The Sun. — London, England, 1867-04-12 00:00:00

liliißlii PARLIAUENT HOUSE OF LORDS.—LAsT EVENING. The Loup CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. Dundee New Gas and Brighton Improvement Bills wore read a second time. PERSONAL EXPLANATION. The DUKE of MARLBORORGH entered into an ex planation relative to some quotations which he had com mented upon, and which had been made by a noble mar quis (Westmeath) on the Treasury bench. It appeared that he had front misconception erroneously conceived the meaning of the noble marquis, and in consequence of a letter from. him he now made this explanation. • ----- - The Marquis of WESTMEATH stated that most bitter cem urea had been made upon him in consequence of his having fairly stated what he had now in writing under bis own hand. He hal been accused of doing an unhand some act, and it was not surprising that he should speak with some degree of warmth. He had not in discussing the question of ritualism in any way attacked a right rev. prelate in that house. The noble marquis concluded by laying upon the table of the house several petitions against ritualistic practices. BILLS. The Marine Mutiny Bill was road a second time and passed. THE CANADA RAILWAY LOAN BILL. The ;Duke of BUCKINGHAM said that in proposing the third reading of this bill he might state that it was intended that a loan of £3,000,000 should bo given to Canada for a railway loan, and that the new Confederation should give certainguarantees to thelmperial Government for its repayment and for the consolidation of a sinking fund, and that a railway should also be con structed communicating between the centre of authority in Canada and to the nearest ports. It. was more especially necessary that there should not be any restriction by hav ing a railway passing through another country, and the present arrangement would allow the whole line to go through the Confederate Provinces. This present scheme would be precisely in keeping with the system of Cana dian railways. It had been shown that, despite the vicis situdes of climate, there would be in future on American railways very little interruption of the traffic. The present proposal appeared advantageous to Ca nada and to the country. It would in the main greatly facilitate the intimacy between the mother country and the provinces. It was necessary for those who brought forward this motion to prove and be satis fied that the guarantee now to be given to Canada would not involve any expense ultimately to the tax-payers of this country, and taking into consideration the great de velopment that had taken place in Canada in conse quence of the assistance rendered by the mother country that they were perfectly justified in granting this loan, relying upon the security which Canada offered. By the last clause of this act the Canadian Government bad proposed to give a preference for the repayment of this loan, even against any debt that might be incurred by the municipal Government of that country. There was an evident desire on the part of the colony to comply with the wish of the Imperial Government to repay the loan. Lurd LYVEDEN was opposed to the bill from the fact that it had not been definitely settled which way the line was to pass, and it was notorious that every one of the railways which had been promoted in Canada had failed. He thought that by holding out this great warning to the United States that they might be in duced to go to war - with us. By fortifying and proceeding as we were doing we were very much more likely to induce a war than by taking a different course. He disputed the advisability of the line in question. He was not aware what the Canadians had done towards the forti- fictions of the country, and trusted that the noble duke would explain that to them. Lord RUSSELL took a different view,and fully approved the bill, observing that the knowledge that England was prepared to defend Canada against unprincipled invasion must tend greatly to diminish the probabilities of such an attempt. It would not be wise to remove all our troops from Canada as we had done from New Zealand, because the circumstances were not the same, the latter colony having no extensive land frontier open to attack. While doubting the existence of any desire on the part of the United Statos io invade Canada, and admitting the diffi culty of the task of defending those colonies if they were invaded, ho nevertheless thought it would be dishonour able to refuse that protection which the Queen's subjects in America had a right to expect. The Dyke of C &ABRIDGE regarded the proposed railway as of the greatest importance for the mili tary defence of Canada, and while expecting that as the colonies advanced in prosperity and increased in population they would coutributo ntoro extensively to their own pro tection, he did net believe it would be possible, consis tently with prudence, to withdraw the Imperial troops, some portion of which must remain to servo as a nucleus for the united forces of the Confederation. _ _ After a few words of explanation from the Duke of BtiCKINGHAM, the bill was read a third time and passed. Lord SHAFTESBURY then drew attention to the sys tem of agricultural gangs common in some of the eastern counties, and quoted largely from the report of the Com missioners who bad inquired into the subject, to show that the system entailed cruelty, immorality, and disease among the children of the agricultural class in the districts where it existed. Combating an opinion that had been put forth in the House of Commons, that the evils could not be remedied by Parliamentary enactments, he cited the Fac tory Acts to prove that such interference might be proper and beneficial, and announced his intention of bringing in a bill to prohibit the employment of females under 18 in public gangs, to prevent the employment of children under eight, and females under 11, in any field labour. Lord KIMBERLEY confirmed from his own experience the statements of Lord Shaftesbury asto the great evils of the gang system, and cordially approved some such legis lation as that suggested. Lord BELMORE, on the part of the Government, pro mised that any measure upon the subject should receive careful attention, aid stated that the reason why the Home Secretary had not introduced any bill was because be thought some further inquiry was needed. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS-LAST EVENING. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The tollowins bills were read a third time and passed : Aylesbury Market, Barnoldawick Railway, Bristol and Exeter Railway (Exo Valley Railways), Dundalk and Greenore Railway, Dundee Gas, Great Western Railway, Launceston ltua ls, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead Gas, Poole Reads, Salford Borough, Sheffield Water (Amendment), Sheffield Water (New Works), Stockport Corporation Water, and Waterford and Wexford Railway, and Rosslare Harbour. ENGLAND AND SPAIN. Mr. OSBORNE asked whether the noble lord the Secre tary for Foreign Affairs would give the house any precise information with respect to the position of the Government with Spain. - Lord STANLEY said there were, unfortunately, two questions of importance now pending between this country and Spain. The first, with respect to the Tornado ;he had received a communication which he could not look upon as altogether satisfactory, but which he did not take to be final or conclusive. With respect to the othor, and more important question, v:z., that relating to the Queen Victoria, he had received uo reply to his communication to the Spanish Government. • INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY CONFERENCE. In reply to Mr. FOSTER, Lord STANLEY said he had received an invitation from the French Government to send a delegate to the conference, and he had replied that a gentleman would be empowered to attend and take part iu the proceedings of the conference, but it was to be clearly understood that he was not in any way to bind the Government to any pro. position. THE REFORM BILL. In reply toldr. HIBBERT, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the question of tights of compound householders was a very difficult one. He had placed a number of amendments on th 6 paper, and so had other hon. members. He could only say so long as those amendments were in consonance with the principle of the bill, viz., personal payment of taxes and term of residence, he should give the most careful con sideration to all propositions from whichever side of the house they should come. Earl GROSVENOR said there was a general feeling on both sides of the house that the question should be settled, and that a bill should be passed this session which would be a lasting one. He believed that there was a general feel ing in the house that the further consideration of the Re form Bill should be postponed until after Easter, especially as they bad but one night to devote to tho dis cussion before they adjourned for the recess. Hon. members had motions on the paper for to-morrcw which would prevent the