annum, were to vote for counties. Existing resident electors were not
to be deprived of their right during their lifetime; but no non-resident
elector was to be allowed to retain his franchise. Finally, no
alteration was to be made in regard to the forty-shilling freeholders.
The new constituency being thus formed, Lord John Russell explained the
ministerial plan regarding the actual election. All voters were to be
duly registered; and in order to diminish the expense of elections,
as well as opportunities for bribery, drunkenness, and corruption, the
duration of the poll was to be diminished; that for counties was to be
taken simultaneously at different places. Such was the general outline
of the reform bill, in so far as England was concerned. The only
alteration in Wales, was to consist in adding unrepresented towns to
those which already sent members: for instance, Holyhead was to be
united with Beaumaris, and Bangor to Carnarvon. A new district of
boroughs was to be erected, consisting of Swansea, Cambridge, Langhorn,
and three other places, which should have the privilege of sending one
member to parliament; the only additional one proposed to be added to
the representation of Wales. In Scotland the existing county franchise,
which depended on a mere feudal right of superiority over lauds
belonging to others, was to be annihilated; the election of members
for boroughs was to be taken from the town-councils, and vested in the
citizens at large; and the new English franchise was to be introduced,
both in counties and in boroughs. Every resident owner of land or houses
worth ten pounds per annum, and every tenant under a written lease for
nineteen years or upwards, paying fifty pounds a year, was to have a
vote in county elections; and in towns the franchise was to attach to
the occupancy of a dwelling-house, rented at ten pounds per annum. To
some of the large towns, which hitherto had elected only in conjunction
with others, as Glasgow and Aberdeen, separate or new members were to be
conferred; while the Fife district of burghs was annihilated and
thrown into the county; and some counties were conjoined. In the whole,
Scotland was to have fifty members instead of forty-five. In Ireland
the principal alterations were to be the introduction of the ten pounds'
qualification; and that in towns the franchise should be taken out of
the hands of the corporations, and given to the duly qualified citizens:
Belfast was to retu