ill would be found to differ from the last, though most of
what stood in the latter was still allowed to remain. Thus the former
bill had allowed the right of voting to freemen during the lives of
those now in possession; the present bill did the same, but it went a
step further, in preserving the rights of freemen, acquired by birth
or servitude, for ever. Another change related to officers, about which
some difficulty arose in the committee on the late bill: it was
this, that in any case where his majesty might grant a charter
of incorporation to any of the new boroughs to be created by the
bill,--such as those in schedule C,--it was intended that the mayor or
other chief officer of such corporation should be returning officer of
such borough. It was thought much better, he said, to unite the voters
in such boroughs in a corporate form on liberal principles, the same as
those of London and other places, than to leave them the right of voting
without such corporate form. Another right reserved in the bill related
to the rights of freeholders in cities being counties in themselves.
Freeholders were of three classes: some voted in the county at large;
others only for the county of the city or borough; and others did not
vote for either. It was intended that the voters for counties at large
should remain undisturbed, and those who voted for the county of the
city would also be allowed to continue that vote, but those who by the
former bill were not to be allowed to vote for either place would now be
allowed to vote for the county in which the city or borough happened
to be situated. Lord John Russell added in conclusion, that by the late
bill commissioners were appointed to make inquiries, and to ascertain
the limits of boroughs, and that the reports of these commissioners
would be laid before parliament, for it to determine the limits of
each. In consequence of the inquiries of these commissioners a mass of
information had been obtained, which he hoped to be able to lay before
the house soon after the Christmas recess. There were other alterations
of minor importance, he said, in the bill, and some verbal changes, but
it was not necessary to allude to them, as the discussion of these would
be more proper in the committee. Sir Robert Peel said that in one thing
there must be an unanimous feeling on all sides--that of gratitude at
the escape which the country had had from the bill of the last session,
a danger which he had n