debate being resumed that evening. Under all the circumstances he thought it would be thu best course to pursue further yruceeding with the bill until after Easter. If the delay he suggested was agreed to, no doubt a compromise might be come to by both sides of the house, which would secure the passing of the bill. Mr. AYRTON thought the house ought to proceed with the discussion on the bill without the slightest delay, and the best way to make progress was to have a practical debate on the subject. If any delay took placo. the people of the country would think the Ilouso of Commons had entered on the matter for the pw•puse of barking the question of reform. He thought the honse , ought not to separate until it had expressed its opinion upon the first proposition in the bill. Mr. a COCHRANE said his motion for to-morrow was an important one with respect to Spain, and ho could uut consent to its postponement. . . Mr. GLAD S TONE said the noble lord the member for - - Chester had made a well-intentioned, but a very ill timed, suggestion. There was no rule which could not be set aside which prevented the house sitting up to Easter. They had already been assembled nearly three months, and yet the question of Reform had advanced but very slightly, and he did hope the house would not consent to postpone the discussion of a measure which had already been too long delayed. (Hear, hear.) Mr. CLAY thought the Bribery Bill ought, at all events, to be settled before a dissolution took place. Rumours _ _ were rife of a dissolution, but he hoped that it would not take place before the bill of the Government was passed. Mr. MILL said, although he attached the highest im portance to his amendment, yet he would postpone it - - rather than allow it to stand in the way of the progress of - - - - - the bill. He thought it would be disgraceful if the house delayed; by any means, the progress of the Reform Bill. He did not see why the house could not sit next week. (Hear, bear.) Mr. HENLEY said the right hon. gentleman the mem _ _ _ ber fur South Lancashire bad so often varied his amend ments that no one knew what ho really meant. He did not see why the bill Should not be carried forward as speedily as possible. Mr. OSBORNE said the house had become somewhat used to these sudden surprises. (Laughter.) They were constantly springing mines —(hear, hear) —the ground around him was full of mines. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) He did not see why they should pay any attention to the recommendation of the noble lord, the member for Chester, who was in collusion with the other side of the house. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) He hoped the house would not appear in the disgraceful position in which the noble earl wished to place it. The noble earl had done more than any man to cut away Reform—(hear, hear) — and he hoped the house would insist on the subject being carried forward, as it would bring out the sham Re formers and set them plainly before the country. (Hear, hear.) Lord ELCHO supported the proposal for postpone ment: and with respect to Reform he was not ashamed to say he 7118 in favour of it. Mr. BRIGHT thought that one night would be quite sufficient to Settle the question of the borough franchise. There had been some talk of a compromise, but when they were all gone home who was to do it? (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Was the noble lord the member for Chester to do it? (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Was he to prepare something now, which would be acceptable to all parties. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) He hoped the house would not consent to postponement until they had at least one point settled, which was the very heart of the bill, which either made it acceptable to the public, or put it beneath contempt. The discussion ought to Fo on, and he did not see why they could not sit, if it became necessary, all next week. (Hear, hear.) Mr. WHITBREAD hoped the noble earl would with draw his motion, in order that the debate might proceed. (Cries of " Divide, divide.") Sir R. KNIGHTLEY was in favour of postponement, in order that members voting on one particular point in the bill might not appear in a false light before the country until the whole of the provisions of the bill were discussed. Mr. HUBBARD deprecated a discussion about Spain in the midst of a settlement of the question of Reform. Mr. NEWDEGATE thought it would be impossible to settle the great question of Reform in ono night. He was not in favour of the whole bill, and at the proper time he should call the attention of the house to that part of it with respect to the distribution of seats, because the bill of the late Government conferred greater advantages on the country than those in the bill with which they were about to proceed. Sir G. GREY asked whether the hon. member for Roam brought forward the subject of Spain with the authority of the Government. Lord STANLEY said he had sought to dissuade the hon. member from doing so. He had laid all the papers on the table, and therefore he had very little to say. Fur his own part he should have preferred if his hon. friend had postponed his motion. Sir R. I'ALMER said he had studied the papers on Spain, and he felt he could not state fully to the Hausa of Commons his views of the matter in the present position of matters between this country and that of Spain. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the question ought to be decided by the house, but his own opinion was that it was expedient to proceed with the bill. He denied the assertion of that sincere reformer—(loud laughter)—the member for Notts that the noble lord the member for Chester was in collusion with her Majesty's Government. He also denied that he had stated that he was disinclined to admit of any amendment. On the contrary he stated that he was ready and willing to accept every im provement which was not in opposition to the main prin ciple of the bill. The amendments of the right hon. gentlemen the member for South Lancashire were, in fact, a suppression of the entire bill, and therefore ho could not accept them. It was a mistake altogether to call them amendments. They were, in fact, a counter bill. Earl GROSVENOR then withdrew his motion for the postponement of the debate. REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE BILL. On the question that the preamble be postponed, Mr. D. GRIFFIT II called the attention of the committee to the inadequate discussion that the bill had received during its previous stages, and suggested that it would be premature to go into the particular clauses of the bill in committee until the principles involved in the preamble had been further considered. On the conclusion of the hon. gentleman's speech there was a rush of members into the house. The preamble was then postponed. Clauses 1 and 2 were then agreed to without remark. On clause 3, which regulates the occupation franchise for voters in boroughs, Mr. GLADSTONE, who rose amidst the cheers of the Opposition, said—As the hon. member for Westminster was good enough to waive discussion on the motion, I do not think it necessary to go through the formality of making a fresh appeal. And, before I state the object of the amendment I have to submit, I wish to observe that there are one or two important questions connected with rating which will not be included in the statement I have to make. The question discussed last year, whether the basis should be the rateable or actual value, is not now before us. Another question of considerable import ance is likewise wholly apart from the right to vote— I mean the question of payment of rates. Whether the voter shall be liable to payment—that is, that he shall have paid them before he is entitled to be put on the register—whether it may be made through the medium of rent to the landlord, or in default by himself, is a question of considerable moment, which I do not propose to raise. My amendments on the third clause do not touch either of those questions. Now, sir, this amend ment is said by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to be the first of a series, intended to give effect to the views ex pressed when the bill was presented to the House, and ex plained more fully on the second reading. The proposal to relieve the small occupiers is a matter obviously impos sible to deal with in a clause relating to enfranchisement ; it would require more than one clause, drawn with the closest care. My own amendments follow that usual course of proceedtng which would appear to be satisfactory to the feeling and would correspond with the widely spread and deeply entertained convictions of this house; but in ask ing the committee to pass any one of these amendments I certainly cannot adopt the lofty language of the Chancel lor of the Exchequer on what he calls the vital question of residence, and when he says that if any one of these amendments be adopted it would be impossible for the Government to proceed with the sill. I have no authority to