representative government-第25节
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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。 The electors who are on a different side in party politics from the local majority are unrepresented。 Of those who are on the same side； a large proportion are misrepresented； having been obliged to accept the man who had the greatest number of supporters in their political party； though his opinions may differ from theirs on every other point。 The state of things is； in some respects； even worse than if the minority were not allowed to vote at all； for then； at least； the majority might have a member who would represent their own best mind： while now； the necessity of not dividing the party； for fear of letting in its opponents； induces all to vote either for the first person who presents himself wearing their colours； or for the one brought forward by their local leaders； and these； if we pay them the compliment； which they very seldom deserve； of supposing their choice to be unbiassed by their personal interests； are compelled； that they may be sure of mustering their whole strength； to bring forward a candidate whom none of the party will strongly object to… that is； a man without any distinctive peculiarity； any known opinions except the shibboleth of the party。 This is strikingly exemplified in the United States； where； at the election of President； the strongest party never dares put forward any of its strongest men； because every one of these； from the mere fact that he has been long in the public eye； has made himself objectionable to some portion or other of the party； and is therefore not so sure a card for rallying all their votes as a person who has never been heard of by the public at all until he is produced as the candidate。 Thus； the man who is chosen； even by the strongest party； represents perhaps the real wishes only of the narrow margin by which that party outnumbers the other。 Any section whose support is necessary to success possesses a veto on the candidate。 Any section which holds out more obstinately than the rest can compel all the others to adopt its nominee； and this superior pertinacity is unhappily more likely to be found among those who are holding out for their own interest than for that of the public。 The choice of the majority is therefore very likely to be determined by that portion of the body who are the most timid； the most narrow…minded and prejudiced； or who cling most tenaciously to the exclusive class…interest； in which case the electoral rights of the minority； while useless for the purposes for which votes are given； serve only for compelling the majority to accept the candidate of the weakest or worst portion of themselves。 That； while recognising these evils； many should consider them as the necessary price paid for a free government is in no way surprising： it was the opinion of all the friends of freedom up to a recent period。 But the habit of passing them over as irremediable has become so inveterate that many persons seem to have lost the capacity of looking at them as things which they would be glad to remedy if they could。 From despairing of a cure； there is too often but one step to denying the disease； and from this follows dislike to having a remedy proposed； as if the proposer were creating a mischief instead of offering relief from one。 People are so inured to the evils that they feel as if it were unreasonable； if not wrong； to complain of them。 Yet； avoidable or not； he must be a purblind lover of liberty on whose mind they do not weigh； who would not rejoice at the discovery that they could be dispensed with。 Now； nothing is more certain than that the virtual blotting…out of the minority is no necessary or natural consequence of freedom； that； far from having any connection with democracy； it is diametrically opposed to the first principle of democracy； representation in proportion to numbers。 It is an essential part of democracy that minorities should be adequately represented。 No real democracy； nothing but a false show of democracy； is possible without it。 Those who have seen and felt； in some degree； the force of these considerations； have proposed various expedients by which the evil may be； in a greater or less degree； mitigated。 Lord John Russell； in one of his Reform Bills； introduced a provision； that certain constituencies should return three members； and that in these each elector should be allowed to vote only for two； and Mr。 Disraeli； in the recent debates； revived the memory of the fact by reproaching him for it； being of opinion； apparently； that it befits a Conservative statesman to regard only means； and to disown scornfully all fellow…feeling with any one who is betrayed； even once； into thinking of ends。* Others have proposed that each elector should be allowed to vote only for one。 By either of these plans； a minority equalling or exceeding a third of the local constituency； would be able； if it attempted no more； to return one out of three members。 The same result might be attained in a still better way if； as proposed in an able pamphlet by Mr。 James Garth Marshall； the elector retained his three votes； but was at liberty to bestow them all upon the same candidate。 These schemes； though infinitely better than none at all； are yet but makeshifts； and attain the end in a very imperfect manner； since all local minorities of less than a third； and all minorities； however numerous； which are made up from several constituencies； would remain unrepresented。 It is much to be lamented； however； that none of these plans have been carried into effect； as any of them would have recognised the right principle； and prepared the way for its more complete application。 But real equality of representation is not obtained unless any set of electors amounting to the average number of a constituency； wherever in the country they happen to reside； have the power of combining with one another to return a representative。 This degree of perfection in representation； appeared impracticable until a man of great capacity； fitted alike for large general views and for the contrivance of practical details… Mr。 Thomas Hare… had proved its possibility by drawing up a scheme for its accomplishment； embodied in a Draft of an Act of Parliament： a scheme which has the almost unparalleled merit of carrying out a great principle of government in a manner approaching to ideal perfection as regards the special object in view； while it attains incidentally several other ends of scarcely inferior importance。
* This blunder of Mr。 Disraeli （from which； greatly to his credit； Sir John Pakington took an opportunity； soon after； of separating himself） is a speaking instance among many； how little the Conservative leaders understand Conservative principles。 Without presuming to require from political Parties such an amount of virtue and discernment as that they should comprehend； and know when to apply； the principles of their opponents； we may yet say that it would be a great improvement if each party understood and acted upon its own。 Well would it be for England if Conservatives voted consistently for everything conservative； and Liberals for everything liberal。 We should not then have to wait long for things which； like the present and many other great measures； are eminently both the one and the other。 The Conservatives； as being by the law of their existence the stupidest party； have much the greatest sins of this description to answer for： and it is a melancholy truth； that if any measure were proposed； on any subject； truly； largely； and far…sightedly conservative； even if Liberals were willing to vote for it； the great bulk of the Conservative party would rush blindly in and prevent it from being carried。
According to this plan； the unit of representation； the quota of electors who would be entitled to have a member to themselves； would be ascertained by the ordinary process of taking averages； the number of voters being divided by the number of seats in the House： and every candidate who obtained that quota would be returned； from however great a number of local constituencies it might be gathered。 The votes would； as at present； be given locally； but any elector would be at liberty to vote for any candidate in whatever part of the country he might offer himself。 Those electors； therefore； who did not wish to be represented by any of the local candidates； might aid by their vote in the return of the person they liked best among all those throughout the country who had expressed a willingness to be chosen。 This would； so far； give reality to the electoral rights of the otherwise virtually disfranchised mino
