The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-04-02 00:00:00

THE REFORM BILL.

Tux motion for going into Committee on the
Reform Bill will be made next Monday evening,
and then will come the crisis both for Reform
and the Ministry. The remarkable "No
Surrender" speech which the President of the
Board of Trade made in the discussion on
the motion for the second reading wu
regarded u auguring ominously for a satisfactory
issue of the Bill, but on the following night Mr.
Disraeli announced, with much geniality and in
• conciliatory spirit, a policy more in accordance
with the wishes of the House. "The Govern_
ment," he said, "never deemed that they could
produce • Bill which would not require candid
oonsideration in Committee, and at that time the
lodger flint:lite might be added if the House
approved it, the fancy franchises were open to
consideration, the Government were willing to
remove hindrances to the exercise of the
franchise arising from the Small Tenements Act,
the reduction of the £l5 county franelfaie was •
matter for Committee, they ibandoned the
dual vote, and were prepared to extend the
Redistribution scheme." In short. the
Ministry were willing that the House should
make what they liked of the Bill. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer concluded by
oaring

"I hear much and have seen mush of the struggles of
parties in this House, and I hear much of eombhistiona
that may occur and roams that =sr be taken +hid
may change the impost of straits. All lean say is this,
on the pert of my colleagues, that we have no other
wish at the present moment than with the co-operation '
of the House to bring the quettion of Parliamentary
Roform to a sestlement—(eheers). We are only
influenoed in the course tee tretaking by • sense of duty
—(hear, hear). I &Mere the House after the sacrifices
we have merle, after having severed our political
connexion with men who we more than regarded, that
the principle which animates us is the coovietion that
we ought not to desert our poet until this business is
mttled—(cheers). Rost assured that it is not for the
weal of England that that settlement should be delayed ,
—(hem, hear). You may think the horixoti not
disturbed at this moment. You may think the surround.
ins circumstances may be favourable to dilatory action.
Some of you may think that in the excitemeet of the
moment ambition may be gratified, but that is not so—
(bear, bear). There is a deep responsibility resting not
noon the Government merely but upon the Home of
Commons-- (hear, hear). We are prepared, and I think
we have shown we are prepared, in all sincerity to deal
with it. Act with us cordia.lly and candidly, and so fats.
we elan, consistently with the principle. which we have
not in regard to tbia question for a moment concealed,
we will be prepared to conclude the question of the
franchise for the people—(hear, bear). Act with us
candidly and cordially, and you will Ind on our side •
complete reciprocity of feeling. Pam this bill, and then
you may chutes the Ministry to-morroer—(load eel
prolonged theeta)."
These are noble and patriotic sentiments, and
we trust that the House will cordially respond
to the appeal made to them. It is evident,
however, that Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright,
with a few of the extreme party, would fain
have the Government and their Bill thrown out
together, and speedily; but happily, the wise
policy of the Government, and the determina-
tion of a section of the Liberal party to obtain, if
possible, a settlement of the question this
session, have hitherto frustrated their designs.
It is now said that Mr. Gladstone will appeal to
the Liberal members to support him in prevent-
ing the Bill from going into committee until
definite pledges be obtained from Ministers as to
what portions of the measure will be maintained
or sacrificed. The mode of procedure chosen is
the proposal of a series of declaratory resole tions
setting forth that the borough franchise should
be based upon a £6 rating, below which personal
payment of rates should stop, and that the
county franchise etiould be reduced to a SIO
or £I2 rating, with others devoted to
the fancy franchises and the scheme of
re-diatribution, it is believed that a large
majority of the House would be found in favour
of the £5 rating, and that Government would
not venture on a division but wcrald accept the
proposition. Ths object in view, however, is
apparent from the fact that this intimation is
coupled with a statement, that sonic of the
Ministry have resolved no longer to submit to
the direction of the Opposition, which it is
thought may induce the Government to contest
these resolutions, and thus bring upon them at
defeat. But, by employing such tactics as these
the Opposition do not, we venture to affirm,
realise the opinion of the country as to the
manner in which they might to treat so great a
question as this. We trust that wiser counsels
will prevail amongst the Liberal party, and that
naught may interfere to prevent the attainment
of a settlement of the Reform question, so that,
as expressed by the leading journal, "When
Parliament rises, some four months hence, it
may look upon • great deed aooomplished—
upon the admission of a large number of citizens
now unenfranchised to the privilege of voting—
upon an enlargement and a reform of our
representative system; and it may look forward
to a career of renewed activity, undisturbed by
the agitation of organic changes."