49th Henry III. summoning knights, citizens, and burgesses to parliament, are still extant. As to the right of suffrage, it appears to have been general in all housekeepers paying taxes, or, as it is now termed, scot and lot; this right continued till the disfranchising statute of Henry VI. when the right of voting for the county members was limited to electors possessing freehold property of forty shillings annual value. In the reign of Edward I. commenced the practice of discontinuing, restoring, and omitting different boroughs in the representation; by which means marty large towns and populous places have been deprived of the right of returning members altogether. The following tables, principally extracted from the Appendix to the last volume of Mr. Oldfield's Representative History, will show the changes that have taken place in this respect; also, the number of parliaments held in each reign, and the duration of each parliament. A List of those Places which formerly sent Members to Parliament and now do not. In all, sixty-nine boroughs, which sent members to parliament in different reigns, and which are now deprived of that right. Besides these, Mr. Öldfield has given a list of ninety-seven other boroughs which have charters, and most probably sent members at some former period since the reign of Edward I. but which are now disfranchised. From the reign of Edward I. to that of Charles II. boroughs have been created and annihilated, at the caprice of each successive monarch. The boroughmongers are ever declaiming on the perils of change and innovation; in the borough representation there has been innovation and change with a vengeance; and we may ask the enemies of reform, whether the constitution would receive a greater injury from the crown-clerk forbearing to issue the accustomed bit of parchment, sum Both Leeds and Manchester returned members during the commonwealth, and all the rotten boroughs were omitted in the representation. moning the relics of Old Sarum, Gatton, and Midhurst, than it has sustained from the disfranchisement of Bradford, Leeds, and Manchester? It surely becomes necessary to abolish the existing rotten boroughs; or, according to the argument of our opponents, to make the constitution complete, by either restoring the one hundred and sixty-five which have been discontinued, or others in lieu of them. The following Table shows the Number of Parliaments held in each Reign, from 27th Edward I. A.D. 1299, to the End of the Reign of George IV., showing also the respective length of each Reign. From this table it appears that in the 461 years preceding the reign of George III. there were 202 parliaments, whose average duration was 21 years; and that in 210 years preceding the reign of Henry VIII. there were 143 parliaments, averaging rather less than 1 year each. In the 69 years of the reigns of George III. and IV. there were only thirteen parliaments, averaging five years and one-third each. Hence we learn how greatly the duration of the same parliament has been extended in these latter days, resulting, no doubt, from the better understanding subsisting between the ministers of the Crown and the representatives of the people, which rendered frequent dissolutions unnecessary. The following abstracts will show at one view, the gradual alterations in the representation of the people. { } Edward I... Edward II... Edward IV. Henry VIII. Edward VI. Mary Elizabeth James I..... and preceding monarchs, created 78 boroughs, 160 12 22 14 8 25 21 1 48 created 14 boroughs, with 2 members each 28 Charles I. Charles II... Ann George III.. created added added As parliamentary reform will and ought to constitute the all-engrossing topic of public interest, we are anxious to lay before our readers all the information which can throw light on the state of the representation. It is particularly desirable to distinguish those places where the elections are free, from those which are controlled by aristocratic or individual influence; and also to show the number of voters, and the various, the absurd, and contradictory principles on which the elective franchise is established. The following statement will illustrate these several points, and be convenient for present and future reference. A list of the members returned for the new parliament of the 1 William IV., their salaries, pensions, and political pretensions, will form a separate and subsequent article. The number of voters may not always be correctly given, but, in some instances, we had no means of verifying their accuracy. In some boroughs the number has greatly augmented. Thirtysix years ago, Warwick had 5 or 600 voters, now 1,200: Stafford 400 when Sheridan stood for it, now 860. The number of voters has been doubled in many places, and trebled in Coventry, Leicester, and Preston. ALPHABETICAL LIST of the Cities and Boroughs in England and Wales, showing the Right of Election, the Number of Electors, and the Names, if any, of the Patrons and Proprietors. Abingdon, in the inhabitants paying scot and lot and not receiving alms or charity 600. Agmondesham, in the inhabitants paying scot and lot-150.-J. J. Drake, esq. Albans, (St.) in the mayor, aldermen, and freemen, and such householders as pay scot and lot-400.