The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-12 00:00:00

111108 WATZA 4111' LONLIPUp SWIM/

DAV .Ablesoom. 611.
TO•1110iaoll Mendag. 0. 46a5.... Attlisioas, 7b.

LONDON,-THORBDAT, MAY 12.

PALL-MALL was in commotion last night. The
Clubs had at last a new and genuine "sensation."
Such running to and fro, such real political con-
cern, such thirst for conference and condolence,
had not been seen since the eve of the last general
election. The fall of a Ministry could hardly have
caused more stir than Mr. GLADISTONB'S speech
made yesterday afternoon on Mr. Barxxa's
Borough Franchise BilL The Caxxcamos had
not very warmly supported the Bill, although he
gave it his vote. But he had done what was
thought worse. He had unfurled and raised aloft
what Tories on both sides of the House
call " the standard of Domestic Revolu-
" tion," but which the public will recognise
as the old, long lost flag of the Liberal Party. It
was with nothing leas than consternation that the
majority of the House heard the Statesman whose
character, abilities, and political rank mark him
out as its future leader, proclaim that it is
wisdom to bring within the pale of the constitu-
tion as many Englishmen as are not incapaci-
tated for the duties of electors. Mr. thanercuni
denounced as " most unsatisfactory" that period
in the history of the present Parliament in which
so many of his hearers found comfort—the period
which began with the conscious resolution to put the
claims of the unenfranchised aside, and which has
lasted until now. Parliament, he declares, has not
done its duty to itself or to the unrepresented. It is
for the interest of the country that the question of
the franchise should be taken up, and not be relin-
quished before it is satisfactorily settled. In dis-
cussing the main question, he points to the fact
that at present we have a constituency of which
less than one-tenth is composed of the working
classes, while forty-nine fiftieths of these clues'
are excluded from the constituencies altogether,
and he declares that it is for those who
oppose all change to justify this state of things.
The burden of proof lies with the Conservatives,
because " every man who is not incapacitated by
" personal unfitness, or whose admission would
" not be attended by political danger, is morally
" entitled to come within the pale of the coned-
" tution." This grand principle, the corner-
stone of Liberal politics, has been laid down somas
of times by the greatest of our Liberal statesmen
within these fifty years without exciting surprise.
But affirmed yesterday in a House of Commons which
was elected to pass a Reform Bill, but which had
gulped all its pledges, it was nothing less than
alarming. Its effect on the right aide of the
SPLAKER'S chair was especially curious. While
the main body of the Liberal party, including the
representatives of the active and intelligent
portions of the community, welcomed again the
old familiar language, drowning Mr. Gianerrotrs's
voice with their cheering, the Conservative fol-
lowers of Lord Pamtaasros were equally unable
to repress their amazement and dissatisfaction.

One eager Ministerialist, who was elected by just
326 votes, hastened to declare that "he had
" already conatituenta enough." Anothergentleman,
who represents the most progressive town in the
North ofsEngland, apoku against the proposition ea
inopportune. , Of one thing there can be no doubt,
Mr. GraneroNes speech was • great disaster for
the trimmers who have been playing fast and
loose with Reform. It is in Mr. GLaneromit's
power to ruin them. We understand his speech to
signify that at the proper time he will take the
question of Parliamentary Reform heartily in
hand ; and if he does so he will conduct it
to a triumphant snoop's. The sufferers in the
process will be, not so much the true
Conservatives, for whom there will always be
honest work to do, as the false Liberals. It will
be • hard time for them when Mr. Granerosa takes
the field ; and already they have the sense to see
it. The axe, they know, is being laid to the root
of the tree, and • great deal of leafy barrenness
will strew the ground before long. In the mean-
time, Mr. Gtrorroax, by his truly English and
statesmanlike speech, has already conferred • great
obligation on the Liberal party. He has done
more than any other member of it to raise it out
of the demoralization and weakness into which it
bad fallen, and to give it an object and • hope.