present the amendments to the house in such a shape. I express my own opinions, and have no power or inclina tion to bind any other person. There had been so much said, and upon so many occasions, with regard to our posi tion on this subject, that I will briefly state in this house what•l take it to be. What is the paramount object before us, •end what'are the secondary but still important objects? The paramount object is to pass a good Reform Bill. (Cheers.) The secondary, but still important objects, are to pass a good Reform Bill during the present year, and to pass it, if we can, by the aid of the present Government. (Hear.) lam not prepared to sacrifice that paramount ob ject to the secondary. (Hear, hear.) We should, in my opinion, commit a fatal mistake if, because we have been laggard in former years with our work, we proceed now, I will not say hastily, but with insufficient care, to piece to gether clauses of a Reform Bill, and so send forth to the country as a settlement of the question that which could only lead to a renewal of agitation. There is no sacrifice of time and feeling, there is no sacrifice of opinion com patible with the highest principle, which we ought not fairly to render, in order to dispose at once of this question. (Cheers.) Up to Saturday last I had no reason to suppose that the innocent amendments—(a laugh)—which I have proposed would be received in the manner they have been received by the Government. On the second reading of the bill this subject of personal rating was certainly pot blinked. lexpressed my opinion with regard to it, and the right hon. gentleman the member for Richmond (Sir R. Palmer) honoured me with a speech of which I cannot say anything higher than that it was worthy of his name, his character, and his talents. (Hear, hear.) It presented the subject in the clearest light. Did the Chancellor c f the Exchequer that night lead us to believe he would use the imperious language which he has now adopted ? His reply was in five words: "Let us get out of nisi prius." The right hon. gentleman produced an impression that he was ready to deal with us, from the terms he used—terms of little value, except when construed in a liberal spirit— in a spirit of conciliation. (Hear, hear.) If we cannot have the co-operation of the Government in this matter of P • ersonal rating, I deeply regret it. But you cannot alter the paramount duty of the house ; for if we send forth a bill with safeguards and limits, we are responsible for the safety and soundneis of those safeguards ; and to send forth a bill with safeguards that are unsafe, flimsy, and untrue, is unworthy of the House of Commons. Thecha racteristics of the plan of the Government are an extreme narrowness of immediate enfranchisement—(hear, hear)- and the setting of certain barriers, to which barriers we are invited to trust for excluding great masses of house holders below £lO. (Hear.) These are the two paramount features of the plan. It would appear that the number of direct ratepayers included in the bill is 246,000 ; and I thins I understood that, according ;v the oonceptioh of THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 12, 1867 the Governmhnt, 50 per cent. of these might be expected to get on the register, or about 123,000. I believe that de duction of 50 per cent. is not an unwise deduction. With regard to compound householders, the figures would show that the 476,000 in the bill would yield about 238,000 voters. But these figures are not correct, by no fault of the Government or those engaged in preparing them, but because there is a considerable number of persons in large towns who are not compound householders, but who make arrangements with the parish officers for the payment of their rates. In Liverpool I stated` last year the number was 7,000 or 8,000, and it is no doubt more. In Ashton and many other towns the same thing prevails. Conse quently the numbers stated would be considerably reduced, and as regards those householders below £lO there would be little more than 100,000 placed on the register. I con fess I cannot accept a plan that would enfranchise that number of persons as being a plan that would be accepted by those who have pledged themselves to reform, or with the slightest satisfaction to the country. (Hear.) Looking at that enfranchisement, I would almost turn to my right hon. friend the member for Calne (Mr. Lowe), as almost the stoutest opponent of reform, and ask him, if we are to deal with this question at all, are we to deal with so small a portion of enfranchisement as is proposed by her Ma jesty's Government? I presume he would say, if it is to b e dealt with at all, it should be dealt with in a manner that will last. It will not last. It would merely be an incen tive for what is to come, and would not last. As to persona] payment of rates, it is neither more nor less than a ques- tion whether the rating is to be laid upon the man him• self, and we are told that personal rating is the principle of this bill so far as it relates to the borough franchise. We are told this is the leading constitutional principle of English representation. If it were, I might go back to find a number of other usages which prevailed in former times, and which have been completely superseded in con sequence of improved machinery of government. In the forty-eight scot-and-lot boroughs that system prevailed, but the freeman was not a ratepayer. In some eases he was non-residont; and as to half the boroughs in the country, it is not the fact that ratepaying was originally, or at any period, known as a basis of die franchise. I ad mit that in many boroughs it was, but modern usages have shown it was necessary to introduce change in the law. Within the last 50 years there has been a great change in the law. So difficult was it found to collect the rates in small sums from small occupiers, that a change took place by the best of all methods, spontaneously and locally, by which N th o e w landlordwill lnthodelrer a rent. it be pays therates, denied that and charges thecompound them ho eeh truly pays the rates as that man who pays ditectly ? (Hear, hear.) Do not let us flinch from treating this ques tion. It is disputed by economists whether the ultimate incidence of the rate is upon the tenant or the owner. I hold it to be a principle of political economy that the ulti mate incidence is precisely the same, whether the owner or the tenant pays it. The new method was devised fur the convenience of owners and parish officers. It comes out in the bill of the right hon. gentleman as something approach ing to a show of moral inferiority. (Hear, hear.) Was there ever such a paradox invented in Parliament ? Will any man tell me that when you take a town under the Small Tenements Act, and a town not under the Small Tenements Act, you can draw line between them? That in one virtue prevails, and every one is a good character; and that in the other there is vice, men cheat their creditors, and men get drunk. The compound householder goes, as we all do, where his occupation calls him, and he has no choice in the matter. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Do you think a father of a family would perform his duty to his wife and his children if, instead of going to the town where the market for labour was best, and where he could best minis ter to their necessities, he were to inquire if it were a town where compound householders prevailed? The Small Tenements Act is adopted by the vestry, and the com pound householder himself has nothing to do with it. It is preposterous, therefore, to introduce a lass T distinction be - tween him and other persons of the same che Small Tenements Act has been adopted in 5,000 parishes, and will it be said that these are to bo refused the franchise on the ground that their inhabitants are compound house holders? Ludicrous inequalities would be made between town and town. In Brighton, where there are 100,000 persons, wou ld be qualified by the bill of the Chaticel for of the Exchequer. In another town a sin g l e unit woull be admitted, but as the unit is the gross number qualified, I leave to the house what the nett number may be. (A laugh.) That is in different towns; but equal confusion would occur in the same town. The bill of the right hon. gentleman is this: it takes from those pa r i s h es which have a majority of population who have the power of determining elections where they are under the Small Tenements Act, and it hands over that power to the mino rity of the population of the town. It is a dry matter of arithmetic. Is that the way in which we are to seek a solid and permanent settlement of reform ? Let me give three or four instances. Here is the great city of Bristol, iu which 76,000, or almost half the population, live in open parishes, while 78,000 are under the Small Tenements Act. The 78,000 yield only 5,943 persons qualified to become voters; while the 76,000 living in open parishes yield 10,431 persons so qualified. So that half the population, divided by parishes, is to be invested with electoral