The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-21 00:00:00

be

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1846.

The principle of the great measure of reform pro.
posed by the Hon. Member for Montrose is at length
fairly under discussion in the House of Commons. It
could not possibly be expected that a subject of such
vast importance—so deeply affecting the best Jute_
rests of the industrious classes, and involving the future
tranquillity of the nation—could be disposed of at a
single sitting. The debate was, therefore, necessarily
adjourned, and although the Premier at first declared
that " in the present state of public business he could
not consent to give up a Government night for the
discussion," it was subsequently arranged, on the
remonstrance of the Hon. Member for the West
Riding of Yorkshire, who truly depicted the great
anxiety entertained with respect to the question, that
the discussion should be resumed on Friday next.

Although there were but few speakers, the princi-
pal parties in the House, with the exception of the
Conservative Free-traders, as the more immediate
followers of Sir ROBERT PEEL may now be termed,
were well represented. The veteran Reformer, who
brought forward the resolution, and the eloquent
Member for Oldham, most ably and effectively sus-
tained the cause of progressive reform. The witty
and sarcastic Member for Buckinghamshire, and the
Honourable Member for West Surrey, explained
the views and feelings of the ultra-Tories
and monopolists, which, as might have been
expected, were hostile to every amelioration of the
franchise or additional concession to the middle
classes, while the First Lord of the Treasury deve-
loped the Ministerial intentions, admitting the neces•
sity of some reforms, but being quite unprepared to
declare when those reforms would be intro-
duced, their nature, or their extent. Some faint
indications, indeed, were held out of sub-
stituting for the present freemen some other class
of voters, by whom the traders and the mechanical
industry of the towns would be represented, as they
formerly were by freemen, the retention of whose
right of voting the Noble Lord admitted to be a
defect in the Reform Bill. The creation of some
new varieties of suffrage was also spoken of, such
as giving the right of voting to persons who had
placed money in the savings' banks, or who might be
elected by guilds, that being a proof of their possess-
ing the confidence of their fellow-workmen. Nothing

definitive, however, was declared. Even the
meagre and unsatisfactory changes alluded to were
rather faintly shadowed forth than dis-
tinctly and: positively declared. There was
the admission of something wrong and defec-
tive in the state of affairs, but no vigorous or
comprehensive view of the remedies that should be
applied. Will the community in general be satisfied
with such vague and unsubstantial acknowledgments?
We rather think not. It is for them to speak out,
temperately but firmly, and their wishes must be
respected.

The mischievous and impolitic course pursued by
the physical-force Chartists was made use of by the
Noble Premier as an argument against the concession
of the reforms demanded by the middle classes gene-
rally. In fact, he argued as if be thought the middle
classes and the operatives were conflicting bodies,
who had totally opposite views and feelings, and that
the latter were hostile to the four points demanded by
the former, because amendments were moved,
and perhaps in some instances carried, at meetings
convened in support of household suffrage, in favour
of the universal right of every male adult, unstained
by crime, to have a voice in the election of the repre-
sentatives of the people.
It may, perhaps, be worth while to examine what
really are the points of difference between the leaders
of the present reform movement and the honest
and conscientious Chartists, who repudiate the mis-
chievous doctrines of physical force, and who would
only seek the attainment of their desires by legal and
constitutional means. These differences are not, per-
haps, so great as might be imagined, and the exhibi-
tion of a little sound common sense and discre-
tion on the part of those persons would lead
them to aid with all their energies
the struggle that is now going forward, and the
success of which would give a large instalment of
what they themselves require. Mr. Ilustx demands
household suffrage, including therein every person
who shall have occupied a house or part of a house for
twelve months, and been rated to the relief of the
poor for that period, and that every lodger shall
have the right to claim to be so rated, and after such
rating, and residence for twelve months, to be regis-
tered as an elector. If this does not go to the full ex-
tent of universal suffrage, it would at least include
the great majority of those now unrepresented, and
the suffrage would thus be placed within the
reach of every man who thought it worth
his while to possess it. In place of their
yesterday, be
being
we s h
bouwt e d one
offr voters, t ers,
four tahnedr ea
halfwou tdo,
as
five millions out of the seven millions of adults ;
there would be nearly five-sevenths in place of but
one-seventh of the people entitled to the franchise.
The manner of voting—" the ballot"—is the same
as that demanded by the Chartists. The Parliament
would be triennial, and this at least would be a great
improvement on the present septennial system. The
apportionment of Members to population is to be made
more equal ; this surely bears a close resemblance
to the equal electoral districts: demanded as one of the
six points; there is also the abolition of the property
qualification, in which the aims of both parties
are identical. Surely an alliance might be
formed to carry out these objects. But as we have
already repeatedly declared, it is the violent men who
influence the passions of the multitude who are the
most formidable opponents of real reform, and of the
speedy attainment of popular rights.
We shall await with some anxiety the statement
by Sir ROBERT PEEL of his sentiments. A glorious
opportunity is now presented to him of assuming his
natural and true position—that of leader of the in-
dustrious classes—of the men who, in accordance
with the fiat of the DEITY, "live by the sweat of
their brow."

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.

The project of the Constitution is the subject of com-
ment in all of them, and it appears to be generally ad-
mitted that the members of the Committee appointed to
draw it up have done their duty honestly, sincerely, and,
generally speaking, satisfactorily.
The points which are likely to give rise to discussion
are the regulations with regard to the election of Presi-
; dent, and the clause which forbids conscripts drawn for
the army to hire substitutes. This last clause will, pro-
bably, be modified by the Assembly.
There are six candidates in the field for the President-
ship of the Republic, viz., M. de Lamartine, M. Thiers,
Prince Louis Napoleon, M. Armand Marrast, General
Cavaignac, and M. Caussidiere. The Orleans party and
the, ,Berryer section of the Legitimists support M. Thiers,
the Legitimists generally support Lamartine.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, Junc 20.
Boulogne and Amiens, 614—Sambre and Meuse, 334.

SPAIN.

Madrid papers of the 15th have arrived.

A change of Ministry was considered imminent. The
KING had threatened again to separate from the QUEEN,
and NARVAEZ has threatened him with banishment to
the Philippine Islands should he dare to leave the Palace.
According to report, the Marquis of BEDHAR is the
new Royal favourite vice SERRANO, and his pretensions
are supported by CHRISTINA. and NARVAEZ. A bureau
of intrigue has been established, at the head of which
are MM. GLUCKSDURGH and TALLEYRAND, the avowed
agents of the Orleans faction, to garble foreign intelli-
gence. If we take the reports of the debate on Mr.
Bermns's motion, as given in the Ileraldo, as a speci-
men, M. GUIZOT has reason to be proud of his pupils;
even he never carried the system of " enormous lying"
to such a monstrous extent.

MADRID BOLSA, JUNE 15.—The Three per Cents.
were done at 211 cash, and are reported at Ito buyers,
22 sellers after the close ; Five per Cents. 121 buyers, 1
sellers ; Passive Debt 41 buyers, 1 sellers; Coupons 8
buyers ; Bank Shares, 74 sellers.