5 MARCH 1831, Page 20

REPRESENTATION OF THE COLONIES.

TO VISCOUNT HOWICK, UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONLES, 3d March 1831.

MY LORD—AS the measure of Reform brought forward by the Government will very greatly improve the representation of this country, so surely will it deprive the Colonies of the representation, such as it is, which they now enjoy in the Imperial Parliament. I propose to lay before your Lordship the grounds of this assertion. The number of members representing " the East India Interest " 62. These consist principally of directors of the Company, proprietors of stock, East India agents, and servants of the Company. " The West India Interest " is represented by 34 members, most of whom are pro. prietors of estates and slaves in one or other of the Anglo-American islands. Canada being a poor colony, and contributing but little to the wealth of the empire, has but two members—Mr. EDWARD ELLICE and Mr. LABOUCHERE—whilst South Africa and Australasia are repre- sented, very inadequately I admit, by about six members, owners of estates in those colonies, or merchants trading with the Cape of Good Hope and New South Wales. Of the 103 members so representing the white inhabitants of the East and West Indies' and of South Afr;ca, and the whole population of the Canadas and the Australasian settlements, nearly three-fourths are returned by the boroughs which it is proposed either to disfranchise or to dock of one member. Perhaps not one out of twenty of these will be members of a parliament elected as the Govern- ment has proposed. The others including Mr. LABOUCHERE, for ex- ample, are members for boroughs which would be " opened " by the bill before Parliament ; and very few of these would be again returned if that bill should pass. The excellent "Anatomy of the House of Commons," published in the SPECTATOR, 1st January, 1831, states that the "influence" which prevails at Taunton is "money." Will Mr. LABOUCHERE be again returned for Taunton by that influence? I think not ; and so think the people of England, who are now shouting their approbation of the Government plan of Reform. Who then would represent the Colonies in a reformed House of Com- mons ? No one—is the unavoidable answer. But, say those who are totally ignorant of the state of the Colonies, "The Colonies have Legislative Assemblies of their own—why should they be represented in the Imperial Parliament also ?" I answer—The colonial Legislative- Assemblies are merely local councils subject to the control of the Im- perial Parliament, and frequently controlled by it in affairs of the greatest importance. I need not trouble your Lordship with illustra- tions of a fact which every one at all acquainted with the Colonies will instantly admit. Moreover, South Africa and Australasia have no Le- gislative Assemblies. The local councils, which they do possess, are- productive of injury rather than benefit, inasmuch as those councils, being composed only of the creatures of the Local Government, are a. means of oppression, which no governor on his single responsibility would dare to practise. The above statement will be used as an argument against the Go- vernment plan of Reform ; but the argument is worth nothing, unless Sir ROBERT INGLIS and Mr. HART DAVIS should first establish the expediency of mock-representation at home, in order that the Colonies may be indirectly, slightly,—nay, miserably represented. Let mem- bers who are interested in the Colonies propose an adequate representa- tion of those worst-governed portions of the empire ; and the appeal will probably receive attention from the present Government of public opinion. You, my Lord, being the first Colonial Minister that ever spoke in Parliament of the "shameful jobbing" which takes place in the Colonies, might very appropriately become the author of an efficient' check to such abominations. I long to observe the convulsions into- which a proposal of the kind, made in Parliament by the son of our re- forming Premier, would throw Sir GEORGE MURRAY and Mr. Twiss but how much greater would be your satisfaction when, the measure car- ried into effect, deputies should come to you from all parts of the world charged with expressions of gratitude and affection from millions of your fellow-subjects ! There are two modes of bestowing adequate representation on the: Colonies—First, That of establishing everywhere Legislative Assemblies, elected by the inhabitants at large, and giving to those assemblies a supreme authority in whatever concerns the colony only. Secondly, That of permitting each colony to send deputies to the Imperial Parlia- ment. ADAM Bunn has thoroughly examined both modes of proceed- ing. After thus referring to his admirable Treatise on the subject, I have only farther to observe, that if the Colonial Minister of that day had listened to his generous suggestions, the present United States would, probably, even up to this time have formed part of the British empire. I am tempted in concluding this letter, to express my satisfaction at the rejection of Mr. WILMOT HORTON'S Emigration Bill by universal public opinion; • and to promise that, in case the public should not be, made aware of little share which your Lordship took in framing that obnoxious measure, the whole truth shall be laid before them as soon as the present excitement about Reform shall have subsided.

I have the honour to be, my Lord,

Your most obedient humble servant, P—.