power just double of that possessed by the other. Is that the way to give content to the people. (Hear.) is there not some thing strange, even something almost ridiculous, in calling this legislation, in sending an Act of Parliamentlike this into towns, to establish inequalities which are entirely new and perfectly capricious, and then expect these inequalities to be accepted by the people of this country ? In Grantham the open parishes, with a population of 3,986, qualify 773 persons to vote; but the close parishes'uuder the Small Tenements Act, with a population of 7,195, qualify only 688 persons to vote; or one-third of the population qualities half the elec tors of tho town. In Leeds the population of the open parishes numbers 35,561, and they qualify 7,358 persons to vote. The population of the parishes under the Small Tenements Act is 171,604, and they only qualify 9,200 to vote ; or one-sixth of the population of Leeds has four niuths of the voting power iu that town. I don't know how the hon. member for Pontefract likes the new distri bution of electorals ; but I fits! that in Pontefract 5,486 persons living in open parishes qualify 1,273 electors, while 6,250 in the close parishes qualify only 417 electors. In that borough the minority of the population has three quarters of the voting power. Something written on a piece extent i llu o t pe these rati are is of paper or parchment we may choose t o ca ll l aw; b ut i t arbitrarycannot respect ieto natodeuneeb an te t o liw when.nt to be the securities of the constitution, the guarantees against democracy—the firm, solid, well-built walls which are to dash back the tide of agitation—these strange concoc tions of some ingenious mind, fancif u l as if they were in tended to be displayed upon a stage, but wholly alien to the wherepa spirit and legislation, o a u n s d e. his l to h r e y n o t f he ß re rit i i s sh shorehau l and a p without o un any thingtio which approaches to a pr ece d ent i n the records of er ip the c ur e the evil b will y bringing say, let these parishes cure the evil by t h rowing out the Small of 13,346 in open parishes qualifies 2,211 to vo t e , w hil e a population of 19,276 s ersons in c l ose par i shes qualifies only 1 Im4esn upersons.ts Perhaps Act, and the s others it in ; but I object to making our political measures the means of interfering with the social uud economic arrange ments of the country. (Hear, hear.) Whether there shall nt t hon. of gentleman more serious e i e i a tk n es objections, the who maylegislation e be the Small Tenements Act i n a par i sh or not ought to the constituencies be settled by the consideratio ns o f local convenience and n o nf ot t hb g yernti to he eh ia sof p o tii raou w l p i l a l r tmt attradt more influence to th e b oroug h i n which they reside. Idep e d i v s i l s al h ti all over the country depend upon the will of local authori ties assembled in their vestries and corporations, and not upon the will of the Imperial Parliament. 1 wish it were in my power to more adequately explain to the house the real social working of these changes. In certain open parishes I am not prepared to deny that readiness to pay rates may not be a bad test of a man's character in other respects ; but in the towns were these arrangements for compound houses are adopted isicoMe down upon parishes and visit them with exclusion from the franchise by the erection of barriers, which it is in our power to remove, is, in my opinion, a principle founded neither in policy nor in justice. Many people think it degrades a workman to become a compound householder; but there are many good and solid reasons which tend powerfully to make the work man wish to become a compound householder in preference to a rate-paying householder, and make the skilled work man of high character desire to become a lodger rather than either. It simplifies his transaction to pay all the charges connected with his house in one payment. Then there is the necessity incumbent on the workman to follow his work, which entails ou him the necessity of frequently changing his abode. These requirements make a compound house better suited to hispurpose than a rate-paying;honse. In the metropolis, this great home and hive of lodgers, the working man must as a rule become either a lodger or a lodging-house keeper. Being reluctant as a rule to hamper himself by becoming a lodging-house keeper, he becomes a lodger. Having mentioned the case of the lodger, I will make an appeal to the right hon gentleman. Every one has stated without contradiction for the last three weeks that the right hon. gentleman is prepared to concede a a lodger franchise. If he is, what becomes of the personal payment of rates? (Cheers.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I never said I had conceded it. I said I would consider any fair proposition for a lodger franchise. (Rear, and laughter.) Dlr. GLADSTONE—When the right hon. gentleman proceeded in his speech to deal with the lodger franchise, he became heroic in his style, and said, "Suspect me of in difference or hostility to the lodger franchise ! why, I am the father of it." (Cheers and laughter.) Now, we shall see what kind of paternal tenderness the right hon. gentleman feels towards his offspring. (Laughter.) What I wish to know is, is it conceded, or is it not ? (Hear, hear.) If it is conceded, I rejoice ; but thou what becomes of the principle of the personal payment of rates? If you give a lodger franchise, will it be possible, in London, to separate the rateable value of every house over each floor? I think not. if so, the lodger cannot be personally sated, bat must come in by some other tenure. If so, what becomes of personal rating as the principle of the borough franchise ? The im portance of this cannot be overstated, because in the con struction of this bill the principle has been pitched very high. As was stated by my right hon. friend (Sir R. rainier) aid uiyself ill the fernier debate, the proposition " What becomes of the principle of rating if you are going to let in a lodger clause ?" He assumes the fact, and then argues upon it. (Hear, hear.) But there is an enormous difference between the two. The right hon. gentleman in his bill last year admitted tenants at £7 and lodgers at £lO. You might as well object that a man who has monoy in the savings bank may not be rated. (Hear, hear.) It is a large and open question whether there should be a lodger franchise, which he (➢lr. Henley) would be glad to have argued. But if you want it, it is not the likeliest way to got it to say we cannot admit it without overthrowing every principle of the bill. The hon. member for Tralee (The O'Donoghue) has used strong language ; but the an swer to that was given last year by the right hon. gentle man the member for South Lancashire, when he said that, with regard to this question of reform, neither side of the house had said much to the other. When a Liberal Go vernment, a powerful majority, sat in this house, the lion. member never raised his voice to compel them to deal with question. (flear,ht , ar.) Th© members on that side of the house were all reformers at the hustings—(lAughter) but that was not the Case on this side of the house. (Hear, hear.) He (sir Henley) held it to be right that there should be an outtrgement of the franchise, and ho would not have opposed the bill of last year if he had not thought it a bad bill, and had not hell a strong opinion that this question cannot be settled by a fixed arbitrary line. (Cheers.) The right hon. gentlemln has not explained why a man rented at .£4 is fit for the franchise, while a man rented at Li is not fit. If you i;anuot get an answer. you must go ou step by step, until what is called the re siduum is admitted without restriction. The right hon. gentleman, speaking of the admission of 200,000 persons, said, " They won't hurt you." That is a curious way of reckoning such things. (A laugh.) If they ate good, admit them all; but if they are not, admit none. (Hear, hear.) The fair test of fitness and unfitness is bearing the burdens of citizenship. If a man wants to exercise the pri vileges, let him bear the burdens of citizenship. (Cheers.) The people will fairly understand this principle. (Hear.) It may be that there will be a greater wish to obtain the privileges of civilisation in some places than in others. If that be so in some places, a greater number will avail them selves of the facility for obtaining them ; but it is no proof that the offer is not a fair• one. (Cheers.) The question of the length of residence was fairly open to discussion, but ho could not venture to think that it ought to bo altogether done away with. (Cheers.) Lord CRANBORNE commenced by expressing his re gret that the moderate bill of last year had not been accepted, for, though ho would have been sitting on a different side, the prospects of the British Constitution would be brighter. Without reverting to the argument, ho urged last year as to the change in the balance of power, he objected to this bill because it