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adventurous way . His luck will be astonishing indeed if , before long , he is not " accounted for . "
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Geologists' Association . —Rooms have been taken for this Association at 5 , Cavendish-square , which will be open every Monday for members . The meeting for reading papersis the second Monday . There are thirty candidates for ballot at the next meeting . Universal Sctfkage in France . —T he elections of the Members of the Corps Legislatif , like the election of the Emperor himself , are conducted on the principle of universal suffrage and vote by ballot ; and we may learn , from the Indre election what is the woi-king in France of those two institutions , which certainly have a strange knack of coming to grief wherever they are employed . The Trench
authorities have a very simple plan for mitigating the evil tendency of any ingredient of democracy which their operation might infuse . In the first place , Only one candidate is allowed to stand ; or , at least , if any one else issues an address , his placards are torn down by the police , and no one is permitted to circulate his handbills . This security for the wisdom of the popular choice would seem of itself to to be sumcient : but the Emperor ' s Government has been annoyed by so many inconvenient accidents at the pollingrbooth that the further precaution is taken of publicly informing the people in the marketplace that any one who votes against the Government candidate will be condemned for the rest
of life tp ventilate his electoral scruples in the salubrious atmosphere of Cayenne . But peasants are perverse , and words are weak weapons when compared to deeds ; and therefore , to avoid the possibility of mistake , when the day of election comes ,, the Mayor first proclaims by "beat of drum that nobody ' s ¦ ' ¦ ' bulletins " are valid except those of the Government candidate , and then marches the . docile electors to the poll between the Garde Champetre on oiie side and the Commissary of Police on the other . Such , if the Indre election is a fair sample , is the popular working of universal suffrage—such the independent purity of vote by ballot , under the shadow of a throne which professes to respose without inisgiving'upon botb-. r— Continental Review ^
The Pjrince Napoleon and the Republican's .. — The i ^ ris correspondent of the Times says : — " The Legislative Body is divided into seven bureaux or standing committees , each being represented in debate by two commissioners , and all , or nearly all , of these 14 commissioners are instructed to demandy when the Budget comes on for discussion , the suppression of the new Ministerial department of Algeria , of which Prince JNapoleon is the head ; and this demand , though it may not be officially set forth , is certainly occasioned by the action of the Prince on the great question of the day , and in order to mark the strong , reprobation with which the Legislative Chamber expresses the genuine sentiments and
opinions of the country . Now , if his Imperial Highness be sincere in the doctrines which he does not hesitate to advocate in the imperial residence , and , so to say , in tlie presence of the Imperial , Throne itself—if he be really the republican and leveller he would represent himself , rr * why , in the name of " Liberty , Fraternity , and Equality , " does he allow himself to be addressed as an Imperial Prince , and with the rank and precedence which such an exalted station gives ri xight to ? Why does so simple a citizen tenant a residence bearing the twofold taint of Boynlty , and Imperialism like ^ tho Palais Royal ? Why has this " rnan of the people" sought the hand of a Royal Princess , the daughter of the most ancient
reigning hpusein Europe ? Why does he maintain , all the State coremonial- ^ chamborlains , secretaires des commandements , equerries , and the other appurtenances of a Prince of the Blood ? And , lastly , the taxpayer win , ask , why , oh ! why , doos tlie Imperial Republican' accept a dotation of a million of francs from the national budget , paid on no other account than from his relation to the Sovereign who rules France ? Certainly I would not xiphoid or approve tho doctrines of those who , in the time of the Notional Assembly , occupied places on the declivities of tho ¦ mountain , near the summit of
which his Imperial Highness so long had a place ; but it would bo unjust not admit that many of thorn haye proved by their acts their sincerity of boliof in their wild theories . Some have returned to the obsourity out of whioh tho Revolution qf Fobmary drow them ; others are- eating tho broad of exile : wot a few have passed away for ever j bt ^ t tho proof those pld associates have given of tho sincerity of their convictions half redeems the reprobation » ropuncod by society on them . If Prince Napoleon bo the ultra-democrat his partisans , apparently on hia own authority , believe him , he must make the sacrifices his former colleagues have done before * hq world wlU give him credit for his faith . "
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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . ' Monday , February 28 . THE STATE OF EUROPE . In the HotrsE of Lqkds ; Lord Clarendon asked the Foreign Secretary for the exact information which tlie Government had received in relation to the withdrawal of the French and Austrian troops from the Papal dominions . —Lord Mauiesburv believed that the Papal Government had made its request to the French and Austrian Governments of its own accord . Then- troops would vacate the Papal territories , as
they had no right to occupy them after the Pope ' s request that they should withdraAv . He had received assurances from both France and Austria that they would evacuate the Papal States when requested by the Pope , and he did not think that either would attempt to remain after the request of the Papal Government for their withdrawal . In answer to Lord Brougham , he observed that the French Government had stated that the preparation of warlike stores and armaments in France was merely to fill up the deficiencies of former times .
