The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-03-26 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE LIBERAL PARTY.

Two hundred and dimity-eight of the Liberal mem-
bers of the House of Commons mat at Mr. Gladdone's
house, Carltou•gardena, on Thursday eftentoon, and
alter a very short discussion—it that can be Galled dis•
mission which sandaled prineipidly of but one speech—
resolved that the great battle of the Semite, if fought
at all, should not be lambi at the mooed step. 'Pt •
Dorset members prespeot were, Mr. J. H. Werth. Mr.
G. G. Glyn, Capt. 11. G. Gridley, Mr. K. I). Hodgson,
Mr. H. 1). Seymour, and Mr. C. W•ring.
Mr. Gladstone, in opening the proceedings, referred
, to the time as a crisis in the mention of Reform, and
one of 001130 difficulty with regard to the various parties
in the House of Cuteurone Al the lad meeting which
they held in Ida residence Fe referred to two topics ;
One with regard to the necessity of &dines the general
opinion of the party for the purpose of
_preserving their
unity and their party unimpaired. He said at that
time that the only staternect with regard to the borough
franchise before them was that eontained in the speech
of the Chancellor of the Itsidequer, whisk proposed a
11l rating franchise. He thought that was • point
which probably was of so dear a nature that it might
be left to be discussed sod dttermined in committee.
Mr. Gladstooe then referred to his own speeds of
Monday night, and to what be had said about the
possibility of some arrangement being made respecting
the vote being Axed at that amount at which the
personal capacity to pay rates teroloated, so that all
persons above that point might be introduced wiliest
any question of rent or rental. But he said he thought
it wag not wise for them as an Opposition to midweek*
at that dere of tbsi question the responsibill4, rf hinting
thee:act plan upon which the suffrage eboild be bested.
The time might come when it 'Mild be necessary for
them to state the basis of • plan, and when it should be
the conviction of himself and his friends, and of the
patty, that such i period had come, he would not shrink
from stalls' what course be should be mewed to pro.
Vr• Tunlit bowler; for the present to the new
as it was fore them, he said that he spoke with
the strongest feeling and conviction that it was right
when he deol•red it to be a had Bill, and, in fad, the
word Retort's Bill that bad been ever submitted to
Parliament by any Government in this country. But,
notwithstanding that, there might be, probably, seine
difference of opinion even mooed those who con-
demned the Bill as to whether the proper sours@ was to
oppose it on the wood reading, or to extend their for-
bearance further and allow the mooed reading to go by
unchallenged. He then proceeded to • dissection of the
memoir describing it as oontalning ten fundamental
points. The lint was the county franchise, which he
thought they would ill probably he unanimous in eon.
Marini had been fixed at too high • rate, and it must
therefore, of necessity, in any ease, be lowered. There
was next the question of that branch of the Bill which
referred to the redistribution of data, which he thought
wholly inadequete, and which must neemearily be
entirely re-cast. Then'there was the question of the
voting papers, which introduced • change of a nature to
which was, so far as he could comprehend it, he
believed they would be all equally and unanimously
adverse. Then there came the fancy franchises, some
of which be thought entirely bad, and probably none of
them indeed would be found worth retaining; and he
thought they would all for the most part be of opinion
that that portion of the Bill should entirely dis•
appear.
Then came the feet that the lodger fran-
chise '
wsa entirely omitted, and that portion of
• Reform Bill he held to be absolutely essential for any
setisfactory settlement of the borough franchise. There
was the suffrage based upon income and assessed trine
whiob, as he explained to the 11011.14 the other night, be
thought was sure to lead to • most extensive system of
fraud; and he feared that, • ith regard to household
engine, at the very lowest point of the franchise there
would be found • class of voters who were so poor and
so dependent that they must necessarily afford an oppor•
Witty tor • very extensive traffic in votes. He then
referred to what be considered an old sad rood valuable
principle of our parliamentary repressetation, and that
was, when Parliament has given votes to any elate of
the people, all men entreated with the suffrage should
be equal as the poll. He declared that be would to the
very last set himself against any and every plan which
would make one man at the polling-booth inferior to
another man. When ones the franchise bad been con-
ferred upon anyone, it ought to give that man an
equality of power with his neighbour. This he regarded
as an arsenal point. Looking at the bill altogether. he
thought he might may Writ divided the constituency
Into five different classes. There was tint the dual
voter with his two votes. Nest there came the old £lO
householder, who, if resident, might be rated for any
kind of building he occupied in • borough. There was
then the voter at £9 and under, who was not equal to
£lO voter, because he was only allowed to rogider for
his dwelling-hood, and he hid to be & resident for
double the length of time which .9A regained of the £lO
householder. Then there were the compounders above
£lO value—that was, the present compounders, who
were to be left Isersaftew just as they were—the bill
would not in any way interfere with them. And &Her
them came the compounder under £lO, who Ind to
claim and obtain his vote under many and peat difficul•
ties. These householders and compounders under the
£lO His might be really considered as representing the
whole amount of enfranchisement proposed by the new
bill, and at least two-thirds of them were not to have a
vote conferred upon them by the bill at all. He referred
also to the manner in which the salaams of the bill had
been arranged. He directed their particular attention
to the fact that the tint clause dealt with household
suffrage, and that the 34th Clause referred to compound
householders. Thum, between the householder suffrage
clause and the compound householders' clause, which
were very intimately connected with each other, there
were placed in the bill all the different clauses about the
county franchise, about the voting papers, about there-
distribution of seats, and many other matters width
surely should not have been interposed between two
parte of the bill so entirely and so obviously dependent
upon each other. H 9 referred to the rumour which was
Is circulation that the Government wished to put off
the committee on the bill until attar Raster, a course to
which be thought there were most serious and even in.
superable objections. BUR, looking at the whole subject,
he would not entirely abandon the hope of going into
committee ; but the Liberia party should try before that
to obtain from the Government coeeeedone not so
mush with regard to new figures as with regard to better
principles. The deal voting, the trouble, and in feet
the floe imposed nem the eouthoend bonscholders In
their attempt to get the suffrage, were pasts of the
hill of especial importance; and the debate on
the mooed reading ought to be employed to obtain
information and ommessions from the Government
on these and other points. it appeared to him
that y potleman who felt that he had • right
to belong to the Liberal party ought to be de-
termined to insist upon an equal theme of the franchise
to all Rune whom Parliament gave or professed to give
• vote. With regstsl to the kW*, he thought they
ought to reserve their judgment as to the committee.
If they permitted the second reading to pass, they should
not be precluded from taking any stop upon the motion
to go into committee which they might think both just
and proper. The wanes they would take would none-
sadly be influsmed by Ito statement which might be
made by the Government daring the coming discussion.
Perham it might be his duty to give them the trouble
of attending another meeting on lb@ day after the second
reading of the bill.
Mr. Roebuck said a few word,. Re remarked that be
understood, as the law now stood, even where the rate
was mid by the landlord, the occupier could be still •
voter and; d he wished to know whether it was meant
that that should apply to all those who wen to be en-
franchised under the new bill, because if ilfclid it meant
• simple household suffrage
Mr. Apioss was one of those who prisferewl that the
nomad reading of the bill should not be contested; but
whilst be was in favour of that course, 110 was not want-
ing in the fullest coofidence in Mr. Glaciates*, and he
felt that they were under great obligations to him, and
he could not but approve of the remarks which he made
and the course which be suggested to the present
meeting.

