by the village schoolmaster, obtained a Gentleman did not give way to those pass, was to be for the years to come en- terrors and fears which were unfortunately franchised by this precious scheme. He entertained on the Ministerial side of the might, in after life, fall lower than the House; and also because the hon. and lowest; might become tapster, crossing-learned Gentleman was not impressed with sweeper, or anything else; but he would any desire to pull down old institutions, have the franchise in his pocket, and which were endearing to Englishmen, and would be able to exercise it for a considera-therefore stable, in order to substitute in tion. The boroughs and counties would their stead new-fangled and unstable debe crowded with the very worst specimens vices. He thought, too, with the hon. and of the poor scholar, who had spent six learned Gentleman, that we need not be over weeks in acquiring a little learning which anxious to settle this question from any fear he would occupy sixty years in forgetting as to the effect of another year's agitation while selling its results to the briber at every successive election. The number of holders of these middle-class certificates might not be very numerous just now; but once it was known how convenient an avenue it was to the suffrage, might they not trust the industry of election agents to behold the advantages of the Oxford and Cambridge local examinations. He ventured to suggest one more fancy franchise to the consideration of the Government for a class of persons who, by their possession of the qualification which he was going to name, showed an improving mind and a great deal of industry, and above all gave pledges for a lengthened fixity of residence-namely, a suffrage for the ticket-of-leave man. He hoped that by the time the Bill got into Committee the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer would frame a clause to admit the ticket-of-leave man, for that would crown the edifice.

he had too much confidence in the sound good sense of Englishmen to have any fear on that ground. The picture that had been drawn by the hon. Baronet the Member for Dundalk (Sir George Bowyer) showed the common-sense English view of the question. The remarks made by the audience at the meeting in Trafalgar Square, presided over by Mr. Potter, seated between two of the lions of the Nelson Monument, were a good sample of the opinion of the country on the matter. Englishmen did not wish to take the settlement of the question out of the hands of responsible statesmen, but that it should be settled in that House. There was nothing more significant than the conduct of the people during the last six or nine months. When the House was not sitting they got up demonstrations in the country and in the metropolis; but the moment the House met and the question was taken up, to be dealt with by the reMR. BUTLER - JOHNSTONE said, sponsible Ministers of the Crown, these that however unwilling he might be gene- demonstrations collapsed and died a narally to trespass on the attention of the tural death. The people wished to see House, he felt that on a question of so the question settled, and he was much importance as a Reform of the Re- more anxious to see it settled by the presentation of the People he could not unanimity of leading Members on both remain silent. He confessed that the sides of the House than that it should speeches of the right hon. Gentleman the be a better or a worse Bill. When he Chancellor of the Exchequer and the right heard that the reported conference between hon. Gentleman the Member for South the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Lancashire had not filled him with mis- right hon. Gentleman the Member for giving or alarm on this question; but, South Lancashire had not taken place, he on the contrary, they had inspired him thought it was an unfortunate thing; bewith hope, because he thought he saw cause in altering the franchise they were, a way open for the satisfactory settle- in fact, framing a new constitution, and ment of this difficult and vexed ques- it was more important that such a Bill tion. He cordially agreed in the spirit of should go forth to the country with the the speech that had been delivered by the seal and imprimatur of the leading stateshon. and learned Gentleman the Member men of the country than that it should for Sheffield (Mr. Roebuck), and the man be a better or a worse Bill. A Bill he should best like to see intrusted with would be well received in the country the framing of a Reform Bill was the just in proportion as it received their hon. and learned Gentleman. His reason assent. He was anxious that a Reform for this was that the hon. and learned Bill should be carried this Session, be

even

might soon satisfactorily get rid of. The present Government had, no doubt, committed many errors; but they had not, like the right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Lancashire, committed the error of breaking its bridges and burning its boats. The Government were disposed to take the House into their confidence with

cause so long as Reform remained un-invidious distinction greater than any insettled the unity of the country was de- equality which at present marred our restroyed; because a feeling existed in the presentative system. They might call it country among a large class of the com- counterpoise or what they liked; but he munity that they were unjustly excluded was sure neither the country nor the House from a share in the Government of the would accept it, and the Government must country. The hon. Gentleman the Mem- throw it over. The House would then be ber for Birmingham (Mr. Bright) stated able to adopt the household suffrage with last Session that the artizans in the large two years' residence, and endeavour to manufacturing districts read the American solve the question of the compound-housepapers and took more interest in the poli-holder-a difficulty which he thought they ties of the United States than of their own country, and that he looked upon it as an untoward state of things. And in that he (Mr. Butler-Johnstone) cordially concurred. It was a far greater evil that our mechanics should be careless of the position, and indifferent to the interests, of their country than that they should succeed in getting passed laws with which the pre-reference to the Resolutions; and why sent House of Commons disagreed, or that should they not continue to act in concert they should run counter to the preconceived with the House on the Bill, and so pass a ideas of the upper classes, or even some- measure which would be satisfactory to what overtax the rich. England, unhappily, the country? If any check were wanted was not now so united as she ought to be; for household suffrage, it was not to be but was like those animals which pos- found in duality of voting, but in the resessed a double organism-two centres and distribution of seats in such a way as to two hearts. The heart and pulse of Eng- give to neighbourhoods and districts a land did not beat in unison as it ought to common life and consciousness of their own, do, and would not until this great question in which case the voters would elect the was settled, and the sooner the better. If best man in the neighbourhood to represent this country was to be engaged in a life them in Parliament; and that, he thought, and death struggle with any of the nations would be the best check against a demoof the world-if we had to defend our cratic Parliament. There would then be overland route to India if we had to no fear of danger, for there was no country maintain our passage through Egypt-in the world where public men were so how should we fare if the whole coun- much trusted as in England. try was not united? He believed that the difficulties of the recruiting sergeant were, in the last resort, to be traced to the question of Reform-if the question of the representation of the people were once settled, the question of recruiting the army would soon be solved. With a fair representation of the people we might have even a conscription; but we should never have a national army until we have a national suffrage. The question could not, however, be satisfactorily settled until both sides of the House took each other into their confidence; and with that feeling, although the Bill contained many points to which he seriously objected, he thought they might carry a satisfactory measure of Reform. He objected to duality of voting. A Reform Bill was wanted to do away with the inequalities that at present existed, and make the nation as one; but by adopting duality of voting they would create an

