ne hundred and seventeen. These
resolutions proposed to give members to large and manufacturing towns,
and additional members to counties of great wealth and population. They
also proposed to decrease the numbers of members for boroughs, giving to
such boroughs compensation by means of a fixed sum to be paid annually
for a certain number of years. Among the towns which were proposed to
be comprehended were Macclesfield, Stockport, Cheltenham, Birmingham,
Brighton, Whitehaven, Wolverhampton, Sunderland, Manchester, Bury,
Bolton, Dudley, Leeds, Halifax, Sheffield, North and South Shields, and
it was stated that the same principle would extend to the representation
of such large cities as Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Belfast. But the
time was not yet come when such an extensive reform as this could be
entertained in the British parliament.

BILL FOR REMOVING THE CIVIL DISABILITIES AFFECTING JEWS.

{GEORGE IV. 1830--1831}

The only other measure affecting the constitution of the legislative
body during this session was proposed by Mr. Grant, who moved for leave
to bring in a bill to repeal the civil disabilities affecting British
born subjects professing the Jewish religion. In support of this
motion Mr. Grant narrated to the house the treatment which the Jews had
received from the conquest down to the last century, when the act for
naturalizing foreign Jews was repealed within a few months after it was
passed, in consequence of the commotions excited by the measure. From
that time, he said, nothing had been done respecting: the Jews; they had
derived no benefit from the growing liberality of legislation; and
were alone still placed beyond the pale of the constitution. They were
excluded from practising law and physic, from holding any corporate
office; and from being members of parliament. They might even be
prevented from voting for members of parliament, if the oath were
tendered to them. They were, also, subject to local grievances; for in
the metropolis, at least, they could not obtain the freedom of any of
the companies, nor exercise any retail trade. And yet they formed a
community of peaceable and industrious persons. They were less stained
with political offences than any other body of men; and by their wealth
they added to the opulence of the country; and all they asked in return
was to be admitted to the benefits of the constitution. The house had
nothing to do but follow the example presented by the Catholic