The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-30 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMET,

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAY.)
On the motion for the second reading of the Patetbi
Franchise Bill,

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said ft vs
his disagreeable duty to oppose the bill ; het
did so on conviction. He should not, however, ede,sk
it
the course of taking isolated parts of the low
sure, and criticising them in a hostile sense,
which he thought would be offensive and invidious to pi,
promoters ; but he should oppose it as a whole.
he thought that all the conditions of an ohm,
tionel test for the franchise could be .I%n
obtained he should not object to it. But even if no in;
test than the mere signature of the name of a pewn eis
deemed sufficient, it would inevitably break down, lbws
was no presumptive ground whatever for sash a igt.
which was totally foreign to the nature of ate
electoral system ; which was founded on an occepelhis
franchise, without any reference to an educational tug
The bill did not propose to change the existing be,,,
chisel, but set out an addition to that system. The te,
argument in its favour would bo the factof legislation; Ida*
could introduce such overwhelming numbers into die
franchise, when it might be urged that it wu amen,*
create an educational test in order to meet the.
difficulty. The bill, however, proceeded Oft ths
principle of universal suffrage, for everyone hoped flat
the whole people should be educated ; and if that Vsf, ee
the operation of the bill would be tantamount to
universal suffrage. A practical objection to the 1,4
was, that 'whereas it did not apply to Awl
who possessed the 10/. franchise, but to those axe
were below it— the hihouring class, it would
the young men just issued from the schools in which they
had acquired reading, writing, and arithmetic, who eel*
obtain the franchise, instead of the steady and wene.,
fathers of families in that clan. Again the la
required greater educational proficiency for tis
franchise than the Civil Service Cambric*
demanded as qualification for a class of office' in theme
service, who obtained a maintenance in presteti sad e
pension in intim°. Nay, the arithmetical test would le
too much for nearly every member of that house. the
right honourable gentleman then put aem it
money division which be said scarcely any member could
solve ; upon which Lord R. Montage said to.
no division sum could be worked out by them,
figures. Amidst much laughter the right hon. pathos
asserted that it could, and then proceeded to say the
he need not press that argument further, u it had be.
practically established. Then there was the ordeslOO
aspirants had to go through besides examine*
the machinery of getting certificates and /*r
ing registration ; the operation taking two ye.
to perform. Then a price was to be paid hr
the franchise, and this by the poorer class, under*,
while the rich above it paid nothing, a aeries of fees hag
exacted at every One of the process of getting on thew
gistry. In fact and practically such a fine was impode.
, the qualification that the measure must prove a sap
In his opinion no method had yet been invented for pro
tically carrying out an educational test for the fro*
and on these grounds and the unworkable character ells
bill he moved its rejection.
Mr. CLIVE said he thought better of the bill after tie
speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It mid is
'a more just and comprehensive as an extension of is
'machine than a 71. rental.

Lord R. MONTAGU said he viewed the bill se a eeegl►
ment to the reform measure, andhe hoped that if it psi
the second reading a motion would be made to refs Ai
the same committee.

Mr. EWART, being of opinion that the mums in
a tribute to the growing intelligence of the üblg
classes, would give it his support.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said no one believed the Rdua
Bill would pass this year, and therefore any ocatnialia
toward~ a settlement of the franchise such as the hal
furnished ought to be accepted.
[Left speaking.]

At Ascot yesterday the Princess of Weir
wore a silk dress of pink and white in mediumissi
checks, a white lace shawl, and a pink bonnet—co&
ciently anal to be fashionable, and yet large enough to
be a bonnet and not merely a bit of lace—with pink ri
twos, and a bouquet of lilies of the valley drooping fog
the top.
We (Owl) understand that the Dowager lady
Truro has bequeathed to the Princess Mary of Cimlni*
the whole of her fortune and her house in Eatosiom
which, we believe, will be the futurer-vidence of thePiinso
sad Princess. _

Sir Edwin Landaeer's picture of " Lady Godira"
in the Exhibition of this year, wxs originally comma
for Mr. Ellice, late member for Coventry. It has imbue
bought by Mr. Pender, who was the purchaser of
Ellice's house in Arlington-street.