MR. BUXTON said, he only wished to make one remark. He was not about to enter into the question of three-cornered constituencies and cumulative voting; but he wished to say that he found that so many of the most thinking minds of the country were very strongly impressed with the advantages which would arise from this principle, that he hoped the right hon. Gentleman would afford the House an opportunity of discussing its merits. He could not but express the hope that the right hon. Gentleman would be brought to perceive the intrinsic merits of such an arrangement. At any rate, it was only a question of what would be the most judicious and convenient mode of allotting the seats at the disposal of the Government. The system had been advocated by some of the most profound reasoners. The hon. Member for Westminster had supported it; and that such an arrangement was not without its instrinsic merits was obvious

He had thought that the present Ministry |ject up to the Monday on which his were Conservative; but perhaps he had three Colleagues refused to assent to it? been mistaken. If the right hon. Gentle- He ventured to think he did not. He man prided himself on being a Liberal, he might have had something casually read to now begged to congratulate the right hon. him by the Chancellor of the Exchequer; Member who sat behind him (Sir John Pa- but he would be bound to say that he kington) and his Colleagues. The right hon. had not had the handling of a fact or Gentleman at Droitwich also charged his re- figure in it up to the 25th, the day on tiring Colleagues, not only with illiberality, which the Chancellor of the Exchequer. but with precipitation. It was evident came down and proposed the other Bill. that he had received the permission of Her As the right hon. Gentleman had praised Majesty to disclose Cabinet secrets to the this measure as such an excellent and electors of Droitwich; because he was sure such an honest one, he might remark that without such permission the right that there was something to be said hon. Gentleman would not have made the on the other side. Its excellence was, disclosures he had made there. He there- of course, a fair subject of discussion, it fore begged to ask him how long the Go- being a question of opinion; but with revernment had had this Reform question spect to its honesty, there was a practical under their consideration? He would ask test which might be applied. Supposing him another question also. When had the right hon. Gentleman the Member for this Bill become a definite part of the Minis- South Lancashire had proposed this meaterial programme? He had every reason sure last year, would the Gentlemen who to believe that when Parliament met a now formed Her Majesty's Government Reform Bill was not in that programme. have acceded to it, or would they have It was adopted subsequently to the com- opposed it? Perhaps, however, he might mencement of the Session. He now asked be told that he was putting a hypothetical the right hon. Gentleman to tell him the case; but he might remind the House that exact date at which the question of Re- they had the means of approximating to a form was formally brought under the prac- correct opinion on this point. When the tical consideration of the Cabinet? He late Government brought forward their was sure the right hon. Gentleman would proposal for a £7 rental franchise in speak that night; and it would be very boroughs, did the right hon. Gentleman hard if he should not be as communicative the Member for Droitwich, or the right to the House of Commons as he had been hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the to the electors of Droitwich. The meeting Exchequer, propose the present scheme of the Cabinet which led to the examination by way of Amendment? He had searched of the Bill by the Members of the Govern- the notice book in vain to find any ment who subsequently retired took place on such Amendment. So much for the the 23rd of February. How long before honesty of the measure. Twenty years that had this Bill been practically proposed had now elapsed since the Conservato the Cabinet? He would get an an- tive party was first led by their present swer. Was it a week? The right hon. chiefs-by the Earl of Derby in "another Gentleman did not answer. Well, he place," and by the right hon. Gentleman thought he could inform him. It was a the Member for Buckinghamshire in the week. [An hon. MEMBER: Ten Minutes.] House of Commons. Everybody, however, No; the first Reform Bill took about a week. was aware that Lord Derby, like many It was the second which only took ten other Sovereigns, reigned, but did not minutes. This great question, which had govern, and we all know who the Mayor been agitating the country and every one of the Palace really is. In the course of in it for months, first received the practical the period referred to, the Conservative and serious consideration of the Cabinet party had held office three times. On the one week before they assented to it. As first two occasions its tenure of office had he understood, the retiring Members of the averaged about twelve months-and, for Government had given thirty-six hours' his part, he did not think that term would consideration to it after the meeting of the be exceeded on the third occasion. Cabinet on the 23rd of February. He was it that the Conservative party had begged to ask the right hon. Gentleman retained office for so short a time? Behow many hours' consideration he had given cause they did not command a majority in it? He asked him whether he had ever the House. And why did they not comseen any figures or statistics on the sub-mand a majority in the House? Because

How