The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-11 00:00:00

returned who are supporters of the present Go-
vernment. Now, I take leave to differ entirely
from that opinion. In the first place Ido not
think that there has been a large majority re-
turned in favour of the present Government. The
majority has been returned in favour of the Conser-
vative element in the present Government. More
than that, looking at the speeches which have been
delivered by many of the successful candidates, no
one can help seeing that in the true sense of the
term there has been a most marked Conservative
reaction throughout the country. (Cheers.) What
has been the ground which has been taken by many
—I would almost say by the majority—of the Libe-
ral candidates who have presented themselves to the
constituencies throughout the country ? They have
looked forward to the possibility of a modification
in the representation, to the possibility of a coming
Reform Bill, but they almost universally have taken
this line. They have said they wished to see the
qualification required for the representation modi-
fied and extended, but not degraded. (Cheers.) I
do not know that I could point out a more marked
instance of what I call Conservative reaction than
the position taken on behalf of the Government by
Sir George Grey before the dissolution took place.
The Government came into office pledged to an ex-
tensive Reform Bill, to a £lO franchise in counties
and lowering the suffrage to £6 or less in boroughs.
It was upon that ground that they challenged the
confidence of Parliament and succeeded in displacing
the Ministers of the Crown who were then in office.
And now what is their position after five years' ex-
perience of public opinion? That very Government,
speaking through the mouth of Sir G. Grey, said
they would bring forward a Reform Bill if there
was a general feeling in the country in favour of it,
but if there was not a general feeling expressed by
the country in favour of a large extension of
the suffrage, they would not, as Ministers of the
Crown, propose it. (Hear.) That shows that the
very public opinion in favour of a large reduction
of the franchise on which they relied and acted only
five years ago is such, it has become so very doubt-
ful, that they would not now even pledge themselves
to bring forward a Reform Bill founded on it.
Take, again, one of the most noted members of the
House for proposing a reduction of the franchise—
Mr. Locke King. Year after year Mr. Locke King
has urged on the House the adoption of a £lO fran-
chise in counties, but he now throws over his £lO
scheme, and will be perfectly content with one of
£2O. (Hear, and cheers.) This shows that there
has been in the best sense of the word a Conserva-
tive reaction in the country. (Cheers.) We too
long suffered the noisiest portion of - our politicians
—those who are termed the advanced Liberals, by
their clamour and constant agitation to produce an
impression that there was a strong feeling in the
public mind for large and extensive measures of
Reform. But that has gone by, and now public
opinion speaks loudly for itself to this effect—that
while we are willing to give to the class now mire-
presented their fair share in the representation, the
public feeling will not stand those measures of Re-
form that will enable them to swamp all other
classes, and to throw us headlong into the arms of
a Democratic Government. (Cheers.) In this sense
I say there has been a great " Conservative reac-
tion." I care little for the phrase Conservative reac-
tion, if by it is meant that we are to displace one set
of men simply to put another in their room. What
I look to is this, that the public feeling of the coun-
try has expressed itself in a Conservative sense, and
with that, whatever Government may be in power,
I, for one, am content. (Cheers.) But now there
has been a good deal of discussion in this town as
to what is meant by a " Liberal Government ;"
and some difference of opinion was expressed.by my-
self and Mr. Hurst on that point when we stood be-
fore you on the hustings. When a man says he is
an adherent of a Liberal Government, I want to
know of which section of the Government he is a
supporter. Is he a supporter of Lord Palmerston, of
whom I heard Richard Cobden say in the house that
he believed he was the most bigoted old Tory in it?
—(a laugh)—or is he a supporter of Mr. Gladstone
who is now claimed as the future leader and apostle
,of the Liberal party ? The Times has lately taken
up Mr. Gladstone, and predicted for him a brilliant
future az; the leader of the Liberal party, as the only
man whose genius, whose liberal and enlightened
sympathies can fairly entitle him to represent the
Liberal party in this country. Well, but what has
the Times said of Mr. Gladstone within a very short
period ? I hold in my hand a short extract from the
Times, describing a speech made by Mr. Gladstone
with reference to the extension of the suffrage, and
what does it say of that memorable speech ? It
says, "It is the language of sweeping and levelling
democracy—of men who have emancipated them-
selves from the doctrine of the right divine of kings
in order to fall into the equally dangerous doctrine
of the right divine of multitudes—it is equality
against liberty—is theory against practice—it is ab-
stract dogmatism against experience—it is a con-
fusion between the end and the means." (Cheers.)
Now, when lam told that a member is to give his
support to a Liberal Government I want to know
whether he gives it to the Tory leader described by
Mr. Cobden or to the sweeping and levelling demo-
cracy of the leader described by the Times? (Cheers.)
It is perfectly true that Mr. Gladstone tried to ex-
plain away that speech by means of a preface, and
that is the only indication of Conservative reaction
that can be laid to his charge, but I ask you whe-
ther you will be content to see your representative
supporting a scheme of reform such as that
shadowed out by Mr. Gladstone, or supporting
that other section of the Government and wil-
lingly shelving the question of Reform for the future
—a course of proceeding which I think is not
desired either by the Conservative or the Liberal
party. One thing I think quite clear, and that is,
as the result of the late election and the prominence
given to the question of reform, that within a very
short period that question must engage the atten-
tion of Parliament and become one of the prominent
questions with the constituencies of this country.
Now, I do not believe that any of you representing
the Liberal-Conservative party are at all prepared
to say that you are content, after the agitation of
this question and the discussion it has received, that
it should remain where it is. For my own part, I
do believe that it is the interest of the Conservative
party to look this question fairly in the face ; to in-
sist, as far as in them lies, that it shall receive an
early and constitutional settlement at the hands of
Parliament—(cheers)—and that they will give their
confidence to no government that is not prepared in
that sense to deal with the question. (Cheers.) We
are not afraid to trust our working brethren with
the suffrage. (Cheers.) There are many of them
fully qualified to exercise the right of the suffrage
in a manner advantageous to the country and hon-
ourably to themselves. (Cheers.) But what we do
object to is, that there should be that-wide exten-
sion of the suffrage that, in regard to numbers, no
other class would have a chance of having their opi-
nions expressed and felt as against those of the
working men. (Cheers.) I have been very much
struck with the extraordinit-ry inconsistency of the
Liberal journals and Liberal speakers, even within
the last few weeks, upon this question. They say
they are desirous of seeing a wide extension of the suf-
frage, almost in the words of Mr. Gladstone, yet at
the same time, looking at the elections which were
taking place, they were found, in a great number of
instances, complaining of the ignorance, corruption,
and venality shown by the class of voters known po-
larly as the freemen, but in fact representing, nine
out of ten, die very class which these Liberal writers
or speakers desired to enfranchise. (Cheers.) It will
not be for the Conservative party to produce any
Reform Bill. It is constantly said that the Conser-
vative party are obstructives. I deny that alogether.
I believe that on fit occasions they are as willing to
advance in the cause of constitutional progress as
any party in this country—far more than the old
Whigs who have so long monopolised the cry.
(Cheers.) The very position of the Conservatives in
opposition would prevent them from originating such
a measure. Their post is to watch narrowly the
course of the Government, and to see that they act
up to those principles which they are determined to
maintain, and to take care that as far as in them lies
the legislation of the country shall be conducted so
as to conduce to the benefit of the empire at large.
(Cheers.) That gives the Conservative party the
appearance of having an obstructive policy which