To take them in the order in which he enumerated them, that which had appeared to the Irish Parliament "the first and most important, was the share which the Irish constituencies ought to have in the representation of the House of Commons." On this point, "the Parliament of Ireland was of opinion that the number of representatives for Ireland ought to be one hundred." And he was not disposed to differ from the conclusion to which it had come.

He regarded it, indeed, as "a matter of but small importance whether the number of representatives from one part of the united empire were greater or less.
If they were enough to make known the local wants, to state the interests and convey the sentiments of the part of the empire they represented, it would produce that degree of general security which would be wanting in any vain attempt to obtain that degree of theoretical perfection about which in modern times they had heard so much." He approved of "the principle which had been laid down upon this part of the subject in the Parliament of Ireland--a reference to the supposed population of the two countries, and to the proposed rate of contribution.

The proportion of contribution proposed to be established was seven and a half for Great Britain, and one for Ireland; while in the proportion of population Great Britain was to Ireland as two and a half or three to one;[144] so that the result, on a combination of these two calculations, would be something more than five to one in favor of Great Britain, which was about the proportion which it was proposed to establish between the representation of the two countries." The principle of selection of the constituencies which had been adopted he likewise considered most "equitable and satisfactory for Ireland.

The plan proposed was, that the members of the counties and the principal commercial cities should remain entire....

The remaining members were to be selected from those places which were the most considerable in point of population and wealth....