The GLIO Site

    Great Britain, says—"This is the spirit of the Constitution: not that I assert it is, in fact, quite so perfect as I have here endeavoured to describe it, for if any alteration might be wished or suggested in the present form of Parliament, IT SHOULD BE IN FAVOUR OF A MORE COMPLETE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE."

    Here we have so William Blackstone versus Mr Horace twist; the one asserting that the representation of the people is not complete; the other declaring that it is all perfection. The public must decide between them.

    We shall now give a summary of the important bill proposed by Lord John Russell :—

    1st. Utterly to disfranchise the following sixty boroughs, now sending one hundred and nineteen Members to the House of Commons, viz.

.... 

Haslemere
Midhurst
Petersfield
Stockbridge
Whitchurch

   2. To deprive the following 47 boroughs of the rights of sending more than one member each to Parliament, viz. :
...
Arundel
Downton
Guildford
Lymington

    3. To give the right of voting in boroughs to inhabitant house-holders of houses rated at 10l. per annum, whether proprietors or occupiers; but the present resident voters (though not so qualified) to retain also the rights of voting during their lives; non-resident voters to be disfranchised

   4. To extend the rights of voting in Counties, to copyholders, having copyhold property of the annual value of 10l., and two leaseholders of land or premises of the value of 50l. per annum, such leases being for not less than 21 years, and not having been renewed within two years previous to the election.

    5. To give the privilege to the following seven large Towns of returning two Members each to the House of Commons, viz.
Manchester & Salford
Birmingham & Aston
Leeds
Sheffield
...

    6. To confer on the following 20 towns the right of returning one Member each to the House of Commons, viz.
Brighton
...

    7. To give eight Members to four divisions of the metropolis (two each), namely, the Tower Hamlets, Holborn division, Finsbury division, and the Surrey division, the latter including Lambeth, and another of them Marleybone.

    8. To give to additional members to the following 27 of the largest counties, viz.

... Southampton ...
And one Member to the Isle of Wight

    9. To have a register of voters, in towns and counties, and in the latter to have poll booths erected in different places, and thus diminish the expenses of elections, and shorten the duration of polls, limiting them to two days in towns, and in countries not exceeding six days. Lists of voters to be made out in parishes by the churchwardens and overseers; and, with regard to those in counties, a barrister to be appointed to hear and decide objections—the authorised lists to be considered evidence of the right of voting. The polling to be so arranged that no voter may have more than fifteen miles to travel, but no more than fifteen polling places to be established in any one county. The divisions of counties to be regulated by a committee of the Privy Council, who are also to have the power of ageing neighbouring parishes or chapelries to boroughs where the number of voters does not amount to 300. Property giving a right to an individual to vote in a town, not to enable him to vote for the county, but this regulation not to affect freeholders at present having the right to vote in towns. No alterations to be made regarding 40s. freeholders.

    10. In Wales ... The same right of franchise to be established there as in England.

    11. In Scotland ...

    12. In Ireland ...