The only answer which can possibly be made to this reasoning is,
that as different opinions predominate in different localities, the
opinion which is in a minority in some places has a majority in
others, and on the whole every opinion which exists in the
constituencies obtains its fair share of voices in the representation.
And this is roughly true in the present state of the constituency;
if it were not, the discordance of the House with the general
sentiment of the country would soon become evident. But it would be no
longer true if the present constituency were much enlarged; still
less, if made co-extensive with the whole population; for in that case
the majority in every locality would consist of manual labourers;
and when there was any question pending, on which these classes were
at issue with the rest of the community, no other class could
succeed in getting represented anywhere. Even now, is it not a great
grievance that in every Parliament a very numerous portion of the
electors, willing and anxious to be represented, have no member in the
House for whom they have voted? Is it just that every elector of
Marylebone is obliged to be represented by two nominees of the
vestries, every elector of Finsbury or Lambeth by those (as is
generally believed) of the publicans? The constituencies to which most
of the highly educated and public spirited persons in the country
belong, those of the large towns, are now, in great part, either
unrepresented or misrepresented.
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