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tnwns Macclesfield and Stockport , had a population of om 000 ; that of the two towns was 92 , 000 ; which gave a rural population of 156 , 000 ; the two towns returned four timbers the rural districts only two . The cases of South rheshire , South Derbyshire , North Durham , and West Kent were similar ; yet in all the lamentations over the injustice done to the town constituencies , and the prepon-Herance of the territorial interest / no allusion was made to these striking facts . In North Lancastiire , with a population of 460 , 000 , there were four-towns withonly i 43 , 000 ; vet while these four towns returned seven members , the rural districts , with a population Of 316 , 000 , returned only two members . South -Lancashire , the East and West Hidings of Yorkshire , showed similar results . If it were ti
said that these were colourable cases and seleced nstances , he had a paper which showed that in all the boroughs of England there was a population of 35 , 000 / for every member of Parliament , and in the rest of England 36 , 000 ; so tha t according to this coniprehensive view of the question , in the distribution of representatives between the land and the towns there was a difference of only 1 , 000 . Therefore he had concluded differently from Mr . Hume . As to the ballot , he was against that proposition , and he made the House merry by citing from an anonymous author ity a description of an election in the State of New York , where there were stabbings in the polling room , riots , and a destruction of the . ballot boxes .. Corruption , he continued , in an elevated tone , cannot be stopped by law . Let not our countrymen run away with theidea that corruption
is the necessary consequence of the old mode by which we give our votet in this country . ( Hear , hear . ) I believe it to be a growing sentiment in the convictions of Englishmen that corrupti on is the consequence of men not being properly brought up . ( Hear . ) You may pass laws ostensibly to prevent corruption in countries where nothing is secret , or in countries where nothing is open ; but cbrrupr tion cannot be stopped by law ; it can only be stopped by elevating the tone of the community , and making men ashamed of the thing itself . ( Cheerd . ) You must seek for an antidote to corruption in that direction , and not in new fangled systems of election . I say , further , that the tone of the community in which we live is becoming elevated . Every successive quarter of a century shows a decrease of corruption .
As to an extension of the franchise , Mr . Disraeli , by a marvellous disposition of the statistics of the question , deducting various classes of . the population , including the entire body of agricultural labourers , from the total-of adult males , made out that there was one voter in every two of the population ! Winding up his speech , he professed lofty disapprobation of such " immature" projects as that proposed by Mr . Hume , founded on such erroneous , blundering , and insufficient data ; and he declared that there was nothing worse than tampering with the constituency . If there was to be a change , let it be a change always called for by a " clear necessity , " and one which was calculated to give , not final , but general and . permanent satisfaction . But , in the present state of things , he would " stand by the settlement of 1831 . "
Mr . Henby BbbkeIiEY vainly attempted tp get the ear of the House , a feat accomplished , however ,- by Mr . Osbobne , who attempted , in his reckless style , to pin Ministers down to a declaration of " finality ; " and , judging from the sharp denials ejaculated from the back benches of the Ministerial side , he succeeded in worrying them , at least , by the truth of his allegation . Lord John Russeix backed up Mr . Disraeli . He regarded the proposed measure as one dangerous to the Crown and the House of Lords ; as introducing "
elements of danger , " and giving the vote to persons not possessing " intelligence , integrity , or independence , " as in fact , universal suffrage . He could not deny that the ballot was popular ; but he did not believe it would be a useful concession . He charged the working classes with intimidating the ten pound householders ; and while professing himself favourable to an extension of tho franchise , decided to vote against the motion . Having finished the Radicals , he turned round and made a party attack on Ministers .
