The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-06 00:00:00

Union that carried the Reform Bill. He was equally
opposed to the agitation in Ireland for the Roman Cit..
tholic Emancipation, and yet it was that which carried
the Relief Bill; and it was admitted by the Right Hon.
Gentleman the Minister of the day, that the measure
was granted because it was apprehended that any fur-
ther resistance would cause a civil war. But were the
people always to be treated in this manner? Were these
important questions always to be kept back until further
resi,tance became dangerous to the peace of the state?
He considered the present moment to be most oppor-
• tune for passing such a motion as this. In a time
of peace and quiet at home, when you have had re-
cant demonstrations of loyalty on the part of the
great mass of the people—while clouds were lowering
abroad, none knowing how soon they might burst—and
when, notwithstanding the fidelity of those masses, there
nevertheless existed vast materials of inflammable matter
in our own country—at such a time he would say to the
Government, be wise—wait not for agitation—look about
you, and carry out all your measures of reform in peace
and tranquillity. The Noble Lord admitted that some
extension of the franchise was desirable—why nct pro-
duce it now ?—(Cheers.) The tranquillity of the country
was the strongest argument for immediately bringing it
forward. Why were they tranquil? Would they have
been tranquil if the Reform Bill had not been carried,
or if the corn-law had remained in all its rigour? And
even now, was there still no danger? Were there no
large masses on the side of order who sympathised with
the Chartists? It was a well-known fact that on the
10th of April last year hundreds of workmen, friends
of order, said to their masters, "We will protect
your property, but we will not be sworn in
special constables—for we will not act against
our own class." These things ought to be taken
seriously to heart. In voting for the present motion he
was not supporting the Hon. Member for Nottingham
(M. r. O'Connor); en the contrary, his wish was to
diminish the influence of that Hon. Member, which he
regarded as being by no means beneficial to those whose
interests he professed to promote. How was that best
to be done? By saying to the people—" Don't assemble
to thwart and control Parliament, but meet tosethey to
elect your Members, and to assert your just rights in a
constitutional manner." It was upon this principle that
the present motion was founded; and be certainly was
astonished to hear the Noble Lord say. that the Reform
Bill was placed on constitutional principles, but that this
motion was not. So far from that, the Reform Bill
introduced an entirely new principle—the 104 franchise
—a mere arbitrary selection, and one which had signally
failed. Household suffrage, and suffrage by scot and lot,
were intelligible. Every man who paid rates be-
came an integral part of the community. In this re-
spect our parish vestries might be regarded as being the
unit of our political institutions. The man who was
rated in his parish had an interest in the taxation of his
country, and he might then be said to commence his po-
litical existence ; but there was nothing in the mere
limitation of the amcunt of rent to 101., because, in
some localities, 101. might not he equal to 51. in others.
There was nothing very outrageous in the Honourable
Member's proposition ; for as the law now stood all
lodgers in a house in which the landlord did not himself

residQ bad the right of voting. The Hjuse ought to look

at the English Constitution,-and not allow itself to be
frightened by what happened to be going on elsewhere.
—(Cries of "Divide.") The Home Secretary and the
Noble Lord at the head of the Government had availed
themselves to the utmost of the feelings which prevailed,
not more on one side of the House than the other, of
regret for the excesses which had been committed on the
continent, and of thankfulness that this country had
not been the scene of similar disorders. The question
was, how could we best preserve the blessings of tran-
quillity and order—whether by adopting the measure
now submitted to the House, or by remaining as we
were? There would be danger in adopting the latter
alternative. The absence of all petitions on this occa-
sion was a circumstance fraught with alarm, for it indi-
cated that the people were ceasing to take an interest in
the proceedings of that House. The Noble Lord at the
head of the Government had said, with reference to the
case of Stamford, that no exception could be taken to
the Members who at present represented that borough.
That was precisely the argument which used to ba ad-
vanced in favour of the old rotten boroughs, for men of the

highest ability used to sit for Gatt(7n and Old Sarum.
Then, because the'llon. Member for Montrose proposed
to unite certain boroughs after the manner of the
Scotch boroughs, it was said he wished for

electoral divisions, although the two things
were as different as light from darkness. Ile
would not bo deterred from supporting the motion by
the fear of being told that he was associating himself
with persons of violent character, who wished to over-
throw the institutions of the country. The same thing
was said 20 years ago, but those near and dear to him
lived to see every measure carried which once could
obtain the support of only a small minority. Therefore,
he would not abate a jot of hope, for he believed that,
whatever might he the decision of the House that night,
this measure, or one similar to it, would eventually be
carried.—(Hear, hear.)
. .

Mr. lITJME said that the reasons on which he had
founded his motion had not been controverted, and
therefore he would, without another observation, leave
those who had heard the discussion, to decide upon the
question.

The House then divided, when there appeared—
For the moti,n
Against it
Majority . , --186

The Silver eoinage Bill was read a second time.
The report on Supply wss received, and the 'louse
adjourned at Ilalf,post Twelve o'clock.

11, OY AL ITALIAN OPERA, COVEN T-
AAL, GAR DEY. The most attractive CONCERT of the Season
will take place at t',e Royal Italian o?era Covent-garden, on
WEDNESDAY MORNING next, June 13, When, in addition to
Madame Persiani's appearance before her final retiremmt, the en-
tire talent of this gnat Lyric Establishment will be employed.
The Plogram're wia embrace the principal features of the follow-
ing Operas ; Tell, Masaniell), Lucia di Lamaiermoor, 11
Barbiere, Lucrezia Borg,.a, d'Amor, Den Giovanni, Les
Huguenots, &c., executed by the following ArtistTs :—Mdme. Grisi,
Mdmz. Persiani, Miss C. Hayes, Madame Dorus Gras, Millie. Cor-
bari, Madame idacfarren. Madile de Merric, and 3ladlle. Angri ;
Signor Mario, Signor Salvi, Signor Lavia, Mr. Sims Reeves, Signor
Tarnburini, Signor Itonconi, Signor Tagliafico, Signor Polinini, M.
Massol, and Signor Marini.

In the course of the Concert Tto s'ni's Overture t Wi ram Tell,
Weber's Ove ture to Der irePebutz, and Beethoven's Overture t
Fidelio wll be performed; also several favoutita morceaux with
ehoru Other additional talent and novelties will be presented on
this occasion. _ .

Conductor ........Mr. Costa
PSICES OF ADMISSI Al.
I
-£4 4 0 Orchestra Stalls -
- 3 3 0 Amphitheatre ditto
- 2 2 0 Pit - - -
- 1 11 6 Amphitheatre -
Commence at Half-past One.
Tickets, Stalls, and Boxes, for the night or season, to be obtained
at the Box-office of the Theatre.

Boxes -
Ditto -
Ditto -
Ditto -

-.EO 15 0
-0 5 0
-0 5 0
-0 2 6