The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-03 00:00:00

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LONDON, SA7 URDAY, AUGUST 3, 1867.

To-day we may congratulate ourselves upon ano-

ther important step being gained in the work of

progress, for the Reform Bill has passed through

Committee in the House of Lords, and on Monday

the report will be received. This is indeed satis-

factory intelligence, and there can now be no doubt

as to the measure being carried this session. During
its progress through the Upper Honse of Parliament

it has had to encounter considerable opposition, and

the course pursued by certain noble lords was fac-

tious in the extreme : added to this the inopportune
absence of Lord DERBY from the House occasioned
a state of affairs that for some days was anything
but promising. The chief feature in the discussion
of last night was the clause of the Marquis of
SALISBURY to propose that voting papers should be
used instead of the electors being compelled to at-
tend in person. This was subsequently carried by
the large majority of 78, and added to the bill. We
see no objection worthy of the name that can be
made to this proposition ; but, on the contrary, there
appears much to justify its adoption when we come to
consider its bearings in a dispassionate form Lord
CAIRNS, in his able speech, showed the fallacy of
those who argued about faggot-votes, for, as he
said, their manufacture had now nearly ended ; and
besides, when the county constituencies were in-
creased they would cease entirely. As for the
notion that intimidation would be the consequence,
as the noble and learned lord very forcibly put it,
as things work now matters are much worse. The
disturbances that now frequently occur at elec-
tions, would be in a great measure, if not altogether
done away with by the adoption of this plan ; and,
as it was well put in this passage, "Have we any
right to compel a man, who is prepared honestly
and faithfully to record his vote, to run the gauntlet
of an infuriated mob or to submit to disfranchise-
ment ? I cannot understand the argument that a
poor man must make his way to the poll through
rotten eggs and brickbats in order to testify, if he
survives, that he has sufficient spirit to become a
martyr when necessary to the welfare of the
State." Lord CAIRNS has taken an active part in
the debate upon the Reform Bill in the House of
Lords, and by his comprehensive arguments and
brilliant oratory has greatly aided the passing of
the measure, and perhaps he distinguished himself
more last night than at any former period.
Lord SALISBURY, in introducing the clause, ex-
plained in a very satisfactory manner the reasons
which induced him to bring it forward. The system
of voting papers at the election of boards of guar-
dians has been in practice for years, and no fault has
been found with it. Experience in this direction has
also been gained in the election for members of the
Universities. As matters stand at present many
electors are not able to tender their votes at all.
The noble marquis said that he found, from a re-
turn presented to the House of Commons, that at
the last general election very little more than half
of those entitled to vote had done so. Many per-
sons do not care to undergo the inconvenience, and
in some cases the danger, of attending the poll. As
the noble marquis said, bribery would not be put an
end to by this means, but it would be rendered
far more difficult. There was great justice in the
concluding passage of the noble lord's speech when
he said that he had said enough to justify himself
in bringing forward this proposal when he showed
that an election could not be carried on " unless at
the risk of tumult, recrimination, drunkenness, and,
in fact, a variety of evil consequences, which had
the effect of preventing nearly one-third of the
voters from coming to the poll." Lord DERBY
argued as to the advisability of the House con-
senting to the proposal of the noble marquis, and
declared that he was willing to give his " cordial
support to it, as he believed it would be eminently
advantageous." The noble lord slid that this pro-
posal was rejected in the House of Commons by a
very small majority, and hence it would be as well
for that assembly to have another opportunity of
considering its merits, and to decide if they could
not allow this remedial change to be introduced.
The concurrence of the Government in the scheme
of Lord SALISBURY gave great umbrage to some
noble lords on the Opposition sides of the House,
and Lord GREY was very indignant at the sudden-
ness of the arrangement ; but it was explained that
the details would be brought on at a further stage.
Lord GREY has been singularly unfortunate in his
attempts during the details in this bill throughout,
and last night his motion was negatived without a
division concerning the necessity that now exists
for the members of the House of Commons to
vacate their seats upon taking office. The bill
paszed through committee amid cheers from both
,ides of the [louse; and although the discussions

have been stormy, and the divisions occasionally
critical, it cannot be said that undue time has been
taken up by the consideration of the measure. We
hope that the House of Commons will not reject
any of the Lords' amendments, but recognise the
importance of readily conceding them iu the proper
spirit. Faction has had its fight in the
House of Lords, and been worsted in the
encounter, till it again arises in the House of Com-
mons. Mr. GLAPSTONE, we should think, has had
sufficient opportunities of testing his ail' and dis-
playing his eloquence, and he can well afford to