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Under the Reformed System, how is the King’s Government to be carried on?

I have, myself, examined the bill, with reference to its effects on the county of Southampton.  In that county there are several towns—­Winchester, Christchurch, Portsmouth, Southampton, and the borough of Lymington.  Several boroughs in that county are struck out of the representation by the bill, and there are, besides, a vast number of considerable towns left unrepresented, but the voters of these places are to come into the county constituency.  According to the old system, the voters of the towns had votes for the county; now, copyholders and 50l. householders are to vote for the county.  In the towns, these two classes are, for the most part, shopkeepers.

I am convinced that there are no less than 4000 or 5000 such inhabitants of towns in Hampshire, who will have votes for the county, as well as the freeholders.  Now, of whom does this class of electors consist?  As I before stated, they are shopkeepers—­respectable shopkeepers—­in the towns.  I beg to ask, are they fit persons to be the only electors to return county members to a Parliament, which Parliament is to govern the affairs of this great nation, consisting of 100,000,000 of subjects, and so many various relations, foreign, domestic, colonial, commercial, and manufacturing?  Men of the description I have mentioned, with their prejudices and peculiar interests, however respectable as a body, cannot be fit to be the only electors of members of the House of Commons.  But, I beg to say that, however respectable this, or any other class of electors may be, there is a strong reason against any uniformity of system in the representation of the country.  I have heard already of the establishment, in this town, of a committee formed for the purpose of recommending candidates for the representation to the different towns throughout the country.  I confess, I do not believe that this committee has been established more than a few days; but I beg to say that, taking into consideration the means of combinations, and the facilities of communications in the country, such a body is dangerous.  I know that such committees, in other countries, have been found to be effectual in putting down the Government.  And I ask whether you should allow such a uniform system of election—­it matters not in whose hands it is placed—­that a committee, sitting in London, shall have the power to dictate what members shall be returned for Leeds, or for Manchester, for instance?  I wish to know what security noble Lords have for their seats in this House, if such a committee as this should exist at the first general election of a reformed Parliament?  But, my Lords, these are not all the objections which I entertain to this measure; I have others, founded upon facts, which I know to have existed in other countries.  I was in France when the law of election was passed,