The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-20 00:00:00

MR. ELLICE, M.P., ON REFORM.

Mr. Ellice, M.P. for the St. Andrews District of
islzah:
In the address
Cedounty
there. Ms COMatituests In Cow on Monday
Hall
Provost 1100•1711 orcupled the chair, and brit By Intro-
duced Mr. Elite..

Mr. Bates, having spoken at some length on the cern-
perstitre merits of Lord Palmerston's sad Lord Derby's
gonsreiroents, the India Bill, end other topics, same to the
velum question. Cu this subject he observed—l must
say that of all the propositions that I have men, Lord John
Ramer. Bill of 1834seerns to comenearest the mark. There
ere various propositions in it which I cannot epproes of ; but
as regards the frenchlee, It atoms to me that en absolute
towerie. of the franchise from 101. toe certain other amount
would be the grapiest, most intelligible, and by far the most
satisfactory mode of dealing with the question. Well then,
we come to the system of representation, or the redistribution
of seats; and as to this Mr. Bright leaves us entirely in doubt.
I have searched through all his statements, and I see that he
has specially avoided entering into detail es to what he cells
the redistribution of sesta. Both Mr. Bright and Mr.
Roebuck especially repudiate equal electoral districts,
which were at one time the great demand of the ultra-
reform party in England; but there can be no doubt
shoat one thing which affects ourselves. If the views of
this pert are to be thoroughly carried out, these districts of
burgba must give op all hope of again returning a member.
I em one of those who think that the system of grouping
dtf-
ferent burghs together for the purpose of electing repreeenta-
lives to parliament is one of the moot valuable things in our
system of representation, end seems to me to prevent in
Scotland altogether that corruption which is coast...llqm-
cursing_ in burghs in England; and we know that in both
Lord John Russell's bills it was proposed that this very
system which has worked so well in Scotland should be
adopted to England. Looking to the elections in Eng-
lea end Scotland for many years past, you will see that
• degree of purity pervades our representation in Scot-
land which that in England cannot portably lay claim
to. Well, in the cry of Judea to Scotland, en increase of
members to Scotland Is asked for. Now, I have no
objection whatever to an Increase of members in Scotland. I
should be bound, on the contrary, to support such a propo-
sition. But I think that it would be fax better to decrease
the number of members for England than to Increase the
number for Scotland, and no to reduce that disparity which
is complained of between the two countries. In Lord Grey's
first Reform Bill of 1830, it was proposed to reduce the
number of members of the House of Commons ; and I em I
quite sure the House of Commons would work • great deal
better If it had 100 members less. I think such an arrange-
mane would rid no of much difficulty in reference to the new
Reform Bill. After all we have to look to what it Is peace
liable to do. It is all very well to talk of the propriety of
having a larger lumber of members for Scotland. It is all
very well to discus the rating franchise, or even universal
suffrage, but we have got to eensider upon what tame& com-
promise ma be made between MI parties, so aa to secure some
satisfactory manure based upon the principles of progroseive
reform. If any violent change Is proposed, my opinion is that
It will entirely frustrate the object we all have In view.
and I cannot myself conceive any course that Is likely to
prove more injurious to the cause of reform than the
violent course which Mr. Bright Is taking in his dvocaey of
the question. I am quite sore of this, that where hebu
*averted one, he has probably cast away from him tweety
ether people who have been frightened at the changes which
he proposes. I myself am perfectly certain that when a dis-
solution occurts, if it takes place on the reform question, you
will find that the cause of reform has been greatly injured by
the muses taken by Mr. Bright. We have a difficulty to
contend against, and there never wee a period at which the
country had this difficulty more prominently than at the
present asomeat. It is that we ere in want of good legis-
lators. (Hear, hear.) We know oar liberal party is broken
up—the tory party bweak; bat why la the -one broken up,
and why is the other weak P It is that we have not yet •
sufficient number of competent people for the purpose of
administration in the Howe of Commons. There is your
independent party, as they call themselves, who met in ens
of the committer rooms of the House of Commons last
year, whose chief complaint VOA that the wigs govern-
ment of the country wee exclusive. I grant that. There
have been the old names backwards and forwards, but
why was Ws so P Just because they were people who
hed been brought up to the work and probation of
govenment, and that there was a deficiency of people in
the house competent to perform these duties. I sea not
speaking in favour of one party or another. I want to show
on
ph:: ill off we ere for legislators. Take those hundred
dent members who were inveighing against the ex-
clusiveness of cabinets. I went over the list of names, sad
there was not one amongst them who, if he had been named
to an important cabinet office, would have been approved of
by dime who were associated with him, even if, which I
doubt, he considered himself fit for it. The foot is, that the
Reform Bill of 1832 has not produced that talent to the
House of Commons we expected, and which we had e right
to expect. A popular constitneecy don't like to take •
young man—a bedbug come out into the world, of whom
it has DO experience. It likes to return somebody of staid
character, who understands its local aides, and can attend
to them—who is a man of experience, an far es they know,
in business. But that is the very man who, un-
derstanding their bustuess, and being the best pos-
sible person to represent their particular !Literate,
is the most unfitted to conduct the public but-
sass in the House of Commune. Statecraft is like
say other craft, it requires to be learned. Put a ID= at
the age of sixty, who has been in badness in the country
all his life—put him in London in any office connected with
the
is
jest read toniy
talive, you kt
about
what
locality
tyaneliMe
1.1 2 IF
6b* h
well-to-do
ansintt of wia:ng. about that—
' I
seat. 411 a
ore :a"!
fifty years of age, end pu and bun headlong into an u-
seably of critics, the most acute that the world ever saw,
with reefing* alive to everything Indicroaa. The men gW
up. lie makes an attempt at a speech, end is laughed at.
He perhaps leava out an
.0 b," and a shout of derision
eons through the house dangly. Down he its, and his
mouth is closed for ever." (Laughter.) That seasuate in a
great measure for what you must have all remarked, that
you are not represented la a way to give you the weight
you ought to have. The wealth, the Industry, the
titanium* the acuteness., of the north—ere they to be
found In your rspeseentatives in the Hoses of Contacas P
No. Does Lases, that great mart of the whole world,
sad members • who are an hamar to the House of
Commons? I say no. Well, then, I ask, what can you
possibly expert from a reformed House of Commons if you
do not prepare men to go into that home capable of die-

