Lord Kenyonpresented a Petition from the Inhabitants of the Borough of Amersham, complaining of the principle on which the amount of Assessed Taxes paid by that Borough was calculated in the returns made by Lieutenant Drummond. His Lordship, when the petition had been laid upon the Table, moved that the inhabitants be allowed to substantiate at the Bar the facts stated in their Petition.
§ Earl Greywas not disposed to accede to the noble Lord's Motion; and he begged to observe at the same time, that the proper moment for discussing the question whether Amersham was or was not placed in the proper schedule in the Bill, would be 179 when the disfranchisement of that borough came before their Lordships in Committee.
Lord Ellenboroughwas afraid that there was a difficulty in the case which his noble friend had overlooked. He did not know on what it was, that the petitioners could claim to be heard; for the Bill had been framed in such a manner, that if they were to prove all they bad stated in their petition, they would not be able to get themselves out of schedule A.
Lord Kenyonthought that, notwithstanding the form in which the Bill had been drawn up, the petitioners, if they could prove that the return of assessed taxes they paid was incorrectly given, would be entitled to save themselves from disfranchisement.
Lord Kingreminded the noble Lord of another difficulty. The Committee had proceeded on the plan of the noble Lords opposite, to enfranchise a certain number of boroughs. It was necessary now to disfranchise an equal number, unless they meant to increase the number of Members of the House of Commons, which they had always professed themselves unwilling to do. There was no doubt that this borough, being the last in schedule A, was very near the limit; but a line must be drawn somewhere. As to the discussion about the mode of calculation, he reminded their Lordships that that question had been raised in the other House, and that a profound mathematician there had proposed to take the houses and the amount paid for them together, and to make the calculation in that manner; but the House, as it seemed to him, had properly rejected the proposal. That which was now wished to be done was what the House of Commons had refused, and he hoped their Lordships would refuse it likewise.
The Duke of Buckinghamsaid, that great injustice had been done to the inhaitants of Amersham, inasmuch as the manor and rectory houses of the borough had not been included in the estimate of the taxes paid by the town, by which alone it was placed in the schedule. The case ought to be substantiated at the Bar.
§ Lord Durhamthought this not a fit time to discuss the case of Amersham, and he believed, that if the petitioners were heard at the Bar, they should only have a repetition of the tedious delays of the East Retford case.
Lord Kenyonsaid, his wish was not to lessen the number of boroughs to be dis- 180 franchised, but to show that Amersham ought not to be among the number. Some other would probably be found to supply its place. He entreated their Lordships to do what he must consider only a common act of justice.
§ Motion negatived.