The ri ght hon . gentleman says— " I will riot make any change in tho Act of 1832 without a clear necessity . ' Now , wo all know what " a clear necessity" is . ( Hoar , hoar . ) Wo all know that " a clear necessity" does not mean tho general opinion of sober and dispassionate mon ; it does not moan tho examination of your existing legislation , and a determination to amend defects ; " but " a cj £ ar nccossity" moans that dogreo of discontent and disaffection ( cheers ) which would render it unsafe to govom without making a change . ( Renewed cheering . ) Wo all recollect what has boon tho case with respect to tho party opposite in regard to groat measures . ( Hear , hoar . ) Wo all know that tho just roquosts of tho Roman Catholics of Ireland woro denied until " a clear necessity" arose in the enapo of impending civil war . ( Cheers . ) Wo all know that J . arliamontary reform was conn tan tly denied until tho agitation of tho people arose to such a height that roior
m could no longer bo resisted . ( ChoorB . ) Wo all icnowwith rospopt to othor measures ot an economical nature , it ; was not until associations word formed and spread throughout tho . country that tho Logislaturo agreed to change tho laws on tho subject . ( Hoar ,. hoar . ) 1 own I think that thollouao of Commons wouldtako a position tho rovorao of dignified , and hardly safe , if it woro to bo declared by a Minister of tho Crown , and echoed by a majority m that House , that until a clear case of gonoral aiscontont aroac— - ( Crios of ' No , no ! ' and cheqra )^—woll , if y £ """ interpreting tho right hon . gontloman , I should < nu * ° know what thoso words ' clear nocosHity' moans P ( Uhoors . ) I can understand that thoro could " bo a clear question of policy—of wisdom—of foresight ; but a quostl ot necessity Booms to mo a question in rospoot to VfhiQ h you have no option , and that you muet oithor yiold
to demands made , or no longer continue to govern in safety . That I understand to be ' clear necessity ; ' and then , indeed , we are to have measures to give general and permanent satisfaction . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Waipole made an attempt to dull the force from Lord John Russell ' s attack , by explaining the meaning of " clear necessity , " not to be te dear discontent , '" but " permanent and general satisfaction /'—^ an ' explanation which itself requires explaining . An effort to adjourn the debate was made by Mr . Wim-iam Welmams , who for once dared to do something disapproved of by Mr . Hume , and the house divided . For the motion , . 84 ; Against it , 244 . Majority against , 155 .
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PETITION FOR THE INCOME-TAX . The following petition has been numerously signed by persons whose incomes are below a hundred pounds ; - — To the Honourable tie Souse of Commons , the Petition of the undersigned inhabitants of Marylebone , whose incomes are under one hundred and fifty poundsra-year Sheweth , — - .- ' ¦ •' That your petitioners , having felt the advantage of the abolition of the duties on foreign corn , and on other articles of consumption , anticipate the time when all such duties shall be abolished . Your petitioners , now enjoying . the advantage of cheap bread , are particularly anxious for the free importation of butter unmixed with tar .
Your petitioners , therefore , entreat your honourable House to modify , increase , and extend the Income-tax , bringing it down to incomes of fifty pounds a year . Arid your petitioners will ever pray , &e . To be presented by Sir B . Hall , M . P ., on the 25 th March .
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INTRAMURAL INTERMENTS . Loed John Mailers , the Chief Commissioner of Works , received a deputation from the Metropolitan Sanitary Association , at his official residence in Whitehall , on Saturday . The Earl of Harrowby , after introducing the members of the deputation , observed , that after considerable preparation and discussion , a measure intended to put an end . to the interment of bodies within the metropolis had been adopted by Parliament , but the whole question was still kept in
suspense . The measure appeared to have one or two defects , and the late Government had been apparently much more anxious to point them out than to amend them . The whole machinery was provided by which parishes might establish improved cemeteries , but there was no means of securing the permanency of the body who had to borrow the money for that purpose . The late Chancellor of the Exchequer had acknowledged that this could easily be remedied . There ought also to be some security that the powers should not be taken out of the hands of the Board of Health , and that the
fees received should be applied to the necessary expenses incurred and the repayment of loans . The Reverend Dr ; Hume said , that the state of things with reference to interments was even worse now than before the passing of the act , for many parishes would have provided means for the burial of the dead had there not been this law in existence , but in abeyance , and providing no better means , by which they might at any time be stopped . In some parishes , particularly Kensington and Lambeth , there was at present only provision for the interments of a few months , and many of the graveyards in and about London were in a most appalling
state . The most frig htful results of the present interment system were not only the unhealthiness , but the morally hardening influence it . produced upon tho minds of the poor- Tho effect of the poisonous air had most ; depressing consequences upon their minds , rendered thorn wretchedly desponding , and unwilling to listen to the comforts or warnings of religion . But there was a law existing by which tho existing obstacles to improvement might bo removed , and if the present Government took tho matter in hand , they would find that very little was required to bring the measure into operation . Mr . F . O . Ward called his lordship ' s attention to the financial bearings of tho question , the greatest difficulty in which had been from the additional charge which it was supposed would be required to cover the
