Number of the Commons times. members. The number of members admitted to the House of Com- Chap mons has varied considerably at different periods. In adat different dition to those boroughs which appear from the first to have returned burgesses to Parliament, many others had that privilege conferred upon them by charter, or by statute, in succeeding reigns; while some were omitted by the negligence or corruption of sheriffs, and others were discharged from what they considered a heavy burthen-the Wages of expense of maintaining their members. In the time of Edward III. 4s. a day were allowed to a knight of the shire, and 2s. to a citizen or burgess;1 and this charge was, in the case of poor and small communities, too great an evil to be compensated by the possible benefit of representation. In the reign of Henry VI., there were not more than 300 members of the House of Commons, being about 25 more than in the reign of Edward I., and 50 more than in the reign of Edward III. The legislature added 27 for Wales,2 and four for the county and city of Chester, in the reign of Henry VIII., and four for the county and city of Durham, in the reign of Charles II.; while 180 new members were added by royal charter between the reigns of Henry VIII. and Charles II.5 Union of Scotland and Ireland. 4 Forty-five members were assigned to Scotland, as her proportion of members in the British Parliament, on the union of that kingdom with England; and one hundred to Ireland at the commencement of the nineteenth century, when her Parliament became incorporated with that of the United Kingdom. By these successive additions the number was increased to 658; and notwithstanding the changes effected in the distribution of the elective franchise by the Reform Acts in 1832, that number continued unaltered, except by the disfranchisement of certain cities and boroughs for corruption, until the year 1885, when the number of the house was raised to 670 by the operation of the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885 (see p. 24). 14 Inst. 16; Prynne, 4th Register, 2 27 Hen. VIII. c. 26. 4 25 Car. II. c. 9. 5 Christian's Notes to Blackstone; 2 Hatsell, 413. Y Chapter I. sentation The object of the English Reform Act of 1832, as stated The reprein the preamble, was to correct divers abuses that had long for England prevailed in the choice of members. The right of returning and Wales. members was taken from many inconsiderable places, and granted to large, populous, and wealthy towns. The number of knights of the shire was increased, and the elective franchise was considerably extended. To effect these changes, 56 boroughs in England and Wales were entirely disfranchised, and 30, which had previously returned two members, were restricted to one member; while 42 new boroughs were created, of which 22 were each to return two members, and 20 a single member. Several small boroughs in Wales were united for the purpose of contributing to return a member. The result of these and other local arrangements, which it is not necessary to describe, was that the two universities and the several cities and boroughs contributed 341 citizens. and burgesses for England and Wales. By the Reform Act of 1867, the boroughs of Totnes, Reigate, Yarmouth, and Lancaster were disfranchised; 38 boroughs previously returning two members were reduced to one. Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Leeds each received a third member; Merthyr Tydfil and Salford each a second member; the Tower Hamlets were divided into two boroughs, each returning two members; 10 new boroughs were created, of which Chelsea returned two members, and every other borough one only. By these arrangements the representatives for boroughs were reduced by 26; and the University of London became entitled to return one member. But before this Act came into operation, seven English boroughs, viz. Arundel, Ashburton, Dartmouth, Honiton, Lyme Regis, Thetford, and Wells, were disfranchised by the Scotch Reform Act of 1868, and the seats added to Scotland. Several of the counties were divided, by the Reform Act of 1832, into electoral districts or divisions, by which the number of knights of the shire was increased to 162; and by the Act of 1867, 13 counties were further divided, and received an addition of 25 For Scot land. And Constituency of English members. By the Redistribution of Seats Act, 1885, the Chapter I. The number of members for Scotland was increased by By the Irish Reform Act of 1832,2 the number of representatives for Ireland in the Imperial Parliament was increased from 100 to 105; 64 being for counties, 39 for cities and boroughs, and two for the University of Dublin. By the Irish Reform Act of 1868, no change was made in the number of members representing that part of the United Kingdom, nor in the distribution of seats: but the two disfranchised boroughs of Sligo and Cashel were left without representation; and under the Act of 1885 Ireland returns for 32 counties, 85 members; for 9 cities and boroughs, 16 members; for 1 university, 2 members; making a total number of 103 members for Ireland. The classes of persons by whom these representatives are elected may be described, generally, in few words, if the counties. legal questions connected with the franchise, which are both numerous and intricate, be avoided. To begin with the English counties. Before the 8th Henry VI. all freeholders or suitors present at the county court had a right 2 Ib. c. 88. 3 See Act 7 Hen. IV. c. 15. 1 2 & 3 Will. IV. c. 65. 3 Chapter I. to vote (or, as is affirmed by some, all freemen): but by a and In cities and boroughs the right of voting formerly varied of cities according to the ancient custom prevailing in each. With boroughs. certain modifications, some of these ancient rights were retained by the Reform Act of 1832, as that of freemen, and other corporate qualifications: but all occupiers of houses of the clear yearly value of 10l. were enfranchised by that Act. The Reform Act of 1867 extended the borough franchise to all occupiers of dwelling-houses1 who have resided for twelve months on the 31st July, in any year, and have been rated to the poor rates as ordinary occupiers, and have, on or before the 20th July, paid such rates up to the preceding 5th January, and to lodgers who have occupied, for the 1 Dwelling-house defined and 15th July substituted for 31st July by 41 & 42 Vict. c. 26, ss. 5. 7; and see 41 & 42 Vict. cc. 3 & 5 (House Occupiers' Disqualification, In Scot land. In Ireland. same period, lodgings1 of the annual value, unfurnished, Chapter I. The Scotch Reform Act of 1832 reserved the rights of In Ireland various classes of freeholders and leaseholders were invested with the county franchise, by the Reform Act of 1832, to whom were added, by the 13 & 14 Vict. c. 69, occupiers of land, rated for the poor rate at a net annual value of 121.; and persons entitled to estates in fee, or in tail, or for life, of the rated value of 51. And by the latter Act, in addition to the borough constituency under the Reform Act, the occupiers of lands or premises rated at 81. were entitled to vote for cities and boroughs. By the Irish Reform Act of 1868, the borough franchise was extended to occupiers of houses rated at 41., and of lodgings of the annual value of 101. unfurnished. No change was made in the qualification of county voters. By the Representation of the People Act, 1884, 48 Vict. c. 3, a uniform household franchise, and a uniform lodger franchise are established in all counties and boroughs throughout the United Kingdom. The franchise is also extended to those who inhabit dwelling-houses by virtue 1 Lodgings more fully defined by 41 & 42 Vict. c. 26, ss. 5. 6. |