would not allay agitation or secure repose, which ought to be the first object of passing a Reform Bill. Another objection was that the composition of the constituencies would be intrusted tO the caprice of the local authorities —they would be con tinually varying, subject to be increased at the changing will of a vestry, or by the corrupt expenditure of rich candidates or active political societies, and these great floodings of the constituencies would always take place at seasons of political excitement. Taken as a whole, he preferred Mr. Gladstone's to Mr. Disraeli's scheme, and should therefore support the amendment. Mr. ROEBUCK moved the adjournment of the debate, and after some caustic remarks from Mr. Erie apropos of the threatened dissolution, and a short conversation on the propriety of postponing the motion for adjourning over the Easter recess until it was apparent whether the debate would conclude to-night, the Chairman was ordered to re port progress. Some other orders were forwarded a stage, and the house adjourned at 10 minutes Fat 1 o'clock. BPoitTINu INTELLIGENCE. Betting— 6 to 5 on the Annie Laurie colt, 3 to 1 agst Claverhouse, and 7 to 1 agst Rose. Sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, for 2 and 3-yr-olds ; certain allowances; winner to be sold for 200 sovs. Last half of Rowley mile. (4 subs.) Mr. Ten Broeck's Claymore, by Drogheda— Queen of Egypt, 3 yrs, Bst 111 b Mr. I'ryor's Haymarket, 2 yrs, Est 111 b (carried fist 121 b) (H. Covey) 2 Mr. Ten Broeck's Fashion, 2 yrs, Est 111 b (Barlow) 3 Betting—• 3 to lon Claymore, and 100 to 30 agst Hay market. Mara), 100, h ft. First half of the Abingdon mile. Mr. Savile's Maid Marian, by Skirmisher—Middleton Maid, 3 yrs, Bst Mb (Fordham) 1 Lord Westmorland's f Lambton—Wiugsof a Dove, 2 yrs, 7st 51b (Kenyon) 2 Betting-6 to 5 on Maid Marian. Match, 100, 25 ft. Last half of Abingdon mile. Lord Conyngham's Dr. Syntax, 4 yrs, Bst 101b...rec. forfeit. , Lord Westmorland's Oftington, 3 yrs, Bst 101b...paid forfeit. THIRSK SPRING MEETING-TUURSDAY. The Sowerby Plato of 25 sovs (Handicap); winners of any handicap after March 27 (at six p.m.) 31b, twico 71b extra. T.Y.C. • Mr. Davison's Lion, by Windhound—Lioness, 5 yrs, Bst 121 b (Sollars) 1 Mr. F. Grosz's Wentworth, 4 yrs, 7st 101 b ...(Whiteley) 2 Mr. H. Bragg's Minna, 3 yrs, 6st 31b (Walker) 3 Six others also ran. Betting-7 to 4 agst Paleface, 6to 1 agst Verdi, Went worth, and Fandango gelding, 7 to I agst Minna, 8 to 1 agst Lion and Mite. The Mowbray Stakes of 10 sovs each, h ft, with 50 adled for two-year-ohls ; colts Bst 10Ib, fillies and geldings Bst 71b; winners once 41b, twice 81b extra; starters twice without winning allowed 31b, thrice 51b ; the second to save his stake. T.Y.C. 10 subs. Mr. T. Hampton's Affection, by Lifeboat—Rose d'Amour, Bst 71b Mr. J. P. Craven's &watchman's Pride, Bst 101 b (I'Anson) 2 Mr. G. Pawson's Queen of York, Bst 71b (Sellars) 3 Six others alsu ran. Betting-5 to 2 agst Affection, 9to 2 agst Scotchman's Pride, 7 to 1 each agst Mother Neasham and Queen of York. The Hunt Cup of 60 sovs in specie ; the winner to receive 50 sovs, second 10 ; four year olds lOst 10Ib, five list 71b, six and aged 12st 31b ; once a winner of any race or steeplechase 71b, twice 101 b, thrice 141 b, four times 211 b extra; starters three times in hunters' stakes and never won allowed 51b, five times 71b ; penalties and allow ances not accumulative; gentlemen ricers only ; about two miles and a half. Mr. 11. Johnstone's Lord Fauconberg, dam by Professor Buck, 4 yrs, lOst bulb (Mr. Boyton) 1 Sir George Uholtnley's Adonis, aged, 126t_ 1011) _ _ NEWMARKET CRAVEN MEETING.—TuunsnAr, The weather to-day was more favourable, for although the morning had a very forbidding aspect, towards noon the black clouds cleared off, and had it not been for the strong wind which prevailed the afternoon would have been really pleasant. Before proceeding to the course there was a meeting in front of the subscription rooms, for the purpose of settling, lifter which some speculation took place upon future events, details of which will be found appended to the running. Racing commenced at half- p ast twelve o'clock with the Claret Stakes, which produced a couple of runners—the Maid of Masham colt and Auguste —the absentee from the three coloured being Lord Stam ford's Esca. Odds of 6to 4 were laid on the French colt, and, as will be seen from the appended return, the " talent" lauded the odds, and the race for the second time in suc cession fell to the popular colours of Count Lagrange. It will bu remembered that last year Gladiateur walked over for this race, and the " donkey-"utter," Archimedes, saved his stake. The Biennial Stakes brought out a field of five runners, against eleven last year. Ischia was elected favourite, 7 to 4 being freely taken, while Westwick, the reported trial-horse of Taraban, was backed at 2to 1. The winner however turned up in The Peer, and it was quite refreshing to see the popular " blue and ;;old belt" of that thorough sportsman, Lord Stamford, borne iu the vat,. Considering his lordship's recent run of ill-lurk it is not surprising that so few stood his representative, or that the horse was quoted at 20 to 1. There was a rumour of an objection on the ground of foul riding, but nothing mite of it. The Abingdon Stakes, which was looked upon as a good thing for Nelly Rose —a filly by Nowminster out of llirdhill's dam—resulted in favour of Ninny, who was not so much fancied as Witchcraft. The followers of public form who stood the Duke of Newcastle's filly landed their money, and despite her penalty, she was backed for a good deal at sto 1. The Handicap Plate, across the flat, produced the largest field of the day, indeed of the week, being contested by no fewer than 17 runners, the issue being in favour of Kenyon and Roquefort who was a good favourite. Guinivere, who won this identical race last year with slbs. less than she carried to-day, was never looking formidable. The result showed the "talent" to have been singularly fortunate in their selection, as Python, the second favourite, was only defeated a head, Butler and Kenyon having a gallant set-to. The quintette of two year-olds entered for the Sweepstakes over the Rowley Mile went to the post, Speculum, the property of the Duke of Newcastle, whose stable has been in rare form during the week, had most friends, and was made a warm favou rite at 7to 4. Again were the talent correct in their reckonings, for Arthur Edwards landed the colt an easy winner by a length. The Sweepstakes of 100 sous over the Ditch Mile followed, the absentee of the four coloured being Vauban, who was struck out at 2.51 to-day. Tarabau, who it was reported last week had won an extraordinary trial, and had advanced into a more prominent position in the Derby quotations, accordingly was chosen as the champion of the backers, the betting opening at 2 to 1, closing at 6 to 4 on him, while 2 to 1 was taken about Whirligig, and 100 to 30 about Siiankos. The favourite laid well up until about a quarter of a mile from home, when Carroll called upon him, but he was dead b • te u and jrolled all over the course like a s hi p in astorm. beaten and rolled all over the course like a shipin a storm. The Aske Produce stake, was walked over for by Sceur de Charite, and the Subscription Plate won by the colt by Leaming ton out of Annie Laurie, who was claimed by Mr. Wood, whose representative, Rose, ran second. The other races require no comment. The betting on the Two Thousand was not very extensive on the course, but at the rooms at the conlusion of the races Plaudit was made the medium of another " sensatioo." One large speculator loudly offered 5 to 1 against him, but there were plenty of takers, and about £7OO was invested upon the Richmond cult. The same "operator" also laid £3,000 to £2OO against him, and fourteen " fifties" were afterwards taken. Taraban, after his inglorious ex hibition, went to any price -1,000 to 3 being the nominal quotation. Below will be found all the transactions which occurred upon future events : G. S. Thompson) 2 Mr. J. Simpson's llelen (sis. to Volunteer), 5 yrs, list (Mr. Walker) 3 Six others also ran. Betting- sto 4 a gst Lord Fauconberg colt, 3to 1 agst The Miller, 6 to 1 agst Helen, 7 to 1 agst Barrister, 10 to 1 agst others. The Members' Plate of 25 sovs, added to a Selling Stakes of 3 sovs each ; 3 yr ulds Bst, 4 9st 41b, 5 9st 101 b, 6 and aged lOst ; the winner to be sold for 150 sovs ; if entered for 100 sovs allowed 51b, 80 101 b, 50 141 b, 40 211 b, 281 b ; about one mile. To close and name on Wednes day evening. Dusty Miiler, by Knight of Avenel —Lady Paramount, 4 yrs, 9st 4lb (Cameron) 1 Captain Hoo* (W a lk er ) 2 Fair Maid o ' r Perth, 4 yrs, 9st 410 .....(['Anson) 3 Tyc on also ran. The Hambledon Plate of 100 sovs (Handicap); Winners of any handicap aftir March 27 (at six p.m) 41b, twice 71b extra. One mile. Mr. W. Cowen's Moldavia, by Hospodar— Tisiphoue, 5 yrs, 7st 1116 (inc. 71b cx) (L:Lwrunc,,) 1 Mr. Johnstone's Cz'tr, 4 yrs, 7st 61b Mr. Masterinan's Honesty, 4 yrs, Bst 41h... ...... (Marson) 3 Fourteen others also ran. Betting-3 to 1 agst Czar, 4to 1 agst East Lynn, 7to 1 igst Moldavia and El Cid, 10 to 1 agst Honesty and Fair Wind, 100 to 1 agst Esmeralda. