The Revising Barristers for the City and for Finsbury have
been holding their courts during the week ; but the proceedings have not been important, except as illustrating the operation of the existing system of registration in vexing claimants and disfranchising persons who have an undoubted. right to the suffrage. The following is a specimen of the. many ways in which annoyance may be practised, under.the Reform Act, upon those who think it worth their while to establish their right to vote.
Mr. R. S. Wilke claimed to be registered as a voter (for Finsbury). He had been a voter ever since the borough was a borough ; but he was now told that he was to be knocked off upon curious grounds. Mr. T. Garland (tax-collector)—" Not at all; you have not paid your taxes."
Mr. Wilks—" You may say I have not, but where is the proof?"
Mr. Garland—Have you paid for the armorial bearings? You are U. 4s. upon my books. The fact is this, Sir," said Mr. Garland, addressing Mr. Keen, 6. this gentleman bad two lap.dogs, and I assessed them according to the
proper rate. He refused to pay ; and after some controversy upon the subject, he thought it advisable to write to the Commissioners of Taxes about it. Upon the receipt of the letter, the Commissioners observed that the letter sent was sealed with a handsome crest ; and they made a further demand of 1/. 48. for the armorial bearings. Me. Wilks—" I wish to explain. I first put a wafer in the letter; but meet- ing with my friend Tomkins in my journey with it, he advised me not to send the letter in that common way, but to seal it properly. Having this advice, I dropped in to an engraver, a friend of mine, and procured a handsome seal to finish the job ; but it was not my property. The Commissioners treated the matter as a joke." Mr. Garland did not think so. He could assure Mr. Keen it was "no joke:" he si as expecting to get payment. Further conversation ensued ; after which, Mr. Keen gave the claimant till the next day to produce a written document from the Commissioners ; and if his receipt for Assexed Taxes was genei al, and not pro tanto, his claim would be allowed, but not otherwise.
The next day, ( Wednesday,) Mr. Wilks reappeared; and the trumpery objection was disallowed on technical grounds,—Mr. Keen having determined that the section of the Reform Act which required payment of rates and taxes had reference only to taxes payable in re. spect of " premises," and not personal matters, and that armorial bear. ings could not be put in the class of "premises." So Mr. Wilks re- tains his vote.
Mr. Shadwell, a son of the Vice- Chancellor, was appointed a Reels. ing Barrister for Middlesex ; but the young gentleman is abroad, and he left positive orders before he quitted England that no letters should be sent after him he therefore is ignorant of his appointment; but as it is necessary that the revision of the lists should be made, Mr. Tamlyn was appointed to be a colleague of Mr. Coventry in his room.
Messrs. Coventry and Tamlyu accordingly appeared on Tuesday, at Hammersmith, and opened their Court of Revision : but it was found
that the law required notice of the holding of the Court to be advertised by both the barristers ; whereas, for the reason above given, Mr. Coventry only could legally give notice ; and the consequence was, that the proceedings were postponed to this day, when the Court will be opened at Uxbridge.
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