The Earl of Roseberypresented a Petition from the Magistracy and Town Council of Linlithgow, for Reform. He could not resist that opportunity of stating to the House the conviction, which a residence in Scotland had impressed upon him—namely, that there could be no greater mistake than to suppose, that the people of that country did not feel a strong desire for an improvement in their representation. It might be true, that hitherto there had been no expression of public opinion on the subject of reform in Scotland, but the silence of the people arose from two circumstances—first, from an idea that the cause of reform was hopeless; and, secondly, from the conviction that, defective as was the representation of Scotland, the constitution of the English part of the House of Commons was such as to remedy a portion of the evil. But now that reform had been taken up by those best fitted to carry it through with success (his Majesty's Ministers), the number of petitions proceeding from Scotland proved that there was no indifference on the subject in that country. In fact the subject was taken up from one end of the country to the other. The petition prayed, not only for reform, but also for a reduction of taxation, particularly of the assessed taxes. The noble Lord presented a petition to the same effect from the in habitants of Linlithgow.
§ Lord Duncansupported the petition, and expressed his satisfaction at finding the statement which he had made on a; former evening, relative to the state of public feeling in Scotland on the subject of reform, now confirmed. He availed himself of this opportunity to say, that he did not state as he had been reported to have stated, that the member for Edinburgh was returned by three voters, but by thirty three.