The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-09 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—The debate on Mr. Baines's Bill has
been distinguished by an opposition to the measure
as vigorous and earnest as that of Wednesday last,
and by a defence even more void of enthusiasm.
Both sides have evidently felt that, whatever may
be the claims of the class which is at present with-
out the franchise, whatever the shape which the
future Reform Bill may be destined to take, there
is little to recommend the particular measure which
Mr. Baines brings before Parliament. The speech
of Mr. Gregory represents the strong Conservative
feeling which possesses the great body of the edu-
cated class on this subject. Although we do not
share all the apprehensions which are so freely ex-
pressed, nor shrink from contemplating the admis-
sion of the working men within the pale of the Con-
stitution, yet a feeling so strong and so general as
that which this speech and. those of Wednesday
evince shows how slowly and cautiously the Govern-
ment must deal with the subject if it would avoid de-
feat and be able to make any beneficial change. The
present House of Commons is not illiberal. Though
elected under a Conservative Government, it soon
dismissed them, and for six years has continued to
give regular and efficient support to their opponents.
It has passed a multitude of measures. has com-
pleted the liberation of commerce, has diminished
or repealed oppressive taxes, has paid especial at-
tention to the condition and management of the
poor—in short, has done all that can be asked of a
popular Assembly by any reasonable man. Yet the
temper of the House on this question of extending
the suffrage is unmistakable. Even with a general
election close at hand, the members are unable to
refrain from showing which way their convictions
and their sympathies lie. When Mr. Gregory de-
nounces Democratic change and gives pictures of
Australian and American political life he carries the
House with him ; and we cannot help feeling that if
the much prized institution of the Ballot had been in-
troduced into the Commons there would probably
not have been 50 votes for Mr. Baines's Bill. Under
these circumstances, the position of Government
last night, though at first sight embarrassing, was
not really one of difficulty. Opponents may taunt
them with respect to the Reform Bills of 1859 and
1860, but such taunts are easy to bear when it is
felt that those who use them are at heart just as
uneasy as to their own conduct. The course of the
present debate is the best justification of what
Government did in the last Parliament and in the
early days of the present one. Lord Derby's Ministry
brought in a Reform Bill, which; though most
liberal in certain of its provisions, did not provide
for the enfranchisement of the working classes by
lowering the suffrage. On this question the Con-
servatives were defeated, and they appealed to the
country. When the new Parliament met they were
forced to relinquish office as not possessing the con-
fidence of the house. The Whigs, who succeeded
them, were, of course, morally bound to bring in a
Reform Bill of their own, and this they did, and
used, as Sir George Grey tells us, every effort to
carry it. We may have an opinion that these efforts
were not very strenuous, but it is fair to admit that
the hostility of the House of Commons and the in-
difference of the country made the success of the
measure impossible. Some slight lowering of the
franchise. might have been grudgingly conceded,
but it was quite understood that the members for
the small 'boroughs were determined not to permit
another " Schedule A," and without some strong
impuliso from the country it would leave been Ira.