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE • NORTH LONDON. A Wharncliffe meeting of this company was held yesterday at the offices, Euston station ; Mr. J. Bancroft in the chair. The Solicitor read the heads of .a bill now before Parliament for enabling the North London Railway Company to widen further po r ti ons o f their rail way, and for granting various additional powers to the cotnpany. The CHAIRMAN, in moving a resolution approving the bill, stated that it authorised the raising of £300,000 additional capital, of which £40,000 was for the construction of a loop line to the Tilbury and Southend Railway, which would be beneficial to both companies, and facilitate the interchange of traffic. It was intended to widen the No r th L on d on li ne from the Dalston Junction to Camden-roadby means o f a double line, the company having powers already to widen it for a single line, but from the great in crease of traffic the London and North-Western Company, who were shareholders in the line, were satisfied that the widening by a double line was ab solutely requisite, and that the proposed additional capital would be remunerative. They also intended to construct convenient workshops for the repair of the rolling stock, and to make other improvements o n the line for accommodating and facilitating the traffic. The bill also contained the usual borrowing powers. A formal resolution approving the bin was carried unanimously, and a vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the proceedings. BAHIA AND SAN FRANCISCO (LIMITED). The half-yearly general meeting of this company was held yesterday at the London Tavern ; Mr. T. M. WeguAin, M.P., in the chair. The Claret Stakes, a subscription of 200 sovs each, h ft, for four year olds; colts Bst bib, fillies Bst 51b; the second to save his stake : D.I. ' • 5 subs. Count Lagrange' s A uguste, b y M onar quo—Etoilo du Nord, by The Baron Bst 101 b ............ (I-Ebben!) 1 Lord Glasgow's c by 'Youngl‘lll.).:iurne, dam by Ted- dington--Maid of Muslim: Bst 101 b ........... (Aldcroft) 2 Betting-6 to 4on August ' o. The Eighth Newmarket Biennial Stakes of 10 sovs each, with 100 added by the Jockey Club, for four year olds ; colts tst 101 b, fillies Bst 61b; starters for this race in 1866, and not being placed first or second, to be allowed 41b in 1867, and iu 1867 maidens before starting allowed 101 b, if they have never received 50 sovs as second horse; the winner of the Derby or Doncaster St. Leger 71b extra; the second to receive a sum equal to 10 per cent. on the whole stake, and the third a sum equal to 5 per cent. 58 subs. D.I. Lord Stamford's The Peer, by Now•n) luster Main brace, Bst 61b (Morris) 1 Mr. Bow es ' s W est rick Bst 61b (Carroll) 2 Duke of Beauf ort ' s Ischia, Bst 61b ................ (Fordham) 3 Two others also ran. Betting-7 to 4 agst Ischia, 2to 1 agst Westwick, 4to 1 agst Dalesrnan, 8 to 1 agst Mount Palatine, and 20 to 1 agst The Peer. The Abingdon Stakes of 50 sovs each, h ft, for two year old fillies; Bst 71b each ; uutrieds allowed 31b ; winners 51b extra; last half of Ab. M. 15 subs. Duke of Newcastle's Ninny, by St. Albans—Nina, Bst 12d, (in. 51b extra) (A. Edwards) 1 Prince Soltykoff's Pyrenees, Sat 121 b (inc. 51b extra) (J. Mann) 2 Mr. Padwick's Witchcraft, Bst 71b (Gannon) 8 Five others also ran. Betting -5 to 2 agst Nelly Bose, 100 to 30 agst Witch craft, 5 to 1 agst Ninny, and 8 to 1 each agst Dulcet and _ Pyrenees. A Plate of 50 sots (Handicap), for three year olds and up wards ; Al'. Mr. Savile's Roquefort, by Partuesan—Cincinnati, 3 yrs, Gst (Kenyon) 1 Mr. G. Angel's Python, 3 yrs, s st 10ib (Butler) 2 Mr. Godding's f by lazzoletto—Queen of the East, 4 yrs, Get 131 b (Wilson) 3 Fourteen others also rail. Batting-5 to 2 agst Roquefort, 4 to 1 agst Python, 10 to 1 agst Cheltenham, 100 to 8 agst Mazurka, and 15 to 1 agst any other. A Sweepstakes of 25 EOVS each, for two year olds; colts Bst 71b, fillies Bst 51b; last half of R. 1. ; 9 subs. Duke of Newcastle's Speculum, by .Vadette—Doralice, 8 5t 0000000000000 lidwucis) 1 Mr. W. CLAY, the secretary, having read the notice convening the meeting, the report, an abstract of which has appeared in The Sun, was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report., said he bad only a few remarks to make. The dividend had b,en fairly earned, although the traffic was not so good as in the same hale of the preceding year. The expenses having been something less en abled them to propose the same dividend, 3 per cent., as in the corresponding half-year. The traffic had suffered from a falling off in the produce of the district, and although it was stated in the report that they looked forward to the dividends increasing from the present time, recent accounts as to the, probable produce for the next year were not so good as expected. lie hoped that efforts would continue to be made to attract the traffic to the railway, and that great economy at Bahia would be adopted with a view to improve the dividend. One source of increase was expected from the cattle traffic. They were told that the Government in tended to divert the cattle traffic from the present route to the railway at Alagoinhas, and to open communications from the railway to the producing districts. He was sorry to say that the .energetic Governor of the province had been transferred to Rio, but he trusted that he would be succeeded by a Governor who would carry out his policy, and that the necessary roads would be constructed as soon as possible to facilitate the conveyance of pro duce to the railway. With regard to the repairing of the damages caused by the floods, the works were going on very satisfactorily, and the money that bad been appropriated at the last meeting for that pur pose would be au ample provision. The damage to the tunnel was not so great as they feared, but it was thought advisable to do all the repairs in the most substantial manner, and for that purpose they were sending out bricks and cement from this coun try. They had no doubt that the estimated cost of those repairs would not be exceeded, and that they would be executed in the most substantial manner within that estimate. (Hear, hear.) MX. J. LIQLQAN, a director, seconded the motion Mr. Padwick's Witchcraft, Bst 51b Cannon) 2 for the adoption of the report, which was carried Capt. Hawksley's Eau de Vie, Bst 71 b (Fordham) 3 unanimously. Two others also ran. A dividend of 12s. per share, being equal to 3 per Betting-7 to 4 agst Speculum, sto 2 agst Eau do Vie, and 5 to 1 agst North Marston. cent., for the half year ending 31st December last, A Sweepstakes of 100 sous each, h ft, for three year olds ; was declared payable forthwith. colts Bst 161 b, fillies Bst 610 ; D.M. ; 4 subs. Sir H. Rich and Mr. Neave, the retiring direc- Mr. E. Brayley's Whirligig, by St. Albans—Maypole, tors, were unanimously re-elected, and also Mr. Bst 1010 Lord Stamford's Siiankos, Bst 1010 (Morris) 2 Franklin, the retiring auditor. Mr. Bowes' Taraban, Bst 101 b (Carroll) 3 The mover of a resolution at the last meeting in Vauban was struck out at 2.51 on the day of the race. reference to the engineer-in-chief now expressed his Betting opened at 2tol on but closed at 6t04 on Tara- regret for having moved that resolution ; and the ban, 3 to 1 agst Whirligig, and 100 to 30 agst Siiankos. proceedings concluded with thanks to the chairman The Aske Produce Stakes of 50 soya each, h ft, for three and directors, and also to the secretary, for their year olds ; colts Bst 1010, fillies Bst 71b; untrieds allowed 31b; D.M. attention to the interests of the company. Mr. Pryor's Soeur de Charit6, by N ewminster —Lally 'Patton, Bst 710 (Fordhain) w.o. A SubK,Tiption Plate of 50 sovs ; three year olds ist 51b, four Bst 1210, five and upwards Oat 4lb ; the winner to be sold for 300 s,vs if demanded, tte.; if entered for 150 soya allswed 710 ; D M. • Mr: J. Dawson's c by Leamington— Annie Laurie (X 150) 3 yrs, Est 12Ib Mr. J. Wood's Rose (X 150), 6 yrs, 8,4 1910......(110ggi5) 2 Mr. 11. Savile's Claverhouse (1'150), 4 yrs, Bst 510 (Fordham) 3 Water Lily colt also ran. GRAND TRUNK OF CANADA. The traffic receipts on this company's line for the week ending March 23 amounted, for passengers, to £7,742 ; for mails, &c., to £1,079 ; and for freight and live stock, to £15,264 ; total, £24,485, against 5;25,505 for the corresponding week of last year, showing a decrease of £ t,o2u. The total receipts from the Ist of Janaary to the above date amounted to £273,766, and for the same period last year to £281,586, showing a decrease of £6,820. of the Government was to inflict on the compound house- ' holder below the limit of .