The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-25 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1867.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday ex-
plained to the House the course which the Govern-
ment had resolved to take with respect to the
Boundary Commissioners; he mentioned the circum-
stances relating to the management of the Com-
mission which undertook the task of revising the
boundaries in 1832. In consequence of some mis-
conceptions that then arose, an idea prevailed in the
public mind that matters had not been properly
settled, and, in fact, that jobs had been accomplished.
As far as he himself is concerned, Mr. DISRAELI
did not seem to attach much importance to the
notion, because, as he truly added, " Nothing
is more exaggerated than the mutual imputa-
tions which we make against each other
that we take advantage of whatever circum-
stances may be under our control in our party
arrangements." Still care has been taken in these
deliberations recently held to prevent any recur-
rence of the evils alluded to, and obviate the doubts
that then arose, and in some instances marred the
satisfaction produced by the passing of the great
measure of Reform. We think that the Govern-
ment acted very wisely in not appointing a Royal
or Ministerial Commission, which it was quite open
to them to do. They thought that it would be most
unadvisable to proceed after this fashion, and made
it their object from the outset to have the Commis-
sioners " statutory." had they acted otherwise
there might have been some foundation for the
objections made about the business the other night,
but under the actual circumstances of the case they
were as futile as they were impolitic. The number
of the Commissioners has been reduced, and the
public will be glad to hear that Lord EVERSLEY has
consented to preside over the Commission. Accord-
ing to the new plan proposed there will be three
Liberals and two Conservatives on the Commission,
but the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that no con-
siderations of that kind have influenced them
in making their arrangements. In order that
some necessary supervision should be exercised the
Secretary of the Committee will be appointed by
the Government, and belong to the Treasury.
Even then Mr. BRIGHT was not satisfied, and said
that he objected to the proposal about the Secre-
tary ; it really seems as if the hon. member for
Birmingham could never be entirely satisfied with
anything but what emanates from himself, and at
any rate other people do not content him.

Mr. GLADSTONE again failed to bring in the
Committee to his way of thinking, and respecting
the consideration of the amendment proposed by
Mr. HARDCASTLE he was very eager in his support,
but to no purpose. lie was assisted in his efforts
by Mr. BERESFORD HOPE, and they strove hard to
extinguish the freemen. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer objected to the proposal on the ground
that they wished to preserve their bill from the
taint of disfranchisement, and the amendment
was negatived. Another proposed by Mr. lIoLDEN
was defeated by a small majority. Mr. COLVILLE'S
amendment, to put copyholders in Parliamentary
boroughs on the same footing as freeholders, was
discussed for some time, and finally rejected by a
majority of 2, and a similar fate befell Nlr. VIVIAN
in his attempt to extend the privilege to those who
had long leases. Curiously enough Mr. CARD-
WELL'S proposition to exclude the members
of Oxford and Cambridge Universities from
voting at the borough elections, respecting the occu-
pation of premises in colleges or halls, was sup-
ported by nearly all the members of the Treasury
bench, while the followers of the Ministers were
against it ; it was carried by,
twenty-one. The
decisions of last night were more in the. negative
than in the affirmative line, but in some sort pro-
(Tress has been made, since no more time has to be
occupied in the discussion of these matters, and the
committee can turn to other subjects of interest.

Among the many working men's Conservative
associations which the recent successes of that party
have encouraged to spring up in all directions, it is
not surprising to find one in process of organisation
at Chatham. The voters interested in the dockyard
and its belongings are naturally anxious to secure
a representative whose voice may have some influ-
ence with the Government of the day, and accord-
ingly they are looking forward to the time when a
new election shall give the Conservative candidate
another chance. The proceedings on Thursday
evening were chiefly of a political nature, as Ad-
miral ELLIOT, the defeated candidate at the last
election, entered very fully into the claims of the
dockyard establishments on the attention of the
House of Commons. The gallant Admiral declared
his belief that the Manchester school, to which the
sitting member was attached, was altogether opposed
to the interests of the dockyards, and proceeded to
touch upon some of the points connected with their
administration which he thought most needed re-
form. The reduction of the pensions he disap-
proved of, and thought that by an insurance com-
pany, or some such thing, the pension ought to be
made a permanent provision for the dockyard
man and his family. The men, it has been said,
ought to be provident and take care of themselves,
but Admiral ELLIOT holds, that as many of them
are indisputably not provident it is better to pay
them a certain amount, and to insure the rest for
them or for their families. Otherwise there is a
chance of an improvident man finding himself, when
his term of service is out, with nothing to retire
upon. This is a hardship of their own making,
if the alterations in the pay of the men are clearly
explained to them, but if the object is to
benefit the men themselves it may be ques-
tioned if the change is altogether beneficial.
The education of the children of the dockyard men
was the next subject which 'Admiral ELLIOT