The Sun. — 1852-02-14 (London, England)

NEW REFORM BILL FOR IRELAND. whilst by former returns there were 11,993 electors in the Sir W. SOMERVILLE, in rising to move for leave to boroughs, by the last return there were only 8,040-a reducbring in a Bill to extend the right of voting for Members of tion of nearly 4,000, and coming to each particular borough they found that the number of electors in each were only as Parliament, and to amend the laws relating to the representation of the people of Ireland, said that the question of follows : -Athlone, 181; Bandon, 209 ; Cashel, 211 ; Colraine, 222 ; Dungarvon, 314 ; Ennis, 143 ; elallow. 143 ; Colthe Irish franchise having been so recently under the conNew Ross. 171 ; and Portarlington only 71. So that sideratiou of the House-(lronical Protectionist cheers),- whether they looked to the general numbers or to the the Bill he now proposed to introduce would not deal so exparticular number of electors in each borough, it seemed tensively e ith that subject as it would have done were it not reasonable, when they had the subject under consideration, for that fact. The Rouse would remember that in the to make some arrangement by which there should be a year 1850 (Another ironical cheer),-it was his duty, in consequence of the almost extinction of the county franchise larger body of electors in the boroughs, and thus there was in Ireland, to submit for their acceptance a Bill for the a prima fade ground for introducing the measure. He must say that he thought the discussion on which the amendment of the representation. The House would also Hon. and Learned Member for Enniskillen had chose to remember that at that period the measure to which he alluded introduce a sneer at the Attorney General for Ireland, with underwent very} great discussion, and he believed there was scarcely a Gentleman in the House who was not a view to producing some laughter in the House, was hardly fully convinced that the time had arrived when an occasion on which it was decent or proper.-( Hear, a reform was absolutely necessary of the existing hear.) It was certainly the case that the first law officer of franchise. At that time the county representation the Crown had gone down to prosecute parsons who, from the for Ireland gave about 97,000 electors; that was evidence laid before him, he was led to believe was guilty of to say, there was that number of electors on the register, a most atrocious murder, and it certaiuly had happened that though the actual number was considerably below it. He no person had been convicted. If there hat' been a failure of had introduced a Bill in the year 1448 to place the county Justice in that respect, it was a very lamentable subject.franchise on a new basis of ratin, but that Bill was subsea (Hear, hear.) It was one which ought to be a matter of cong cern to all Members of that House. If life and property were quently withdrawn. In 1850 ha introduced it again, and had the satisfaction, with the concurrence of the House, of rendered less secure in that part of Ireland, it was a subject finally passing it into a law. The effect of that enactment -(Rear, hear.) that should affect every person who heard it, and he did not being, as he had already upon the representation of Ireland might now be judged of think it an occasion for an idle sneer at a political opponent. from the returns which had been laid upon the table of the House. Previous to the passing of that measure the number Mr. REYNOLDS regretted that the Hon. and Learned of county electors upon the register in Ireland was 27,000, Member for Enniskillen had introduced gal, and bitterness into the discussion. He might have taken another opporthe bona fide county electors really amounted to. The state tunic of bearing angry testimony against his own countryof the county franchise there at the present moment was as men; he ought not to have described them as purjurers observed, a far greater number than follows : - Instead of the 27,1e0 electors who were on the re- murderers, and unworthy of the enjoyment of civil rights. gister before the Act of 1350, the effect of that measure had Mr.