The following table represents the diminution that has taken place in the numbers of the Scottish peer age since the union, and their amount at present.
Table of the Scottish Peerage.
1. Number of Scottish peers at the union, 154 2. The duke of Rothesay when entitled to vote, 3. Added by subsequent orders of the House of Lords, 4 159 Of whom, 1. Extinct or dormant, including the title of Solway, 41 2. Merged in, or united to other titles, 10 3. Forfeited, 26 But four lately restored, 4 Remain, 82 86 Of these 23 (including the duke of Rothesay) are British peers, but who still retain the privilege of voting at elections, and even continue eligible.
At the election on the 13th November 1812, there were three minors, three peeresses, and two Roman Catholics, consequently eight disqualified from voting. The peers who actually voted were 52, and 22 were out of the kingdom or did not vote.
2. Parliamentary Representation of the Counties or Landed Property.
Scotland is divided into 33 counties, which are re presented in parliament by 30 commissioners, or knights of the shire. The following table contains the amount of the valued rent in Scottish money, as it stood in 1674, and the number of freeholders or voters in each county. The number of freeholders must alter from year to year, according to the state of property, and various other incidental circum stances, as deaths, minorities, &c. The list here given is the latest, viz. the one drawn up for the year 1825. In 1811, the number was 2429, giving an in crease of 637 in fourteen years.
It is to be remarked, that six of these coun tics are represented in parliament by only three members; two of them united for that purpose, electing a re presentative alternately; and that the Shetland isles, owing to some defect regarding their valuation, though entitled to share in the representation of Ork ney, have as yet no freeholders on the roll. Lands holding of the crown to the extent of X400 Scotch of valued rent, or, in particular cases, what is called a forty shilling land of old extent, entitle the proprie tor to a vote, and those freeholders only are included in the above Table. There are in every county more
persons who possess freehold property below, than such as have land either equal to, or above that valua tion; and besides, the nobility are never put on the rolls of freeholders, whatever extent of property they may possess. This in some measure accounts for the number of freeholders being so low as 2429. Were there to be a voter for every £400 of valuation, the total number would be 9511. Lands holding of a sub ject-superior give no vote,whatever may be the amount of their valued rent.
3. Representation of the Boroughs.
The representatives of royal boroughs are limited to 15 in number, and are sent from the following towns: 1 From Edinburgh, including North and South Leith, and the West Kirk, or St. Cuthbert's parish, the population of the whole in 1821 was - 138,235 1 From Jedburgh, Lauder, Haddington, Dunbar, and North Berwick, about 19,317 1 From Selkirk, Peebles, Lanark, and Linlithgow, 17,206 1 From Stranraer, Wigton, Whithorn, and New Galloway, 7,970 1 From Sanquhar, Kirkcudbright, Dum fries, Lochmaben, and Annan, 22,529 1 From Ayr, Irvine, Rothesay, Campbel ton, and Inverary, 28,722 1 From Glasgow, Rutherglen, Renfrew, and Dumbarton, 157,767 1 From Stirling, Culross, Dumfermline, Inverkeithing, and Queensferry, 25,430 1 From Burntisland, Kinghorn, Kirkaldy, and Dysart, 15,560 1 From Anstruther-East and West, Pitten ween, Kilrenny, and Grail, 6,067 1 From St. Andrews, Cupar-Fife, Dundee, Perth and Forfar, 66,331 1 From Breehin, Arbroath, Montrose, Bervie, and Aberdeen, 67,94S 1 From Kintore, Inverary, Banff, Cullen, and Elgin, 12,801 1 From Forres, Nairn, Inverness, and Fortrose, 20,60: 1 From Dingwall, Tain, Dornoch, Wick, and Kirkwall, 16,911 15 Membersfrom 66 towns. Total population 613,40d The above is the population of the boroughs, in elusive of country districts attached to some of thi town parishes. The number of persons who actuall: vote at the elections is very inconsiderable, eonsistinl in general of the magistrates and town-council of tin different boroughs, and amounting to 20 in each burgh or to 1320 in all.