence and rating only--to IN
uoducc voting by balot--to shorten the duration
OF Parliament TO three ycars-and 10 adjust the re-
presentation the basis Of population and pro-
perty. He had been placed in considerable difficulty
in bringing forward motions FOR reform. in conse-
quenee of many honorable nenbcrs. who pretended
To be retonners, ohiecting vote on any abstract
questions In order to overcome those difficulties,
lie now proposed to submit to the House q definite
plan, and could not concur in any measure which
would not embrace the points Included III his motion
He considered il necessary to combine with the .x-
tension Of the suffrage protection, 60 tie voter 50
that, If the right of voting should b. extended 10
him. he should he duly protected IN the exercise Of
mat IEht: Tor. without such pEoecllpa it mast b.
evident that the vote would uot i. the va b ~ the
Individual, hnt She vo,e Of the plGy wiio NIGH
have power ~ iniiu,sSc over hm I'll ,lg. hea~l
Tho object o. his motion twoiui. ia the f.
Place, DC WISHED 10 extend Tho 81. IL voting. TO
il was rigilt. ana not !; favor, privilege: and
as II was desiiab. ID il shuHld ft's wlilt ,se
voter linus eli u rc1.s ~ h. vote, b proposed to
mako J, TIE dnt Of oa.e lunc olesl ~ .Gtol every
man " bO had been lcsioei,; M tJua,. 81 portion
ot u house. a loageg n, W.T.. 81 opju.aa .i.a$
some ri the most yaluab', a,ya iutgl.ig u men In
the country we're dodgers aud r.St eoattit;e 81
be 50. and the hdl would c"utat, provision by
which not only ,ycr} no .sCh l,'t rseNl Tor lwet.
months. but every odget resident tpr the same Pc
riod, and red and liable to pay aij The .nients
TO the parish, should 10 plaCea on The register
another object Of the bill to limi; the duration
of + riameuis lis had, IN lie course OF u long ex-
rcricncc. observed how differently members con-
Quoted themselves al he commencement and at the
end Of . Parliament. Instead If giving hs nlbor
lease OF seven years, hc thought the trust .houid
only De granted Tor three years. III order that The
electors might possess come check control over
his conduct. in he should Intentionally. or by
mistake forfeit the pledges he hnd given. (Hesr)
These were the principal objects OF his bill. aud he
thought no honorable members could object On the
present occasion that he had brought forward an b.
stract proposition Inless they granted extcn-
sion Of the suffrage they would leave the minds
OF the people Il convection that they miustly
treated, ana when times Of danger came. hsyweud
moi join in the support Of those institutions which
they believed to be unjust. and unless the ballot
was also given there would be protection for
voters. QIesr, hear.) Whatever might be the
result Of the division that evening, he firmly
satisfied that before long. when they came to re-
wise the taxation Of the country, and to show the
unjust position in which the industrial glasses were
placed they would appear in little better state
than that OF seris, and that then there would bo
reason to regret that more attempts had not been
made to reform the House Of Commons. As friend
10 the crown to the peers and to the House Of Com
mons he desired to all classes Of this country
participate in the benefit Of reform. His wish was
To Injustice and to prevent those evils which
might arise in times ofeNcemen. Clear. hear, and
cheers) The honorable member concluded by
moving for leave to bring in the bill Of which he
had given notice.
stated his belief that the reform proposed by Mr..
Hume was making great progress, and was iaerelya
question OF time, as it was already demanded by
large majority Of the people Of the country. Cha
racterizing the Reform act al the most arjs-
tocratic measures ever offered to nation. and az
utterly inadequate 70 its object. be urged the
justice Of the popular claim Tor is revision, and
warned the House 81 the dangerous ,porits which
Il
tumely.
Mr. Henry DRuMnoHD remarked upon tho uude-
STABILITY OF bringing 81 such q motion in con-
dcmned Parliament but hoped that i, would not be
pooh poohed' by the government. After com
menting on the absence ot any real principle IN all
the attempts NJ reform. he pointed out the dangers
resulting iherofrom. and declared. in reference to
the conicrrng the franchise on poverty, that equal
ity Of power would become equality OF goods. Were
he 70 take up reform hs would reform the House Of
Lords. which WAS al present Of the weakest
parts oi constitution, and ought TO be strength
eDca by giving the crown the power to make peers
for lie. The power Of the House Of Commons, he
declared, had increased, was increasing. and ought
10 be diminished
Sir W. +. Woop said that his honorable friend,
the member for Surrey, who had just resumed his
seat, had commenced by stating that his honorable
friend the member for Nontrose (sir. Hume), hal
pursued somewhat singular course IN what he wss
plcased to call Maetng the time Of the House, by u
discussion on this subject, while he expressing
/ great anxiety Tor dissolution Of Parliament. He
thought they were especially called upon TO enter
into the discussion Of this question, in consequence
Of the principles which had been propounded by the
noble lord who now presided the affairs Of TIL 9
| country lie understood that noble lord to have
declared not merely that he opposed to the bill
Tor the amendment Of the representative system,
hoduced by the noble lord the member for the city
OF London. but that his government would, in ac-
coidance with Their principles, oppose what he called
The proceedings Of denagogues, and would uphold
monarchy against democracy. Now the word g de-
pocrcy was, Of course, known TO he n word that
had an Ill sound; but what did the noble lord mean
byit when he conrastcd the principles Of his govern.
for that was the effect Of hsspeech Had chat govern
ment many way advanced democracy in the bad sense
Of the term which no doubt meant insurrection! Du-
ring the perodn which il held Office, there were two
attempts made TO WELD this democracy by two very
feeble demagogues--the attempt in Ireland by Mf.
smith y Brien; AID hat nearer bone, under Whose