HUME, JOSEPH, was born at Montrose in the year 1777. His father was the master of a small coasting-vessel, and after his death his widow supported herself by keeping a shop in Montrose. Having received the merest rudiments of education, including Latin and a smattering of accounts, at a school in his native town, he was appren ticed in his fourteenth year to a surgeon. In 1793 he entered the University of Edinburgh for the purpose of prosecuting his medical studies; and having taken a medical degree, and passed the London College of Surgeons, be was appointed surgeon to an East Indiaman in 1797. Ha distinguished himself not ouly in his medical capacity, but also by acting as purser on his voyage out, and conducting a most complicated business in a very successful manner. On reaching India he mastered the native languages, and, in addition to his functions as an army surgeon, he became Persian interpreter, commissary-general, and pay-master and post-master of the forces in the prize agencies. It is said that he owed the first step of his promotion to his knowledge of chemistry, which enabled him to detect the presence of damp in the government stores of gunpowder on the evo of Lord Lake's Maiaratta war. Nothing is more surprising than the amount of hard work performed by the young civilian at this time, and its success enabled him to return to England in the prime of life with a fortune of about 30,0001. On returning to England he commenced studying the history and resources of Great Britaiu, and acquired that insight into the condition of both the government and people which formed the foundation of his eubeequeut exertions in the cause of reform. In the same spirit ho visited a large portion of the Continent, and made a tour through,Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, and Egypt, to increase his stores of political experience.
In 1812 he entered parliament under the auapicea of the late Sir J. Lowther Johnstone, Bart, as member for Melcombe Regis, which now forms part of the borough of Weymouth, but failed to secure his re-election in the autumn of the same year. In the interval between this date and 1818 he became acquainted with Place, Mill, and other disciples of the school of Jeremy Bentham ; and devoted considerable time and energy to the foundation of savings banks and of schools on the Lancasterian system. Ile was also a candidate—though an unsuc cessful one—for a Beat at the Board of East India Directors. In 1818 ho re-entered parliament as member for the Montrose burgh; for which he continued to sit without interruption until 1830, when he was chosen by the constituency of Middlesex. He represented that county during all the period of agitation which preceded the passing of the Reform Act down to 1837, when he was defeated, but returned through the influence of Mr. O'Connell for Kilkenny. In ]841 he contested Leeds without success; but in the following year was re-elected for his native Montrose burghs, which he represented down to his death, a period of thirteen years.
For many years Mr. Humo etoo I nearly alone in the House of Commons as the advocate of Financial Reform : indeed in the cause of reduction of taxation and public expenditure no man ever did so much practical good as Joseph Hume, through a long career of perse verance and industry. Disregarding the fashion of the age and the opinions of the world, he adhered in the stnalleet matters to what he thought just and right. In most of the political and social move ments of the last quarter of a century Le was an important actor : the working man eats bread which ho helped to cheapen, walks through parks which he helped to procure for him, and is iu a fair way to attain further educational advantages in consequence of his exertions. He more than once refused to accept office under Liberal governments, and he devoted a part of his own wealth to the social and political objects which he had in view. His speeches delivered in parliament occupy in bulk several volumes of Hansard's Debates.' lie incessantly advocated reforms of our army, navy, and ordnance departments, of the Fatablithed Church and Ecclesiastical courts, and of the general system of taxation and the public accounts. He early advocated the abolition of military flogging, naval impressment, and imprisonment for debt. With little active assistance, he carried the repeal of the old combination laws, the laws prohibiting the export of machinery, and the act for preventing mechanics from going abroad. He was unceasing in his attacks on colonial and municipal abuses, election expenses, the licensing systems, the duties on paper and printing, and on articles of household consumptiuu. He took an active part in carrying Roman Catholic emancipation, the repeal of the Teat and Corporation Acts, and in the passing of the Reform Act of 1832. A remarkable passage In his life was his discovery, in 1835, of an extensive Orange plot, commencing before the accession of William IV. An account of this transaction, in all the minuteness of detail, will be found in Miss Harriet Martiueau'a 'History of the Thirty Years' Peace.' The health of Mr. Hume began to break soon after the parlia mentary session of 1854, and he died at Burnley Hall, his seat in Norfolk, on the 20th of February 1855. At the time of his death he was a magistrate for Norfolk, \Vestminster, and Middlesex, and a deputy lieutenant for the latter county. As a proof of the general esteem in which be was held, we may add, that in the House of Commons speakers of all parties took occasion to pay a tribute to his character. He married a daughter of the late Mr. BurnIty, by whom he left a family of several eons and daughters. His eldest eon is Mr. Joseph Burnley Hume, barriater-at•law.