DEBTOR AND CREDITOR BILL . The Lord Chancellor moved that the Debtor and Creditor bill be read a second time . —Lord Campbell moved that the bill be refered to a Select Committee . After an animated discussion , in which Lord Cran worth , Lord Brougham , Lord Overstone , and Lord Wensleydale spoke in favour of a Select Com > rnittee , tlie Lord : Chancellor stated that if the bill were referred to a Select Committee it would not pass this session . The bill was then read a second time . ' . ¦' .. ¦ ' . .. ¦ ¦' . ¦ ¦ ¦' . ¦ . ' Their Lordships adjourned at a quarter to eight . In the House of Coaoioxs , Mr . Edwin James took the oaths and his seat for Marylebpne .
. PARLIAMENTARY EEEOEM . The orders of the day having been postponed , the Chancellor of the _ Exchequer moved for leave to bring in a bill ¦ ¦' " to " amend the laws relating to the representation of England and Wales , and to facilitate the registration and voting of electors . " Contending that the antecedents of the Conservative administration rendered them , on the whole best fitted to deal with the question of representative reform , Mr . Disraeli observed that the advocates' that reform were divided into two categories . First came the school to which her Majesty ' s present Ministers belonged , who wished to apply to the condition of the country in 1859 the principles
established in 1832 . In the second rank he placed the school of politicians who believed that representation ought to be regulated entirely upon the basis of population . There were , however * other tests of representative value than could be derived from mere population , or even from wealth and property . London alone contained more inhabitants and was assessed to a larger amount oJf annual value than the whole of Scotland , and yet in the most sweeping reform it was never suggested to . endow the metropolis with- an equal number qf representatives to that enjoyed by the Scotch counties and boroughs . He enunciated as an established proposition that members of Parliament represented not only the
numbers , property , and intelligence of their actual constituencies , as measured by numbers and wealthy hut the moral influence and local interests appertaining to special and sometimes scattered and diminutive bodies , of electors . On this principle , Which he exemplified by reference to the present State of various county and , borough constituencies , he argued that the most appropriate reform of tho existing system would not bo arrived at by conceding additional members to tho large towns . In Durham , in tho West Biding , in Lancashire , and many other county districts , a large body of electors returned fewer members to Parliament than wore allotted to a' much more restricted constituency , enjoying borough franchise within the same topographical limits . If the population tost were adopted , an
extensive cusiranomsemont oi boroughs must ensue , compensated by a considerable increase in the county representation . If that tost , again , wore accepted , the . House would be filled with members belonging to the great landlord interests and the groat manufacturing and monotary interests , and would constitute an assemblage of members possessing uo doubt character , wealth , and intelligence , but not constituting , in its real significance , a House of Commons , as expounding tho opinions and representing the interests , of every class in the community , and exoroising , as tho correlative of such universality of ropros < in » tation , tho due amount of parliamentary control oTor tho executive government . Upon this population principcl a theoretical perfection of tho representative system might be attained , but the practical result might be to establish in England , as on tho Continent , a something approaching to a buroauomtic
despotism . The change which it would be his dutv to recommend would hot , therefore , rest upon the principle of population , nor upon that of property joined with population . Mr . Disraeli proceeded to discuss the question of the franchise in boroughs and in counties . It was proposed not to alter the limit of the borough franchise ,, but to introduce into boroughs a new kind of franchise , founded upon personal property , and to give a vote to persons having property to the amount of 10 / . a year in the Funds , Bank Stock , and East India Stock ; a person having 60 ? . in a savings bank would ; under the bill be an elector for the borough in which lie resided ' as well as the recipients of pensions in the naval '