-Earl of Verulam. Aldeburgh, in the inhabitants paying scot and lot-80.-P. C. Cressigny, esq. Aldborough, in those persons whose names appear in the court-roll of the manor of Aldborough, as tenants of burgage houses, or the sites of burgage houses, in Boroughbridge, and have been duly admitted thereon, according to the custom of the manor, being resident within the borough-64.-Duke of Newcastle. Andover, in the bailiff and select number of burgesses only-24.-Earl of Portsmouth and R. Etwall, esq. Appleby is governed by a mayor, recorder, twelve aldermen, a common council, and two sergeants-at-mace. The right of election is by burgage-tenure120.-Earl of Lonsdale and Earl of Thanet. Arundel, in the inhabitants paying scot and lot-200.-Duke of Norfolk. Ashburton, in the freeholders having lands or tenements holden of the borough only; and the freeholders of lands and tenements called Halshanger and Halwell-lands, lying within the borough, and subject to pay borough-rent, have a right to vote-200.-Sir Lawrence Palk, bart. Aylesbury, the householders of the borough not receiving alms: persons receiving alms, pursuant to the will of Mr. Bedford, disabled from voting, 7th February, 1698. By act of parliament in 1804, the right of election was extended to the freeholders of the three adjoining hundreds-1000.Marquess of Buckingham and W. Rickford, esq. Banbury, the mayor, twelve aldermen, and six capital burgesses of Banbury only-18.-Earl of Guildford. Barnstaple, in the corporation and burgesses-570. Bath, governed by a mayor, eight aldermen, and twenty-four common-councilmen; the right of election is in the mayor, aldermen, and common council only, 27th January, 1706-33.—Marquess of Bath and Charles Palmer, esq. Beaumaris, in the mayor and capital burgesses-24.-Viscount Bulkeley. Bedford, in the burgesses, freemen, and inhabitants, being householders not receiving alms-1400.-Duke of Bedford and Mr. Whitbread. Bedwin, in the freeholders and inhabitants of ancient burgage-messuages-80.Marquess of Ailesbury. Beeralston, in the freehold tenants, holding by burgage-tenure, and paying 3d. per annum, or more, ancient-burgage-rent, to the lord of the borough-70.Earl of Beverley. Berwick, stated in the Report to be in the freemen of Berwick-700. Beverley, governed by a mayor, a recorder, twelve aldermen, and other officers; and the right of election is in the burgage-holders-1300. Bewdley, in the bailiff and burgesses appointed by the charter 30 Jac. I. exclusive of all others-13.-W. A. Roberts, esq. Bishop's Castle, in the resident and non-resident capital burgesses, and the common burgesses who have been resident a-year and a day before the day of election, and have a legal settlement in the borough-100.-Earl of Powis. Bletchingly, in the borough holders-90.-Matthew Russell, esq. Bodmyn is governed by a mayor, eleven aldermen, twenty-four common councilmen, and a town-clerk; and the right of election is in the corporation36.-Marquess of Hertford. Boroughbridge, in the occupiers as tenants from year to year, or for a greater term, of ancient burgage houses, built upon the sites of ancient burgage houses, such occupiers being bona fide resident, and being or having given notice to be, put upon the court-call of the manor of Aldborough as tenants of such houses-60.-Duke of Newcastle. Bossiney, all who have free land, and live in the parish, are deemed freemen and vote-20.-Lord Wharncliffe. Boston, in the mayor, aldermen, common council, and freemen resident, paying scot and lot, and claiming their freedom by birth or servitude-500. Brackley, in the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses-33.-Earl of Bridgewater. Bramber, in persons inhabiting ancient houses, or in houses built on ancient foundations, paying scot and lot-20.-Duke of Rutland and Lord Calthorpe. Brecon, in the corporation and free burgesses-600. Bridgewater, the inhabitants of the eastern and western divisions of the parish have no right to vote for representatives, but the right of election is in the inhabitants of that division of the parish which is commonly called the Borough, paying scot and lot within the division, and in them only; 14th March 1769-300.-Earl Poulett. Bridport, agreed, in 1762, to be in the inhabitants, being housekeepers, and paying scot and lot-230. Bristol, in the freemen and innholders-5000. Buckingham, in the bailiff and 12 burgesses only.-Marquess of Buckingham. Callington, in the freeholders of houses or lands within the borough, resident or non-resident, and in beneficial leaseholders of entire tenements, consisting of houses or lands within the borough for years, determinable on a life or lives, being resident householders for forty days before the day of election, and rated to the poor at 40s. at the least, June 12, 1820-60.-Mathias Atwood and William Thompson, esqrs. Calne, in the ancient burgesses only, and the right of returning burgesses is in the guild-stewards-24.-Marquess of Lansdowne. Cambridge, in the mayor, bailiffs, and freemen, not receiving alms-200.--Duke of Rutland. Cambridge, University of, in the doctors and masters of arts only. Camelford is governed by a mayor, eight burgesses or aldermen, and ten free |