cost of transport to a distance from the metropolis . But by substituting a collective for a fragmentary system of extramural interment , not only would tho expense be diminished below tho present charges of undertakers , but a greater degree of solemnity and 'decency might be obsorved in thorites of Christian burial . With respect to tho two difficulties existing in tho Act , one of them had boon overcome by tho government expressing its readiness to charge itself with tho debt which would bo incurred in order to raise tho necessary capitnl . Tho other difficulty , that of giving tho capitalists , from whom money must bo borrowed , good security that tho burial foes would bo suflloiont for repayment , might be surmounted by an amendment , calling upon all poreona living within tho metropolitan
districts , who would really derive the benefit of an unpolluted atmosphere from the new system , to pay the prescribed fees , although they might decline to avail themselves directly of the advantages secured . The effect of such an amendment would be to raise the security in the market , and enable the Act at once to be put into execution . - The Earl of Harrowby remarked , that the overcrowded graveyards could not be closed , because there was no power to compensate the parties who had a property in the land , or to re-imburse the clergy for the loss of their fees . After a few words from the Rev . Mr . Lusignan , one of the honorary secretaries ,
and from Lord Robert Grosvenor , the chairman of the Association . Mr . George Godwin said , that it was almost incredible how an aet duly passed by a large majority of both houses of parliament , and which was declared by the ablest and most intelligent persons to be essential to the well-being of the community , should have re- , mained absolutely unexecuted for nineteen months . It was impossible to walk in the neighbourhood of such places as Bunhill Fields burial-ground , or St . George ' s , Hyde Park-road , without being horror-struck . It was astonishing that men should , year after year , shut their eyes to the dreadful results of intramural interment , because they did not actually see their fellow-creatures
fall down dead from the effect of the noxious exhalations which were generated in the crowded graveyards and the vaults under churches . In some churches , for instance St . Mary-at-Hill , men and women sit Sunday after Sunday with only a permeable floor between them and a mass of crushed coffins and decaying bodies . People faint , and are carried out , and some of them die , and there were those who said , " It is the dispensation of Providence , " although science had pointed out how much of truth there was in such statements ,. When the average of life in some towns was fifteen years , and in others thirty , science at once showed them why . He implored the Government to direct its attention to the subject .
The objects of the deputation having thus been stated , a conversation ensued , in which several gentlemen expressed their opinions , principally on the relation between local and central government for sanitary purposes . Lord John Manners said , that he was very anxious to communicate to the Government the valuable information on many points which had been given him in the course of his interview with the deputation . " And if they possibly could , in the present session of parliament—which they were threatened elsewhere would be exceedingly short—if they could arrive at any satisfactory conclusion , he need not say that he should be most happy . " The deputation then withdrew .
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ELECTION MATTERS . A meetino of the supporters of Mr . Parker and Mr . Roebuck , the sitting members for Sheffield , was held at the Royal Hotel , in that town , on Monday , when it was unanimously agreed that they would form themselves into a committee , and would use their utmost exertions to secure the re-election of the present members . 125 Z . were subscribed immediately for election expenses . Earl de Grej % it is stated , considers Lord Goderich ' s opinions much too liberal to allow of his election for the borough of Ripon . Mr . Vincent Scully was elected for the county of Cork , on Saturday ; the official declaration of the poll was made public on Monday , it is as follows : — For Scully 3956 For Frewen . .. . . . - 3105 Majority for Scully . . 851 Tho Cork Examiner publishes some curious documents , exhibiting tho mode in which tho Protectionist landlords of tho county of Cork , and their agents , sought to effect tho triumph of Mr . Frowon and Protection . Here is ono of them : —
•• Oflloe , Formoy , March IB , 1852 . " William Barry , —Soo Mrs . PorcivaVa tenants at Kilcronot , and inform all who are valued for tho poor-rates at or over 121 ., that I dosiro thoir vote in Formoy yn Thursday next , for tho oloction of Mr . Frowen . If they do not como forward and support this gentleman , Mrs . Percival will take for grantod that hor tenantry consider tho pre - sent priccB ot corn , buttor , and moat , quito high enough , and consequently thoy cannot expect any more allowanco in thoir ronts . , > "R . G . Campion . ' . ' . And yet people affect indignation at Irish disaffection !
Lord' Naas was returned for tho borough of Coloraine , on Monday , without opposition , Mr . Kennedy having declined to demand a poll . On tho return being declared , Lord Naiw addressed tho electors . Wo touched very lightly on tho subject of frec-trndo and protection , hut a loud uproar commenced when ho said that " it was impossible it could bo considered in ji definite form during tho present parliament ' s existence . " Still greater conftision arose when ho alluded to tho Tenant-Right Bill of Mr . Sharman Crawford , and ex-
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UA * m % ? > 1852 ;] * f H E IiEADER . 2 S 7
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Leader (1850-1860), March 27, 1852, page 287, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1928/page/3/
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