§ Mr. Cutlar Fergusonpresented a Petition from the parish of St. Pancras, in favour of the Reform Bill. The hon. Member stated, that the petition set forth, that the parish of St. Pancras paid more than double the amount of assessed taxes paid by all the boroughs included in schedules A and B; that it had a rental of 420,000l. per annum, that it paid upwards of 80,000l. a year in direct taxes; that its property in houses amounted to 7,000,000l., and that there was other property in the parish, to twice that amount: that there were 10,000 taxed houses in the parish, each of which would give a vote under the Bill, and that a district of such wealth and importance ought to have a greater share of the Representation than one third of two Members. He hoped their claims would not be overlooked.
§ Mr. Huntpresented a Petition from a meeting in London, at which there were 20,000 people present praying for the fran- 1091 chise to be made universal. The petitioners stated, that the labourers paid the greatest share of the taxes, and had therefore the best right to be represented. He would also then give notice, that he should move, in the Committee of the Reform Bill, that as a substitute for the 10l. clause, all householders paying taxes should be possessed of the elective franchise. If this motion were lost, he should then move, that all persons excluded from the right of voting for a Member of Parliament, should be likewise exempt from the payment of rent and taxes, from serving in the militia, and from being compelled to serve in the navy under the Impressment laws. He should also move, that after the 31st of December, 1831, "if any Lord of Parliament, or Peer or Prelate, interfered directly or indirectly, in any election of a Member to serve in the Commons House of Parliament, he should be sentenced to pay a fine of 10,000l. and be imprisoned for the space of one year in the Tower; that if convicted of a similar offence a second time, he should pay a fine of 20,000l. and be imprisoned in his Majesty's gaol of Newgate for two years; and on a third conviction, such Peer should be forthwith degraded from the Peerage, his title should become extinct, and his person be transported beyond seas for his natural life." This would put the House to the test.