History of the Representation of England, Drawn from the Records; And of the Jursidiction of the House of Commons to Reform Abuses in the Representation, Without the Aid of Statute Law (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1831 Excerpt: ... CHAP. II. OF THE PEPRESENTATION OF COUNTIES. Of the two departments of the representative system, this of counties has been the least altered from its original. For though the right of election be limited by a statute, obtained as shall be proved by base means, to serve baser ends; yet still it is simple, uniform, easy of proof, and by commerce and increased riches now easy of acquirement. In the year 1429, the eighth of Henry VI.'s reign, began a long series of encroachments upon the constitution, the motives for which shall hereafter be shown. Of these, the first was that celebrated statute for disfranchising all electors in counties who did not possess freeholds of forty shillings yearly held of the King, a sum then considerable. Before this period, elections in counties had been made agreeably to the ancient customs of England. Some few statutes there were, as that of 3d Edward I.1, which ordains that " all elections shall be free;" or that of 4,6 Edward III.2, that all persons and communities summoned to Parliament shall there attend; or those of 7 Henry IV. c. 15.3 and 11 Henry IV. c. I.1 against sheriffs for intermeddling in elections and false returns; or, lastly, that statute of 1 Henry V. c. I.2, which ordains that the knights, citizens, and burgesses shall be resident in the counties or towns they represent. 1 3Ed.l. c.5. 1275. 2 in 1372. In 1405. But these statutes were either merely declaratory or confirmatory in the main of the ancient customs of the land. It was reserved for this law, the 8th Henry VI., in the year 1429, which still regulates elections in counties (under some partial modifications), to disfranchise a vast many, perhaps the greater number, of those who had, until this period, possessed the elective right. Who were by this sta...