The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-02
GOSSIP FROM EUROPE.

A London correspondent gives the fol-
lowing statistics about the House OF
Commons: tgoSa
In the present House of Commons the
Government interest is represented by
twenty-four members of the Administra-
ton, with seventeen holders of office
under Government, giving total of
forty -one.l The aristOcratic interest Is
represented by the eldest sons of peers,
thirty-eight; younger sons, nephews,
cousins, and the like, eighty-two; con-
nected with peers by marriage, ninety
three; Irish and Scotch members, five;
giving total of two hundred and eigh-
teen. The fighting interest is represent
ed by one hundred and three military
officers, twenty-one naval officers, forty
three yeomanry officers, thirty-one vol
unteers and fifteen militia officers. The
legal interest is represented by seven at
torneys and solicitors, and ninety-nine
barristers aud advocates. The mercan-
tile and manufacturing Interest numbers
eighty-five. The miscellaneous, includ-
ing surveyors, architects, brewers, news
paper proprielors, ETC., thirty-fpur The
railway directors are only returned as
eleven though there must be three times
the number. Now, the war voting
power In the House cannot be less than
ioar hundred, more than half OF the en-
tire body, and the logical result is inor-
dinate war taxation in time of peace,
amounting to the modest estimate of
IS 600 per hour throughout the year!
| Tie military and naval gentlemen, OF
course, think there's nothing like
| leather.n During the last sixty-flve
| L. ,,tr nv apHad for
| fighting purposes, including the war
debt. no less than G3,3l9, 600, 900, all
drawn from the pockets of the people.
Its income for the last thirty-six years
has been 81, no 500 900; its expenditures
during that time E2, la, 000, 900, averag-
! ing ESQ, 65l 900 per year, a truly nrodi-
gjous sum, and one which would hardly
Be sauandered by true representatives OF
| the people. These are In quite hope
i less minority. AT least five out of every
six members are Of the aristocratic class,
or retain. their seats by peerage intiu-
ence-indeed, practically, the House OF
Commons is only junior House of Lords.
| 1t ia the house Of the aristocracy, the
army, the navy, anything but the house
Of the people. The present electoral sys-
TEN denies the semblance Of political
power to all but narrow section OF the
| community, and then allows the minor
ity of that section to Out-vOte the major
ity in constituencies subject to aristo
cratic or clerical control. The House OF
Commons neither represents the proper
ty nor the average intelligence of thu
nation. It taxes all, 1t governs all, yet
ia the creature of the few, who have the
deepest Interest In the malntepsGce OF
offices, and an organizedisystem injuri-
Ous to the rights Of the many. Toevery-
BODY, the fact is patent that the sine.
1 cures, the pensions, the good offices an d
Hfat things' of the State are divided
among few. According to the last CEN
sus, Of 1851, the male population of this
country was upwards of 140O0, 600; o.
course It'll higher now. At a modersts
omputation 1000, 600 ofthis number are
adults. Now the present electorate
scarcely exceeds 1000, 900 voters, taking
the numbers nominally.
On examination, one finds that at thu
; most holly contested elected not mor'
than 9OO, 900 can be brought to the poll
owing to intimidation and other infiu
!, enoes. Indeed, it is fewer than 900, 900
J Only one out Of six, and his chance sub
ject to rascally contingencies! In fact
. In the counties of England there is no
one voter for every nineteen persons; II
Wales, one for every eighteen; in Scot
land, one for every thirty-three; in mis-
used ireland, enc for every one hundred
J and twenty-three personsl In the bo
, roughs Of England there is one to every
seventeen persons entitled to a vote; II
the bor0ughs of Wales, one for every
. twenty-one; in Scotland, one for every
thirty-four; in Ireland, one for every
, fifty-eight. Here be facts and inequali-