The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF COMMONS—This Day,
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
BARNSTAPLE ELECTION COMMITTEE.
The following members were called to the table and
sworn as a committee to try the validity of the late return
for Barnstaple, viz, :—Sir F. Goldsmid, Mr, Dunlop, Mr.
Humphrey, Mr. Howes, and Mr. S. Booth.
COUNTY FRANCHISE BILL.
Mr. LOCKE KING moved the second reading of ells
bill, with respect to which he said there was such an unani-
mity of opinion amongst the leaders of the house. The
justice of the measure had also been admitted by
gentlemen who bad for five and twenty years ibeen
recognised as party leaders in that house. There was
an urgent demand for an extension of the franchise, and
however it might be realised, a bill of a similar nature to
that now under their attention must pass. There had been
many attempts certainly to extend the franchise, but up to
the present time all endeavours to accomplish such a desir-
able object had failed. The bill of 1852 was the result of a
Government defeat—it attempted a compromise and
failed. Then again there were the bills of 1854 and 1859,
which, also, were bath unsatisfactory. The bill of 1860,
which might be regarded as the bill of the noble lord

at the head of her Majesty's Government, had disap-
peared like a child—a child badly nursed—it had

never been allowed to take the air, it had never
been ventilated, and its disappearance had been un-
accountable. There was no new principle laid down in the
bill now under attention. There was no novelty in it to
be urged for the first time, the principle had been admitted
in 1862, and the only question was whether the limit, which
in 1852 was fixed at £5O, should be now restricted to £lO.
The present bill was not merely to add more members
to the electoral roll, but it proposed to allow enlarged
trade, increased intelligence, and a vast number of inte-
rests to bo represented in that house, which were now
entirely shut out. He did not believe that the
bill would enlarge the county constituencies to
the extent it was said, viz., 250,000 ; but, even if it did, it

would only be doing that which was but common justice to
the increased intelligence of the county constituencies. It
was said by all parties that a £5O qualification was t,,0 high,
and that a £lO one was too low; but both parties, he
maintained, were committed to that sum, and he thought
it was too late now to effect any compromise. The
house, he contended, was committed to reform by the
pledges of its leaders—(hear, hsar)—and if it post-
poned or further delayed it, the house, be con.
sidered, would be lowering itself in the eyes of
the country. (Hear, hear.) Many of the members have
been elected solely on the cry of reform, and the present
Government had been placed in office solely to obtain re-
form or to do the best the 3 could for it. He should like
to know whether chucking a bill on the table, and
getting it rrinted—(hear)—was doing all that could be
done towards obtaining reforms. (Hear, hear.) He felt
the time was come when it was absolutely necessary some-
thing should be done, and he accordingly begged leave to
move the second reading of the bill.
Mr. AUGUSTUS SMITH thought the measure a dan-
gerous and impolitic one, and therefore he should move the
previous question, as an amendment to the motion of the
hon. gentleman who had just stt down. The result of the
bill would be to swamp the town constitutions, whilst the
whole of the present nomination boroughs which amount

in number to about 6G, would remain precisely as they
existed. That objection he should have thought would have
been quite sufficient to ensure the rejection of the bill, but
apart front that there were other and serious objctions
why the measure should not receive the sanction of the
house.

Mr. KNIGHTLEY said the house was for about the
20th time engaged in a flat, stale, and unprofit-
. _

able discussion which wculd lead to no practical
result, and he believed had only been brought
forward by the hon. member opposite in order to give him-
self and his friends something to talk about at the nest
general election. In his opinion the bill was neither a

liberal one nor a step in the right direction, but, on the
contrary, it was ono opposed to all the fundamental prin-
ciples of reform ever laid down, and one that could not but
be productive of tho most endless confusion. It was said
that the working classes, by their education and intelligence
were entitled to admission to the franchise. (Hear.) That
might be true in boroughs, for which the hon. member did
not propose to legislate, but it was not true in counties, to
which the provisions of the bill now under discussion solely
applied. It was said that the country gentlemen were not
the friends of the working classes, but if the division lists
were examined, it would be found that the TEn Hours Bill,

the Factories Bill, the Bleaching Works Bill, and many
other measures which mainly benefited and improved the
condition of the working class, have been carried by the
votes of the country gentlemen. He opposed the present
bill because he thought it would injure the rural districts.
Viscount ENFIELD thought that much embarrassment
was occasioned by discussion on this bill. He did net think
the measure would at all effect the object proposed. He
must say he was not prepared to vote for a £lO county fran-
chise, but one fixing it at £2O should have his cordial support.
The late Lord Herbert was of opinion that that sum we.; the
proper sum to fix it at, and he entirely subscribed to that
opinion. He wished to extend the county franchise, but
not degrade it; and although he could not approve of the
motion of the bon. gentleman who had moved the previous
question, he should in committee move that the qualifica-
tion under the bill should be £2O, instead of £lO,
Lord I. MONTAGU opposed the bill.
Lord HENLEY regretted the bill had not been allowed
to pass the house without encountering such opposition,
because he louked upon it as a step in the right direction,
'and on the whole beneficial. If the bill was rejected, he
hoped the present discussion would be found of great sere
vice in assisting the framing of a better and more general
measure.

[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF LORDS--Last Evening,

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack
at five o'clock.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH presented several peti-
tions from officers in the East India Company, complaining
of the non-fulfilment of certain provisions in the amalga-
mation of the two forces. He hoped the Government
would soon be able to state what steps they intended to
take in the matter. •
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The Swansea Vale Railway, and Carmarthen and Car-
digan Railway bills were read a second time. The Stroud
Gas, Chelsea Water, Hull Docks, and Southwark and
Vauxhall Water bills were read a third time and passed.