The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-11
LONDON CORRESPONDENCE.
LONDON, February, 1856.

LONDON, February 1852.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
The great question in England now is the pro
posed reform of the Franchise Lord John Rus
sells plan you have already seen. 1t has two good
points---,he abolition of the property qualifica
ton for members, and of the absurd and lib
eral oath that is now required but in other re
spects it is utterly inadequate to meet the ext
gences Of the case,
| English writer's ON the British Constitution
in their complacency, declare that the Govern
ment Of Great Britain is a representative one
and that the lower branch of the Legislature
as they call the House of Commons is the organ
of the popular element of the State. But Their
never was greater mistake. There il but on
real representative Government on the face of tn,
earth, us there is but one real Republicans
that il the Government of the United States
England is an oligarchy or the Government OF
a class, and, in oil the arrangements and pro-
visions of it's constitution, looks to but one end
the preservation of the prerogatives ofthc crown
and the aristocracy.
Take this matter of the franchise for instance
Twenty years ago, the whole Empire was agi-
tated from end to end by the discussion of what
was known as the great Reform Bill All the tai.
ent of the country was arrayed and exercised
on one side or the other Of the question; Par
linment resounded with it newspapers were
filled with it; and the bar-rooms and the hust-
ings heard of nothing else. Well, at last, as a
concession to public opinion, and as an enor-
nous act of grace, the bill was reluctantly allow
ed to pass into law. Thepeople reoiccd at its
success and tossed up their hats with insane
Joy, as if they had acquired some immortal
boon. But what did il amount to The reforma-
ton of few rotten boroughs as those sinks of
political corruption, the nomination. boroughs,
were denominated. and the addition of few
hundred thousand votes to the poll lists. The
Reform Bill, too, was a recognition OF popular
rights but beyond these ends it accomplished
nothing. Yet for twenty years it has been the
boast and triumph Of the liberals, while the
poor chartsts, who have all along insisted that
il was only q sham a mere tub to the whale,
have been ridiculed and DETAINED.
What are the facts ? The total population
of Great Britain is about "a 100000 allowing
one-fourth 10 be the probable number arrived
ut q suitable age 10 be electors, full and
equal representation would give 100000 Of
electors. But the actual registered number Of
electors in England and Wales in 1850 was
ss7.8i6 which would be increased in Ireland
and Scotland TO n little over one million. Thus,
about one-sirth only Of the capable population
are allowed to vote In fact, there are 2, 393,l45
more inhabited houses in England and Wales
than there are electors.
But who are these electors First, certain
f1O houscholders Of boroughs, and few free
holders who return 1886 members out Of about
600. and certain ESQ copy, lease. and free
holders resident in counties who return some 100
more, and the rest are sent by clio household
ers in the towns. All the aristocracy therefore,
all the rich landholders and manufacturers,
have vote, but the great body of mechanics
and working people are excluded.
Again Of the boroughs, as they are termed,
many are directly controlled by the resident
lord who no,ninates the candidate for Parlia-
ment and pays all the expenses Of his election.
expenses which consist in treating and buying
the nominal voters; and others, with an electo-
raj body ofn0t usors than 1000 each, return two
each, generally some scion Of the
while there are large districts, lin
Lancashire and Yorkshire, for instance,) en-
brsoing a population OF 65s, 1853, which are not
Represented ut ALL t4 ll
Again: Scotland, with q population of three
millions, has only 81 representative; Ireland,
with population Of 100000 has only iO5
while England has ACT. Every county In Eng
land has two some thrse, and the largest six rep
ressntatives while in Scotland, the largest coun-
ty has but one, and the majority Of the others
none and the same 10 the fact in Ireland.
There are sixty English bcroughs returning two
members each, and each having less than 500
voters, while there are 627 large towns, assess-
cd for the income tax 10 the amount Of
Ella, 300, 900, which are totally unrepresented
Again: the representation IL not even Just
and equal, II we take IL upon the assumed ba-
sic either Of property or person, or Of both CON-
bined. Thus Bucks county has ! representa-
tives; according 10 population II should have .,
or according 70 assessment 8. On the other
hand, Lancaster has 20; according N popua-
ton Il should have So, and according to assess-