oltarglag their duty as your representatives P Now, it is •
memdtable fact, brit there can bs no doubt about it, that
the istarm Bill has to a certain extent operated in the way
deperibed by Mr. Roebuck—that it has returned members to
pallement, highly respectable and excellent people for the
papal* of the locality which they represent. I will take
the two great cities of Scotland—l will take Edinburgh and
Glasgow. Edinburgh and Glasgow send excellent men to
parliament for their own I don't know any of
mom honourable standing the representatives of thae
two cities—but who would me dream of putting any of
these four members into the cabinet of this country P
The House of Commons would not stand ft.
They themaelves would be the first to refuse it knowing
that they would be perfectly untried for it. Well, now,
there is a great difficulty, and you will stare at me when
I say that we want in the present Home of Commons
something ra as betitote for the old rotten burgh of :hie
country. The rotten burghs in the old times were then:matte
of bringing into notice young men who were the greatest
honour and the greatest alit to this country, some of the
beet statesmen, it had been elp who probably near would
have been able to come into lament under the presentsystem of free representation. Now, seeing Mr. Roetaelee
remarks, and looking back, here are four of the greatest
statesmen that have ever been In this country. I will take two
of the greatest lawyers sad two of the greatest etataimen, not
of our time, biat of the last gemeation—Thowlow and Eldon—
two of the greatest kwyere who ever existed in this world,
greet tenements to their country, great tales, I am wry to
may, but who in their sphere, irreepeenve of political views,
conducted the affairs of this eaanny with pendants
and sagsoity. I take also two illustrious Maim-
men—Pitt and Pox. Weil, these two great !mires and
theme two great esteem= MY into parliament new
boroughs. r
ant: rewired 10 tether Pitt had tried popular ocaatintimoy aad fatisd, and upon that
failure he had beat nominated at eats to Appleby by Lord
Lowther. I say, therekre, it le very desirable wr should by
some mew or another secure a batter opening for youthful
talent in the Howe ciCommons. Ha young man, unlmown
end untried, gees down to Edinburgh or Gliagow, it would
be out of remota to expect that either of there great cities
should take a of whom they know little, and of
whose Mira have bad no experientie whatever, and you
might by this lose the
= opportanity of seeding to parliament
is who like Pitt sad Pox, -would become pillers of the
I Ildsk yoa namt, In way reform bill that comes
forward, provide that a certain number of toe subordinates
of government should be enabled to sit In parliament
without being elated members at all.. Ido not mesa
to eve them the right of voting. I want to eve them
the means of showing what they are worth, and this is the
only point where I would copy American inetitutions--
the right of speaking and giving explanations of public
mattes. I think by this means we might improve
the character of our Resistive. The safety and
prosperity of thin country seem to me greatly
to depend upon the active Interest tette by the
upper and middleclasses in the management of its
affairs. Acting upon the principle of keeping pace
in legislation with the constantly preventing intelli-
gence of the people, I desire to emend in a popular sail the
Reform Bill of 1832, clearing away its abuses, remedying its
defects, and enlarging the basis of our representative system ;
but I will porchaaa no popularity by undertaking to sapptet
' measures tending to discourage or over- rule those dames in
the active performance of their duties to their country. I
will be no party to legislating in the sense indicated by Mr.
Bright, neither will I countenance what Mr. Roebuck looks
forward to as the effect of the reform he advocotes—the
swamping of the landed ariatocracy. If you differ from me
in these views—l do not believe you do—you must trod
some one oleo to represent your opinions. That may lead to
a severance of our long political connexion; but I shall have
noright to complain. I shall look back with pride and gra-
titude to the peat; and take my leave with a sincere prayer
for the prosperity of these burghs, and the welfare of all
' those who, for so many yeses, bave extended to me their
friendship and support. (Loud oheore.)