military , and civil services amounting to 20 / . a year . Dwellers in a portion of a house , whose aggregat e rent was 201 . a year , would likewise have a vote . Tlie suffrage would also be conferred upon graduates of the Universities , ministers of religion , members of the legal profession , and of the medical body , and certain schoolmasters . In considering the county franchise , he reviewed the controversy respectingthe Chandos clause in the Act of 1832 . To restore the county constituency to its natural state , and bring about a general content , the Government proposed to recognise the principle Of identity of suffrage between the counties and the towns . They proposed that Boundary Commissioners should visit tlie boroughs
in England , re-arrange them , and adapt them to the altered circumstances , of the times ; their appointment would be delegated to the Enclosure Commisrsioners . The effect of giving to counties a 10 / . franchise would be , according to the estimate of the Government , to add to the County constituency 200 , 000 . The system Of registration would also be assimilated , by enacting that the claims of county voters were to be returned to the clerk of the peace by the overseers in every parish . To facilitate voting it was proposed to establish polling places in every parish containing not less than 200 voters , grouping for that purpose places of less magnitude and defraying the expenses out of the county rates . "Voters who found it
incOnvenient to . gO to . the poll were also , to be allowed to give their suffrage by means of polling papers , oh the same principle which was established in the case of the election . of poor-law guardians . All forgery of these voting papers , or personation of voters , would be made punishable as a misdemeanour . A complete representation did not depend upon the electoral body ; it depended upon whether the different interests of the country were adequately represented . Discarding the principle of population , and accepting as a truth that the'function of ¦ that House was to represent , not the voice of a numerical majority or the influence of a predominant property , but the various interests of the country , the Government
had felt it to be their duty to see whether there were interests not represented , and whether the general representation of the country could be matured and completed ; and they proposed to add four members to the West Riding of Yorksliire , two to South Lancashire , and two to Middlesex ; and that the following towns should be represented ;—Hartlepo ' , Birkenhead , West BromWieb and "Wcdnesbury , Burnley and Staly bridge , Croydon and Gravesenu . Assuming that , in the opinion of the House , its numbers ought not to be increased , means must bo interests
found for the representation of these . It was proposed that several places now Bonding two members to Parliament should hereafter return only one each ( the names being loudly culled iur , Mr . Disraeli , with a manifestation of reluctance , react the list , as follows ) :- ~ Honiton , Thotford , 'l otjiess , Harwich , Evcsham , Wells , Richmond , Mariborougn , Lcominster , Lymington , Ludlow , Andovcr , Ivnarcsborough , Tewkesbury , and Maiden . Mr . Disrac concluded a speech of three hours and a quartei in the following words : — " Having described as ¦ ejeany as I could the nrincirjlo nrovisions of our bill to mu tinsixb
House , X shall say no more . I believe that a measure wise , prudent , and adequate to tiwoMaMon . I earnestly hope the House may adopt it . 1 uoi . u . vo , sir , it is a Conservative rncasuro , using that PP "" in no limited or partial sense , but in the lnyhcst ami holiest interpretation Of which it is capable . a < - "' say sinceroly that those who irnmocl this measure J ° men who reverence the past , who arc proud oi '" p ' resont , and who arc confident of the future . ¦ o » j- » as ft is , I now submit it for tho consideration , oil '" of convinced that they will aew ¦• --
House Commons , J . JLUUHU Ul ^ UJUJUUllp , UUllVlllCUU hii * u w * -,, i with it as becomes the representatives ot a wise an understanding people . " Tho right lion , ^ ntenvu * concluded by moving for leavo to bring n . *' " Vil 0 Mr . Baxtkjr considorod tho scheme unflilr ' ° . ^ people of Scotland , and not onleuhitwl to meot i « fair claims of tho country ; and moved ns w \ ummm mont , " That it is oxpooliont to consider tho laws rotating tQ the representation of tho poop e . m i . « tf land and Walos , and Scotland nnd Ireland , »»* senaratQlv . but in ono mdufluro . "— Cursory rem «*
wertf made by sovoral ihonibors upon tho «»;" ment measure , objections woro raised , and V " " explanations , woro sought 5 tho am end mo it J »» generally opposed , nnd ultimately withdrawn .- ^ " -
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292 THE LEADER . [ No . 467 , March 5 , 1859 .
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Leader (1850-1860), March 5, 1859, page 292, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2284/page/4/
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