1818 Nov. 27 C

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons

{'.1 Seats} & Districts

'.2 Electors Who

Universality

Exclusions

& Non Readers

12

1

Question 1. Are there no other persons on whom the /this/ here-proposed plan puts an exclusion?

 Or else say. Why is an exclusion put upon non-readers?

{Answer. Yes: two others: to wit

1. Non-readers: persons not possessed of the faculty of reading: of reading printed books and papers, printed in the language of the country.

2. In certain circumstances, persons subject to military command: such as Soldiers, Seamen in government service, Artillery-men and even Militia men.}

Question 2. On what ground is it that Non-readers are proposed to be excluded? How is it that by an exclusion applied to these cases the principle of virtually universal suffrage would not be contravened?

Answer. The excluding of Non-Readers is the necessary result of, or rather is in other words the same thing with, the requiring /numbering/ the possession of this faculty among the circumstances the [...?] of which on the part of a proposed voter is rendered necessary /a qualification/ to his admission to that right /in that character/.

The reasons why the possession of this endowment is required will appear in their place. {On} /What belongs to/ the present occasion is - to observe, that by the requisition[?] thus made, notwithstanding the eventual exclusion which if it be efficacious can not but be involved in it, the description of the person admitted to the exercise of that right is not in effect narrowed [...?] as will be seen at the expence of no greater quantity of time and labour than is /will be/ at the command of every individual with scarce one exception, it will depend upon himself to put himself in possession of this endowment, a highly beneficent and desirable on other accounts.