The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-15 00:00:00

THE REFORM RESOLUTIONS.

Lord R. MONTAGU asked the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer whether the government would endeavour, as
early as possible in this session, to bring in a bill which
would carry out whatever resolutions might be passed by
the committee on the Act 2 and I Will. 4, e. 4.1
Thu CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I observe
that there is on the paper another question of which
notice has been given by an hon. member referring to the
same subject (Mr. Osborne's notice to ask if the govern-
ment would inform the house what was the exact amount
of reduction contemplated " in the value of the qualifying
tenement in counties and boroughs," also the description
of " other franchises not dependent on each value," as
mentioned in reform resolution No. 2) ; and perhaps it
will be more convenient if I should answer both at
once. (Hear, bear.) The inquiry of the hon. member for
Nottingham is, if he will permit me to say so, framed
upon a misconception of the object of the government in
proceeding by resolution, of which I have given notice
for the 25th of this month. lam perfectly willing to take
to myself all blame for any misconception in his mind
upon the subject. The main object of introducing these
resolutions is that we should obtain the sanction of the
house to tho principles upon which the bill we
hope we may introduce on parliamentary reform
should be founded. Our object in having recourse to that
mode of proceeding was to prevent, in case of our bring-
ing in a bill, that that bill should be met by some resolu-
tion of censure and condemnation founded probably upon
an attack of some particular principle contained in it.
Under these circumstances I need not perhaps inform the
hon. gentleman that I am not prepared at the present
moment to enter into any details upon the resolution to
which he has referred, and which expresses the principles
upen which we wish to act. In case the resolutions of
which we have given notice are passed we shall be pre-
pared at once to introduce a bill founded upon them. (Mi-
nisterial cheers.) I should Willi of course in every way to defer
to the general feeling of the house ou the subject, but I wish
the house clearly to understand that our object in bring-
ing forward these resolutions was merely to come to
souse general understanding with the house as to the prin-
ciples upon which the bill, which we hope we may almost
immediately introduce, should be founded, and that
therefore we do not contemplate entering into the details
to which be has referred. We look upon the application
of these principles to be part of the responsible duty of
the government ; nor should we expect—l can hardly say
desire—that on the occasion of moving these resolutions
the house should feel it necessary to originate itself any
opinion upon these paints of detail. All we can say is,
that we are perfectly prepared, if the house wishes to
enter into the discussion upon the resolutions in that man-
ner, to meet it. Hut what we should prefer is that the prin-
ciple involved in these resolutions should be sanctioned, if
they are to be sanctioned, by the house, and that we should
be permitted in consequence immediately afterwards, or at
the earliest convenient moment, to introduce in a legisla-
tive form the adaptation of the principles sanctioned to
the business which they import. That also would be my
answer to my noble friend. He wishes to know whether,
if the house in the general committee adopt certain reso-
lutions upon the subject of parliamentary reform, we shall
in good time be prepared to act upon them by presenting a
bill. I can only assure my noble friend that the moment
these resolutions have passed not a moment will be unne-
cessarily lost in that object, for 1 should consider that to
invite the house to 'Recess resolutions upon a subject of
this paramount importance, and in the event of, these
resolutions being carried, not to be prepared immediately
to act upon them would be a disgraceful trifling with the
House of Commons. (Cheers.)

Lord R. MONTAGU—The right bon. gentleman has
misunderstood my question. I did not ask him whether
he intended to bring in a bill to carry out those resolu.
tions, if they are to be carried out, but whether he
honestly and sincere desires to gather the opinions and
wishes of the house—Gaughter from the oppositioni—and
bring in a bill embodying the resolutions of the committee
in which he proposes the house should proceed—not a
bill to carry out certain foregone conclusions of the cabi-
net—but to give effect to the wishes of the house. (Hear,
hear.) The answer to the question may make a serious
difference in the votes to be calculated on. (Cheers and
counter cheers.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I do not
clearly collect the object of the second inquiry. I take
it for granted that every one who acts in this
house is sincere and honest. (Laughter.) As long as the
government conduct the committee in which the resolu-
tions are to be moved, it will be their duty to act upon
thous resolutions, whether they or any other member of
the house propose them, but we reserve to ourselves the
privilege of free men that if resolutions are carried which
we cannot carry out we nay decline to do so, and not fol-
low what appears to be the object of my noble friend,
namely, tLit we should act upon resolutions of which we
do not approve. (Cheers.) I must repeat in the most
distinct manner that we brought forward these resolutions
as the basis of a bill. We thought that was the only mode
b 7 which we could attempt legislation with any satisfac-
tion. We do not suppose that in passing these resolutions
we pass a reform brill. The reform bill must depend upon
its merits, but what we supposed was that by. this means
we should obtain for our measure a fair hearing. (Hear.)
Mr. COBORNE—WiII the right hon. gentleman dis-
tinctly state to the house when he will be prepared to
name the exact sum at which he proposes to place the
franchise. (Cheese.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I must
apologise to the house for troubling them so often. lat
once say that if the hon. member and his friends will
to the resolution which will be placed in the hands
TI
N chairman, namely, that the qualification for voting
shall be lowered, I shall, 'Disported by that principle, if
the house will allow, take the earliest opportunity, upon
• bill, of entering into all the details. (Laughter and
cheers.) If the house will consent to that mole of pro-
ceeding there is no reason why there should be any delay
in bringing in the bill. The bill will come in as soon as
the resolutions are passed. (Cheers.) We are not therefore
courting delay. The hon. gentlemen has inquires' of
me what are the particular new franchises we intend to
propose, and what is the readjustment of the old fran-
chises. But though important considerations, these are
really matters of detail for the committee, and it is only
in committee that we can satisfactorily settle them. If
on these resolutions we are to go into discussion upon all
the minute points of that character that can arise out of
them, I must say I frankly confess that the expectation
of her Majesty's ministers of soon introducing the bill will
be very much disappointed. (Loud cheers.)