CITY OP LONDON LTINGIN HOSTITAL.—This
valuable charity instituted in 1760, held its annual general
court yesterday In the board-room of the hospital, City-road,
W. Simpson, Esq., 1.P., in the chair. From the report read
by Mr. F. Dineley, the secretary, and unanimously adopted,
it appeared that 484 women were admitted u patients. The
receipts including • loan of 1001. from the bankers, had
been 1,9381. Rs. Id., and the expenditure 1,9171. 19a. 84.,
leaving a balance at the bankers' of 211. es. ed., but the loan
of 1001. was still due to the bankers. The board wag pro-
ceeding with the appeal to the public for the Samaritan Fund'
The hospital and t.O patients were, according to the medical
otters, reported to be in • satidactory stare. The °Mom
for the wads( year having been re-elected, the proceedings
isembelsel fa the wail master.

—THE DITITRIBUTION OP OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.—
' Some time sines the Treasury ordered that the practice of
sending parliensentary papers and other official documents
should be discontinued, and that they ahonid be sold instead
at a low prim. Many medical men protested against this;
they mud gratuitous contributions to the Registrar-General,
and they expect the weekly and quarterly returns tpa-
tuitously as before. Ina minute dated November 19, 1858,
the Treasury thus defend the new practice:—" This prin-
ciple of distribution was adopted, not only as a measure of
economy but oleo as= arrangement for the disposal of the
works with the greatest possible amount of public benefit.
No person who molly wishes to have a particular Uncial
publication will be deterred from obtaining it by the very
moderate price fixed upon it. For Matinee, the reports of
the Begistrar-Genasi, which meths subjects of this corre-
spondence, are sold— the weakly at 10., and the quarterly at
411. At the same time, even this email payment furnishes $
security that the reports will be rained and made used,
is which entirely wanting while they may be had for the
trouble of asking, or they ere sent, is id frequently the cue,
without their being asked for. The waste of time and labour
of public officers in determining what individuate, societies,
or isatitutiona aro to have donations of printed popes., and
in answering the numerous applications and inquiries on the
subject, is also not undeserving of attention. The alternative
arrangement is a aelf-acting proms, by which the object is
attained with the greatest practical economy of time and
mosey. It will be obvious that if the principle of tale at a
low fixed price be adopted, it must he uniformly applied
for the reasons which are urged for •• gratuitous distribution
are of so uniform a kind, that if a etoneenelon be made in any
quarter the entire system is likely to he Moles down, from
the Impassibility of drawing • line between different classes
of cares."

