§ Lord A. Hamilton, in rising to present a petition, said, that as this was the first petition on this subject in the present parliament, he should claim the indulgence of the House for a few words. It was a petition complaining of the self-elected magistrates of the burghs of Scotland, an evil respecting which there had been numerous applications to the last parliament;—and he did not doubt but that this petition would be, in the present session, followed by numerous applications. The petitioners detailed the evils of this system; they pointed to the bankruptcy of several burghs, especially of Aberdeen; and urged the impossibility of their keeping out dishonest magistrates, or of controlling them when in office. They referred to the manner in which members were elected to that House, not as the immediate evil they complained of, but as one growing out of it. He hoped the House would really take into consideration the evil stated by the petitioners with a view to do justice. He should take that opportunity, as he saw the learned lord immediately connected with the legal affairs of Scotland for the first time in his place, of putting a question to him. In the last session the learned lord had introduced a bill to remedy a part of the evil complained of by the petitioners, which had been, somewhat unaccountably, withdrawn. He wished to know, whether the learned lord intended to revive that bill, or to introduce any other.—The petition, which was from the burgh of Kirkcudbright was then brought up.
The Lord Advocateof Scotland said, that the bill which the noble lord had described as having been withdrawn in an unaccountable manner, had been withdrawn because those interested in it had petitioned that the bill might not pass till 350 the subject had been brought under the consideration of a convention of the burghs, in July. In answer to the question which had been put, he had to state, that it was his intention to propose the introduction of a bill similar to that which he had brought in during the last session.
§ Lord A. Hamiltonsaid, it gave him great satisfaction to hear that the learned lord intended shortly to introduce a bill; and he was also gratified to learn that the voice of the people, expressed by petition, was so much attended to as to cause the withdrawal of the former bill.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.