£l.O a fine before he could qualify as an elector. This is the principle upOn which the right hon. gentleman proposes to stand. The right hon. gentle man cannot endure any portion of the amendments pro posed by me. He finds them intolerable, one and all. They must stop the bill, and entail all those public calamities and disasters which have been so skilfully drawn in vague outline by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and his satel lites, and which have been employed to act upon the public mind. He, however, is _ready to entertain the proposal of my hon. friend the member for Oldham, and endeavour to make some conciliatory arrangement. But the meaning of the hon. member for Oldham cannot be mistaken. His meaning with regard to the personal pay ment of rates is precisely the same as mine. (Hear, hear.) He wishes to place the compound householder on the same footing forevery practical purpose as the rate-paying house holder. He does not intend to allow arbitrary barriers and inequalities made by Parliament to stand between the man whom Parliament declares to be qualified for the franchise and the enjoyment of his rights, and he is not the man to bo put off with fair words. His object is the same as mine, which the Chancellor of the Excheqier has declared—l hope not irrevocably declared—to be wholly inconsistent with the views of duty of the Government. I object alto gether to the clause proposed by the light hon. gentleman. I admit it gets rid of certain difficulties, because it may be more difficult to employ a registration agent for the pur pose of creating a mass of compounders into ratepaying householders than it would be to employ him for qualify ing them as compounders, by p a y in g the difference of the rate. The Chancellor of the Exche q ue r says to the com pound householders, " I have no s p ite towards you what etovevro.tel, amperfectly utt willing you should vote ; b u t, i n or d er cease t o be a compou n d h ouse h older. " But three-fourths of the populatiou under £lO have come into the condition of compound householders from social and economical considerations. Is that the way in which we are to legislate ? Are we really to punish these occu piers preliminary to their gett in g the franchise ? How (Hear, hear.) any yu sation ? idea of what an should aspectHas t h this Chance ll or VIII s c vr Carry yso,endpassed, h u e r E e x s c ho h ef qc a ul ae p sr e os e Impos ing a fine, and, where not it fine, imposing difficulty, labour, loss of time—which is lose of money —upon our humbler fellow-subjects, which we ourselves would not endure ; and why is this punishment? I say, if Parliament wishes to piss a limited suffrage, let us limit it manfully and openly, and let the people know what we mean. (Cheers.) Do not let us send forth to the country a two-faced bill, with a face for Toryism and a face for democracy, and vainly hope and expect we can induce one set of beholders to worship the image from one point of the compass, and another set to worship with equal fidelity from another point of the compass. (Hear.) The worthier course will be for the Government to amend their proposal while there is yet time ; but whether they amend it or not, it is not a course worthy of Parliament to entertain it. It is our duty in this eleventh hour of the reform question to deal can didly and straightforwardly with the people of England. If we think it expedient to limit the suffrage, let it be done, and let us say so, leaving the people to judge can didly of our acts; but do not let us adopt provisions the effect of which is to convert even a boon into an offence, from the nature of the conditions with which it is acco.n panied. They inflict a wrong upon a portion of the com munity, which wrong will inevit a bly avenge upon itself the community at large in the shape of trouble, strife, and con troversy, by renewed, continued agitation—agitation to be begun from the day when such a law takes its place upon the statute book, never to cease till the last vestige of such senseless legislation becomes an idle remnant of the past. (Cheers.) The right hon. gentleman concluded by moving, in page 2, line 3, to insert " whether he or his landlord be rated to the r e li e f of thepoor." The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, d ec lining to follow M r . Gladstone through his discursive speech, addressed, he in sinuated, more to the eauntry than to the house, and con fining himself to the amendment before the house, pointed out that personal rating was already a necessary condition of the suffrage under the Reform Act, and argued that the Compound Householders Act never contemplated an inter ference with the franchis e , and had, in fact, nothing what ever to do with it. The difficulties of those acts could easily be got over. The test of stability and respectability the bill proposed was based on an old principle, was strongly recommended by Lord Grey's committee, and had been sanctioned by Mr. Gladstone himself in 1852, 1851, and 1860. Sir E. BULLER maintained that the principle of the bill was household garage, tempered by certain limita tions, and expressed his disappointment that Mr. Disraeli, after his professions of conciliation, should insist on one kind of limitation rather than another, at all risks. He strongly condemned the principle of personal rating, urging that it would open the door to endless corruption. The O'DONOGIME reflected with some acrimony on the conduct of the Tories in regard to Reform, insisting that they were still tie enemies of the enfranchisement of the people, as was proved by this bill. The personal pay ment of rates Nyasa barrier which few could ever get over, and the bill altogAher was an evasion of the popular de mand. Mr. KENDALL, though regretting that the Govora ment had decided to deal with Reform at all, had made up his mind to support the bill and to g o d own to household suffrage if necessary, and hinted broadly that much of the opposition from the other side was prompted by a fear that the bill would admit a largo .body of sensible Conservative preference for the latter as containingfranchise, working men. eminently unsatisfactory ; it was at Sir W. HEATHCOTE discussed the amendment pre senting an alternative between household suffrage, with limitation of personal rating, and a £5 ratin,g and e more of the elements of a permanent settlement. h e Governmentxpressedßihniswas once niggardly and slavish, timid, and rash, and he re gretted that the Gov ernment had unnecessaril y p i nned its existence on this particular provision of personal pay ment of the Solicito r -General and the Chancell or ofth Exchequer; he concluded by expressing a hope that the house would pass the amendment and the Government would accept it. Mr. HENLEY said the true way to meet the argum en t s of the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not to taunt him and those who sit with him, as the hon. and learned mem ber for Exeter (Mr. Coleridge) did. That may be a ready way to hcax people outside, but not the House. (Cheers.) It is said the amendment presents a clear and definite issue, but if ever there was an amendment less definite and less capable of being treated as definite than another, it is this. The hon. member for the University of Oxford (Sir W. Heathcote) says he will take it because something else is to follow —a limit to the franhise. The hon. and learned member for E xeter says,l " want an extension and lowering of the franchise, and this bill won't give me that;" and he supports the amendment because without it the bill would not extend or lower the franchise enough. They support it for exactly contrary reasons. (Cheers.) We ought to have had before us the question whether the franchise is to be limited by a hard and fast line, or open to all who will qualify themselves to exercise it. (Cheers ) But that is not raised by the amendment. We are there fore placed in a difficulty. If a limit is not fixed, the amendment is of no consequence; but if it fixes a limit, it would be fatal to the bill. This amendment has been framed evidently to catch votes. (Cheers.) Those who want fixed limits, and those who want household suffrage, pure and simple, will vote for it alike. The hon. member for Exeter, who says he is fur household suffrage, pure and simple, gives it as his opinion—a Liberal opinion—that the per sons we want to enfranchise will nevereieek the franchise for themselves. We are told everybody wants it. (Laugh ter and cheers.) And he says if they get it the landlord or the candidate will have to pay for it. (Cheers.) The hon. and learned gentleman said payment of rates was never the ancient practice of this country. Scot and lot did not de pend on acts of Parliament, but the people were rated and paid their rates. In 1832 a class of gentlemen called Re formers made it more definite, and the principle has been recognised uninterruptedly till last year, when the right hen. gentleman the member for South Lancashire omitted the matter of rating in his bill. (Cheers.) A great deal has been said about evasion. The issue presented by the amendment is not free from evasion, and the right honourable gentleman on the front bench (Mr. Gladstone), while he gave a formidable array of figures as to how many would be on the