the
solicitor-general of Ireland, who vindicated the character of the
electors of Dublin University from the attacks which the Irish reformers
made upon it. The proposal was rejected by a large majority: and Mr.
O'Connell returned to the attack by moving, as an instruction to the
committee, to extend the franchise to persons occupying freehold estates
of the yearly value of five pounds. His motion was founded on
this reasoning--that, as Ireland was a poorer country, a ten-pound
qualification in England was a twenty-pound qualification in Ireland,
and the constituency of the latter would consequently be curtailed.
In his speech, he said that the object of all parties seemed to be to
exclude the people of Ireland as much as possible from the enjoyment of
the franchise. He was justified in making this charge, when he saw two
members given to Trinity College, Dublin, in the constituency of which
it was impossible there should be a Roman Catholic voter. If the system
was acted on, the Catholic question still remained to be settled. Mr.
Stanley complained of the unreasonable conduct of Irish members, and
especially of Mr. O'Connell, who first desired alterations in the bill,
and then complained that it was no longer the same. The change in
the plan of registration, he said, had been recommended by Sir Henry
Darnel. An alteration had also been made in the leasehold from
twenty-one years to fourteen, and this was done at the instance of
Irish members. Mr. O'Connell himself had entreated ministers to omit the
fifty-pound qualification, which was complied with: but he had hardly
effected his purpose, when he turned round and accused the government
of making unfavourable alterations in the bill. Members might be
astonished, but it was fact, that he had given notice of a motion
for the restoration of a qualification which was omitted on his own
suggestion. This motion was likewise rejected; as was another, made by
Mr. Mullins, to extend the franchise in counties to leaseholders for
nineteen years, at a rent of thirty pounds. Ministers, however, yielded
something in the committee by consenting to extend the franchise to
leaseholders for twenty years, having a beneficial interest to the
amount of ten pounds. Mr. Shiel divided the house without success, to
get rid of a proviso that required ten-pound voters in boroughs to pay
all municipal taxes. The recorder of Dublin was equally unsuccessful in
a motion tending to place Irish freemen