11r. Cops was prepared to sot upon the proposition
which had been laid before the meeting. although be
was himself in favour of a more Wive and desided course
of proceeding, and be would bane been glad to take part
I. say movement against the second reading of the bill.
(Kr. Cogan was understood to express Um genera lopinion
of the Irish members of the liberal perky of the House
el
Commons.)

Mr. Bright felt he bad really little to say attar the
clear stetement whieh had hese mad* to the meeting by
Mr. (Madam*. H. thought under the oirenuatanose
in whish they were that datement less cos In
which they might coneer, end Unawares whieh wae
recommeedad was one which they should all
At 1b...... Ham he did not wish it lobe Somosisdihid
ho would himself Imre recommeaded • different reeere•
But in • more pastion of prooedore, in whisk there,..
no greet principle Involved. he should not like to set his
own opinion up ea being better than the opinions of
others. Re would always go willingly aad loyally with
Um political narty with whom he was oosneeted,,Mit be
begged to sear himself from responsibility if all should
not tarn out as well m seemed to be enacted, by saying
that sifter mom lb.. twmety yeare' experience la Par.
lismeat, he never knew • bad bill brought la by • Go-
vernmeat made • good bill in the mouse of its
through the House or through committee. He=
It wad hardly to be hoped that they meld by any pos.
albillty make mob so entire gangs as was amemary to
be made with thi• bill In order to reader it eatiefaciory
to the country during its pashas through the House.
He considered the emistitutioesl plan of parliamentary
action was this—that the majority in the Hons. ought
to provide the members of the Administration. sad that
• great question like that of Reform should be in the
hands 9/ HI Meade, aad not In the bands of It. amemlea.
If the spirit at hbe (Ibscieslior of the llushaquer mould be
time and could inspire them with what be wished them
to do, they would &jot what they had delimmiaed apes
"ind to-day end when be had suanieded In that be
might..,, Th. Laid lath delivered them into my
h4nds." Nctwithstandiss, honorer, them rather
gloomy antielpiairms, Kr. Bright ea primed 'stream hope
that he might in the rim& be proved to have been en-
tirely mistaken. Whatever he would do ho would do
most cordially whilst the wawa» was pain through
the Howe to make it such s oat es would waffle