The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-26 00:00:00

Mr. Doulton and his Constituents.

Last night Mr. F. Doulton. M.P. for the borough of
Lambeth, addressed a meeting of his constituents at the
Horns Tavern, Kennington. Mr. Freeman, of Camber-
well, occupied the chair.

Mr. DOITLTON, M.P., commenced his address by thank-
ing the electors and non-electors for attending in such a
large number. In the present day it was gratifying to find
that there was so numerous an assemblage to discuss purely
political questions. He was not ono of those who believed
that the last session of Parliament was either useless or un-
profitable. (Hear.) If he thought that, he should be
ashamed to hold his present honourable position. He
thought the past session would compare favourably with
any of the previous Parliaments. He should say that the
results of the last session were both positive and negative.
Good measures were passed, and bad ones rejected; and it

was something to reject mischievous measures, whether
they were introduced by the Government or by private
members. (Hear, hear.) There were many results of a
negative character—the proposition respecting the pur-
chase of the Exhibition building—(hear, hear)—and he
considered that this was a decided triumph, especially
when they recollected that the motion was backed up by
" Court influence." It was one of the most important
votes given during the session. It showed that there was
an honest and independent party in the Houso of Com-
mons. (Applause.) There was another negative result,
viz., the Churchward contract. (Near, hear.) He gave
the bill introduced by Mr. Somes the best consideration in
his power, and felt bound to oppose it. (Rear.) Although
ho differed in this vote from the opinion of some of his
friends, he acted according to the dictates of his conscience.
He took it that the budget which was brought forward by
the Chancellor of the Exchequer was of a character which
of itself was sufficient to redeem the session from the charge
of being unprofitable or useless. The passing of that budget
was a step in the right direction, and such a step had not
been taken for the last 30 or 40 years. It was a reduction in
taxation. (Applause.) It assisted the working classes by
the reduction upon tea, and was specially acceptable to the
middling classes by the reduction of the income tax. In
1835 the expenditure was £44,900,000; and in 1862,
£73,210,000; therefore it was time that some check was
given to the increase in expenditure. (Hear, hear.) But al-
though this increase from £14,900,000 to £73,210,000 was a
very large one, they must not fancy that, because the ex-
penditure had increased, they were, to use a vulgar expres-
sion, "going to the dogs." They must bear in mind that,
although the expenditure had increased from £14,000„000
in 1835 to £73,000,000 in 1862, yet the material prosperity
of the country had increased in a still further ratio. (Roar,
hear.) For while in 1835 the total value of their exports and
imports was £106,000,000, in 1862 they had positively in-
creased to no less a sum than £394,000,000. (Applause.) It
must be understood, however, that he did not quote these
figures in justification of a large expenditure--(heat, hear)—
but because when they considered a question of this charac-
ter it was well they should bele in mind the actual position
of the country. It was evident, then, that though they had
so large an expenditure, they were better able to pay the
£73,000,000 in 1862 than they were the £44,000,903 in 1835.
In referring to domestic questions Altr.D oulton -said the House
of Commons had twice affirmed the principle that the taxa-
tion on fire insurance ought to be abolished. He took it that
this was a very important matter; and unless he misunder-

stood the character of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he
would recollect the House of Commons had twice condemned

the taxation upon fire insurance when he. had next to
pro-
pose a diminution of the burdens of the people. (Cheers.)
He approved of the strict observance of neutrality which
England had adopted with reference to the American war.
The House of Commons had also had brought before them
church rates, the ballot, the burial bill, and such like ques-
tions. It had occurred to him whether it was wise to bring
these questions periodically before the attention of the
House of Commons. After Parliament had more than once
or twice given its opinion on questions of that sort, it was
best that they should allow them to rest—(no, no, and
hear, hear)—until another opportunity was atorded the
people of expressing their opinion with reference to them.
No one could doubt, however, his Conviction as to what
ought to be the settlement of the church-rate difficulty.
Was any one sanguineonough to suppose that they were
to have a Reform Bill during the present Parliament ?
(Laughter, No, and Hear, hear.) In 1840 the Queen from
her throne commended the desirability of passing a bill
which should place the representation of the people upon a
broader and firmer basis. He little thought then that the
way the House of Commons would respect that eentim'eiat
would be by scorn and derision whenever the Word " re-
form" was tittered. Yet so it was. No one could rise in the
House of Commons and proptse a measure directly or indi-
rectly leading to the tidestion of reform, but it wited t fro
contempt and derision of the House of Z.:04",„,. to the
contempt and derision came not alone 'hem 'those who re-
presented the exclusive interests-w-not from those alone
who owed their position in that house to territorial or ducal
influence—but that contempt came most keenly from those
who were supposed essentially to be the representatives Of
the middle classes of this country. That was a feet Which
no ene could fail to observe who watched the movements
of the House of Commons with reference to this mat-
ter. What was the history, the miserable history, of
this queslion daring the past few years ? How came the
present Government into power? Why, upon the ques-
tion of reform. It was they who ejected the Government of
Lord Derby, because the Reform Bill he proposed was not
wide enough for the wide sympathies of Lord John Russell.
He would remind them of the resolution which Lord John
Russell proposed when he ejected Lord Derby from power:
—" That it is neither just nor politic to interfere in the
manner proposed in this bill with the freehold franchise as
hitherto exercised in the counties of England and Wales,
and that no readjustment of the franchise will satisfy this
house or the country which does not provide for a greater
extension of the suffrage in cities and boroughs than is con-
templated in the present measure." (Hear, hear.) That was
the resolution upon which Lord Derby's Government was
excluded from power. He was ono of those who sincerely
regretted that, the ifou?e of Commons did not accept the
bill, as he considered that it was a step in the right direc-
tion. (Hear, hear.) Although the present Government came
into power upon the resolution of Lord John Russell, the
bill which they themselves introduced was talked out of the
house. (Hear.) The Government did not adopt the course
which they ought under the circumstances, "not because
they loved reform less, but because they loved their places
more." (Cheers and laughter.) And so it came to pass that
they were now further off from reform than they were four