The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-21 00:00:00

MR. J. HARDY, 211. P., AT DAR7IIIOUTH.

Mr. J. Hardy, M.P. for Dartmouth, on Monday
evening addressed the electors of that borough in
the Subscription-rooms ; the Mayor (Mr. R. M.
Mortimer) presided, and among others present were
the Rev. F. M. Walter, Dr. Newman, the Rev. J.
Smart, the Rev. J. Tracey, Captain Lidstone, Dr.
J. Puddicombe, and Captain Kingston.
The Mayor having introduced the hon. member
to the meeting,
Mr. Hamm', who was received with enthusiastic
applause, rose, and, in the course of a long address,
said that the least he could do was to invite their
attendance there that evening to hear the history
of what had taken place during the last session of
Parliament. The great changes that had taken
place, and the further changes that might ensue
throughout the length and breadth of he lad,
were questions in which everybody who claimed nto
be good citizens must feel an interest. He ous
ght,
perhaps, to apologise to his original supporterin
Dartmouth for having in his old age, after having
represented Dartmouth for so long a time, all at
once turned what some people might consider an
extravagant Liberal. (Hear, and laughter.) He
did not think any apology was due to the Liberal
at
party in Dartmouth, most of whom opposed him
the last contest, for be thought be had answered
their most sanguine expectation, even if he had
not gone beyond them. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
No doubt many people were surprised at such
a wide measure of reform being carried by a Con-
' servative Ministry, with Lord Derby at its head ;
but considering the circumstances of the time, and
that the subject had been discussed in Parliament
every session during the last fifteen years, Lord
Derby, though he did not pledge himself on the
subject, yet thought it his duty, when called upon
by her Majesty to take the direction of affairs, to
endeavour to pass a Reform Bill during the present
session, and they were taunted as Conservatives
with passing what some Liberals call an extravagant
measure. For his own part he thought the £lO
franchise was a good stopping place, but when once
they left the moorings at £lO he did not know
where they might drift. It was the feeling of many
who bad thought deeply on the subject, amongst
others of Sir Roundell Palmer and the late Sir
George Coalman Lewis, and he had been for many
years of the same opinion himself, that if they once
lowered the franchise the only sure resting place
was household suffrage, with certain qualifications
and limitations, if they could manage to qualify it
in that way. (Hear, hear.) A franchise of that kind
ought to satisfy everybody. Nobody could complain
of it, and he did not believe that anybody did com-
plain of it, unless that it went too faevil thanr. For himselfto be
he thought there could be no greater
continually changing; for if they went on changing
they quickly ceased to reverence. He therefore ad-
duced that as an excuse for a Conservative Mtry
iniseasure of reform. But they
bringing forward a m
must also remember that the present Premier in esrly
life as Lord Stanley was as good a reformer as any
man in Parliament ; and, therefore, he should not
be taunted with suddenly becoming a reformer, for
lie had been one for the greater part of his life.
discussions in the
There had been a great many
House of Commons, on any one of which it was
possible at any moment that the Reform Bill might
but a certain number of those whom he
be dropped ;
might call true Liberals were de.termed., panditfhey sup -
possible,
that a Reform Bill should be passed
the whole of the session. The
ported it during
question of reform bin
S one which he thought they
would admit had been much trifled with, and had
been brought forward time after time with a view
to gain political capital by the Whigs. lie did
not mean to say that some of these gentlemen
were indifferent to reform ; but still so long as
Lord Palmerston was at the head of the Govern-
went no Reform Bill could be carried. When the
Conservative party were taunted with having car-
ried such a great measure, it was only fair that it
should be remembered how many times the Con-
servative party had rescued the Liberal party from
a dangerous position. He did not think it could
be expected that the Conservative party were
going on for ever incurring great unpopularity,
rescuing the "Whigs when in danger. The grand
turning point in the discussions which took place
was the division with respect to compound house-
holders, who, he believed, were unknown in Dart-
mouth. No doubt that compounding made the
collection of rates more easy and sure ; but Mr.
Henley, a shrewd observer, designated it as the
device of Old Nick, because whatever they abated
made the rates more heavy upon others. That ap-
peared plain enough, and after lengthened discussion
it was decided that, in boroughs at least, there
should be no more compounding. Having got so
far, the qualifications with which household suf-
frage was to 140 guarded were brought forward for