COMMITMENTS BY COUNTY COURTS.—A CYO wig
decided at the Brampton County Court on Tuesday (sent by
Mr. Justice Wightman) which involved an important gum-
Boa ea to commitments by County Courts after • discharge
by the Insolvent Debtor. Court, and the decision given will
probably set the matter at rest. An insolvent named Wood
was discharged under the act on the 18th ult., and on
the 10th inst. was committed on a warrant of the Brempton
County Court obtained in November. An application was
made to Mr. Commiasioner Murphy for the discharge on the

ground that the debt was inserted in the ticherluliZ and the
creditor nerved with notice. The learned commissioner was
of opinion that he had no power to interfere as tke insolvent
had been discharged, but bad the cue been sub jodir• he
should have granted the application. Meson,. Lewis and
Sons, the itaolvent's attorneys, then applied to Mr. Justice
Wightman, upon the authority of the case of " Cookman v.
Roan" reported in the "Jurist" of the 12th Septembev,
1867, and his lordship engrossed an opinion that Wood we.
mulled to his discharge, and directed an applicstion to be
made to the County Court Judge who had ordered the com-
mitment. An application was accordingly made, and a spe-
cial court appointed at Brampton on Tuesday, where the
learned judge was attended by the creditor, Mr. Britain, and
the attorney for Wood, and made an order for the discharge.
This is the first decision of the kind, and its publicity will in
all probability prevent a eminence of the commitments by
County Court Judges.
FIRE AT THE LIVERPOOL BLIPE-COAT HOSPITAL.
--Considerable alarm was caused at the Blue-coat Hospital,
Liverpool, shortly after one o'clock yesteeday afternoon, in
consequence of the sudden outbreak of a fire in the laundry.
The laundrymaid and several of the children were in the
room at the time, which is at the south end of the building,
in College-lane, and was erected about siatten years ago.
A quantity of clothes were bring dried in the stove, which
was heated to about the usuA temperature, when it wan
observed that the shirts on some of the t' maidens" were
on tire, and the names spread with alarming rapidity,
causing great consternation amongst the children in
that part of the promisee. On the alarm being
given, the officers and servants of the inetitution, with
praiseweethy alacrity, commenced throwing the clothes and
bedding out of the dormitories immediately above the seat of
the fire, until driven out by the rapid progress of the flames,
which threatened to destroy the whole of that wing of the
building. Information was conveyed to the Central Fire
Station, Hatton-garden, end Mr. Hewitt, thesuperiutendent,
with a detachment of the fire brigade, hoer,. and reel., were
epeedily en the spot, and there being an ample supply of
water in the tosisis,micceeded in reventiog the d dimes spread-
ing from the oempariment of the building in which it
originated. At half-past two o'clock all danger was
over, but the laundry, wishing-room, and dormitory
above 'Reared to be gutted. Had the fire broken out
in the night-time oho consequences would have been
most disastrous, for thirty-two children slept imme-
diately above the spot where the fire broke oat.
The laundry-maid was slightly injured about the face
and arms in attempting to drag out some of the clothes-
maidens when the ileum were first notioed. Intelligence of
the conflagration rapidly spread, and a large crowd assembled
on the spot. Amongst there who were promptly_in the in-
stitution we noticed Die worship the Mayor (W. Preston,
Req.), Alderman Bennett Alderman
rayne,ouncillor Messrs. Tore, Langton, and m other gen-
tlemen. The darner' is roughly animated at between 30Qt.
sad 4001., which we understand is covered by insurance.
Only lest week the 160th waivers/ay of the establishment of
the hospital was celebrated, and several of the decorations
used on that occasion were visible in that pinion of the
building partially destroyed.

Irbe OxpreSiS•

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