On the motion for going into committee en
Terminable Annuities Bill, Mr. H. B. Sheridan will more,
" That this house is, by its resolutions, pledged to a
further reduction of the fire insurance duties, the redoe
tion already made being of too limited a character to
attract increased insurance or to satisfy the country."
In the event of the Tenure and Improvement of
Land (Ireland) Bill being read a second time, Sir Thew
Bateson will move that the principle of the bill be m
tended to England and Scotland.
Mr. Harvey Lewis will ask the First Commie.
sioner of Works on Friday whether his attention When
called to the practice of permitting sheep to be washed a
the Serpentine in the same spot where bathing is allowed;
and whether it is true that last year an expree prowl,
was given that the pollution of the water from male
proper practice should not be again sanctioned.
On Friday Mr. G. Langton will ask the Secretor,'
of State for the Home Department, whether the govern.
ment have determined what compensation shall begin&
to owners of stock for loss on cattle slaughtered by miler
of inspectors previous to the passing of the Cattle Nsirs
Act.
On the 15th of the next month, Mr. Ewalt 111
move in the House of Commons " That the family etas
late Mr. Joseph Hume being willing to offer to this bum
a bust of that gentleman, who lung, Lbeeiouall, 121..
disinterestedly served his country in platen:l4 11°
house do accept the same, and cause it to be pissed°
the library, or other suitable place adjoining to gle
home)."
In committee on Redistribution of Seats Bill,
Sir B. Bridges will move that one member be given W
district composed of the towns of Ramsgate and 11110
and the Isle of Thanet, and that this district be upwind
from the eastern division of the county of Kent.
Several gentlemen, members of both Houses cit
Parliament, and without distinction of party, met 1*
terday at the house of the Duke of Cleveland. St
James's-square, in order to express the general reefed
for the character of Lord Pidmenton by arranging fa
the erection of a statue in London, in the open '>
near the House of Commons. In order to include go
largest number of persons it is proposed to admit so la.
scription beyond 51. The following gentlemen will ail
as a provisional committee : —The Duke of Cleveland.
Earl Stanhope, Lord Belper, the Right lion. GePall
Peel, M.P., the Right Hon. Spencer Walpole, 31. P.,
tis
Hon. A. Kinnaird, M.P., the Hon. George I°l°lll_
M.P., Hastings Russell, Eeq., M.P., Thomas oft'
M.P., Wentworth Beaumont, Esq., M.P., Charles Bak
ton, Esq., M.P., and John Abel Smith, Esq., N.P. Who
the subscription list is completed the subscribers wil.ll°
invited to hold a public meeting, and to elect a oommitto
to carry their object into practical effect.
THE BISHOP or HEREFORD. —The physiMogs
id
attendance on the Bishop of Hereford consider an izoronn•
ment to have taken place during the last few days in
lordship's health. He is still in • very weak state,.lB°
unable to leave his bed or attend to business of any kool•
—Birmingham Daily Post.
THEATRICAL LICENSES AND REGULATIONS COY'
lime& —The following statement has been handed i 2
.P)
this committee from the Lord Chamberlain:s (Ito •"-
During the years 1857 to 1865 1,810 manunoript bowie
for plays have been granted and seven only
The title of the plays being in 1857, How its to be Boar,
in two acts, the Strand Theatre. 1858. The Blood SP°l,..
the Maiden, the Muter, and the Murderer, two ana„:l
Queen's Theatre. 1858. The Discarded Son, or the Gaw'
royress, two acts, Victoria Theatre. 1859.
Le TorOa".
ow, !'Accord Parfait, two acts, St. James's The_,..
1881. The Money Lender, two acts, Standard Totlig
1882. The Gipsy of Edgware, ur the Crime J. tha
Lame, two acts, Marylebone Theatre. 1865. The
Slave, two acts, New Adelphi, Liverpool