rate-book and how many would not, evaded the question of how many might get on if they liked. (Cheers.) But that is the question. The only figure named is £5. The Small Tenements Act touches £6. The only numbers who will be " floating"—who will be able to choose whether they will come in or not—will be those between £5 and £6. If you fix the hard limit of £5, you absolutely shut out all below. Liberal gentlemen should attend to this. (Loud laughter and cheers.) And these are the persons who swell the great number the right hon. gentleman spoke of. (Laughter.) The member for the University of Oxford argues as he does because he does not want an extension of the franchise, but it is difficult to understand how ho and the Liberal gentlemen are agree ing together—(cheers)—and all those numbers and figures are thrown like pieces of dirt into water—to muddle it. We are told that the rating principle is unfair, because it will confer great power on the local authorities. But why won't your £5 hard line do the same ? (Hear, hear.) It is likely to confer more power in consequence of the provi sions of the Small Tenements Act. What is the Local Tenements Act which the right hon. gentleman praises as a great social and economical arrangement ? It is nothing else but a device of Old Nick to oppress the poor. (Laugh ter.) Formerly, those who were too poor to pay rates wer3 exempted, but now, however poor and helpless they may be, they are compellel to pay rates through the landlord, and just in proportion as an unfortunate man is poor the landlord demands a higher rent, and screws it out of him. (Hear, hear.) If it were swept away, it would be a great benefit to the poor. The hon. and learned gentleman oppo site objects that under this principle pranks will be played in arranging the rating to enfranchise some and disfran chise others. Butit will be more easy to play pranks of that kind against a definite lino than against a few isolated people. (Hear.) When you have one line to go against, you may do a good stroke of business. (Laughter.) You may put a lot below that line. (Hear, hear.) The right honourable"gentleman the member for South Lan cabin taunts the Chancellor of the Exchequer by asking, RA.ILIVAY BILLS. Yesterday, in Lord Redesdale Committee, the Bodmin Bill was passed with amendments ; the Garstang and Knotend Bill was passed without amendment ; and the Hope Bill was passed with with special amendments. In the House of Commons, in Group No. 1, the Great Northern (re-committed) Bill was passed with amendments. In Group 3, the Ilfracombe, the Devon and Somerset, and Somerset and Bristol, and Exeter, the Devon and Somerset, and the Devon and Somerset (Extension) were again pro ceeded with and adjourned. IMPERIAL GAS. The half-yearly general meeting of this company was held yesterday at the offices, John-street, Bed ford-row ; Mr. E. V. Richards, governor in the chair. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, an abstract of which has appeared iu The Sun, said that, owing to the increased value of coals and wages, the company were unable to pay the usual 10 per cent. without having recourse to the reserve fund. The new shares had been well taken up, but there remained a few which the directors in the present depressed state of gas property bad not taken extraordinary means to place. There was, however, no doubt that they would ulti mately be applied for. He then reviewed the Parliamentary gas legislation from 1847, issuing in what was known as the " districtng " in 1866, which secured to the metropolitan companies a dividend of 10 per cent. so long as they faiithfully performed the duties imposed upon them. Those duties, it was well known, had been rigorously ful filled. However, the present Government had thought proper to introduce a bill which was absolutely un precedented in its character, because it was proposed 14-candle gas should be supplied at the rate of 3s. 6d. per 1,000 feet of gas, whereas the company now charging 4s. per 1,000 feet for 12-candle gas could only earn a dividend of 9 per cent. No less than 3,000 petitions had been presented against the bill, many from water companies ; and the railway com panies were ready to come forward, because it was felt that every species of property was menaced. He had no desire to say a word against the gentle men who drew the bill, but speaking in racing phra seology, it seemed to him to be got, by a pleader out of an analytical chetuist—(a laugh)—and was alto gether impracticable. Then certain tests as to the amount of sulphur were proposed, but these were so unsatisfactory that it might result iu penalties hav ing to be paid to the extent of £lO,OOO or £12,000 during the half-year, because they all knew hoW astute chemists might be to detect the sulphur. Then at the end there came a clause enabling their much respected friends, the Metropolitan Board of WorkS laugh)--to buy them at a reduced rate. (Hear, hear.) lie had no &sire to say anything disrespect ful concerning Sir S. Nortlicote, whose courtesy on all occasions he acknowledged ; but he hoped that when the bill was brought forward after Easter it would be found that the British House of Commons respected the rights of property. (Cheers.) He con eluded by moving the adoption of the reports and accounts. A PROPRIETOR said he understood the bill was withdrawn. The CHAIRMAN replied that that was not the case. Dr. BEATTIE inquired who was to pay the charges of the inspectors. The CHAIRMAN said that one of the many admir able features of the bill was that the companies were to pay for the broom out of which the birch was made, and the pickle, too. (A. laugh.) The resolution for the adoption of the report and accounts then passed unanimously, as also did a motion for the payment of a dividend as recom" mended by the Board. The CHAIRNIAN, in answer to a proprietor, said he did not know whether anything had been done to form a Shareholders' Defence Association, as suggested by the Surrey Consumers Gas Company• The retiring directors and auditor having been re-elected, a cordial vote of thanks to the Board, and also to the secretary, brought the proceeding s to a close. CU UZITitY hiBitIUT 6. 31ANCHESTER--TnunsnAY. At our market this morning English n heat met a mode" rate demand at the currency of this day se'nnight, while foreign was held for id to 21 per 1001 n. over that day 'ti rates. Flour 9d to is per sack lower. Beans no chau6 o • Indian corn is 6d per qr. dearer. BIRAIINGITAM—TIRTRSDAY. At this day's market there was a short supply of Eng lish wheat, ai.d good red realised an advance of Is per qr' Foreign unaltered. Barley is per qr. lower. Oat and neallo maintained their value. BURY ST. EDMUNDS—WEDNESDAY. The quantity of wheat offering at our market to-day wit ° not large, and a reduction of is per qr. took place. Ost 9 a shade cheaper. Beaus and peas remained about th e same. EDINBURGII—WEDNESDAY. Wheat on the top, Os 6d down average, Os Id up. Barley on the top, is Od up average, Os 3d up. Oats on the top, 4s Od down average, Os 4 d do " lvil* Beans on the top, os 6 d down '...average, Os 4 d do - . Total supply and sales. Wheat 876 qrs sold 473 Barley 1071 qrs sold 830 Oats 1783 qrs sold 848 Beaus 206 qrs sold 131 Average prices. Wheat, 58s 3d 1 Oats, 31s 5d Barley, 39s ld j Beans 425, 9d Town-made hour sells as follows :—White, 53s Od; eztt r6 superfine, 51s Od ; superfine, 49s Od ; fine, 47s Od. GLASGOW—WEDNESDAY. To-day's market was moderately attended. Forei'rY,, and Scotch wheat firm at an advance on last week. Barlor toreigu YacKet List. MALL 6 DUE. &wrath& and New Leaiaud, via Soutnampton.- ..April 1 9 Ditto, via Sinnedlea tpr tl ,3. Grazil and Cape Verde, by British pa0Ket.......... may 5 Ditto, by French packet Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena April 21 China, Penang, and Sing4pure, via Southampton April 19' Ditto, via blardellles taikland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Apri• 13* Births. BORTIIWICK— On the 11th inst., at 42, Ladbroke-squ ilre ' the wife of George Borthwick, Esq., of a son. MARSH—Oa the 13th inst at Poplar, the wife of J. ..Marsh, Esq., of a son. Marriages. KILLAM —LA MBERT —On the 9th inst., at St. Olave' B , H alt street, City, Thomas Killam, jun., Esq. , o f Yarniout N.S., to Jane, eldest daughter of 11. T. Lambert, lf,tll 1, America-square. • PRIOR—BRYA NT - On the nth inst., at the parish chute li e dgrave, Suffolk, Edward Prior, late of China a' Japan, to Emily, eldest daughter of John Bryant, 1:6(11 The Grove, liedgrave, Suffolk. Deaths. ALISON— On the 10th inst., at Elm-row, Hampstead, Da cia Alison, Esq. Boys--On the 3d inst., at St. Alban's, Edwar d Boys, 5(1. aged 68. KEMBLE--On the 9th inst., at Twickenham, nal lien:ll'l4 aged 82. SALMON— On the 10th inst., at 2, Alma-terrace, Folkestone' James Salmon, Esq., aged 80. . - ----- -.0, London: Printed and Publi6bcd by WILLIAM ANDO i l l, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TILE SUN Office , N°' of Strand, iu the Precinct of the Savoy, in tile Cou l ' tl lticictlesex.—Friday, April 12, I.d3T . I I