The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 4, 1867.

agitation, unless the area is enlarged. Only twelve or
thirteen towns will be affected by the proposal. It will
prevent the taking away of members from certain
boroughs, as in the case of Hertford. One member is
taken from Hertford ; but if Ware bo taken into the
borough, the member need not be taken away. He dwelt
at length upon the over-representation of Devonshire,
Dorsetshire, Wiltshire, and Sussex. He urged that the
house should seek to convince the country that they were
in earnest in this work of reform, and not to throw away
representation on small places, for their existence will be
the first cause of complaint to the new constituencies.
(Hear, hear.) He implored the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer to accept this proposition.

Mr. AYIITTON said they would make little progress
with the bill if the house discusses abstract resolutions
such as this. It is impossible to regard it as a serious
amendment, for it does not contain anything like legisla-
tion. It states a number of alternative propositions, but
does not suggest how they may be carried out. He hoped

Chancellor of the Exchequer would reject a proposi-

tion which is neither just, reasonable, nor practicable.
Mr. YORKE approved of that part of the amendment
which proposes to inclule portions of the county within
certain borough boundaries. This proposition is a legiti-
mate corollary to the motion of the hon. member for
Wick (Mr. Laing), which the house has already approved;
and it is an improvement on the scheme for grouping pro-
posed by the right hon. member for South Lancashire
last year. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. DIMSDALE spoke of the importance of the ques-

tion of redistribution, quoted a speech of the hon. mem-
ber for Birmingham (Mr. Bright) in support of his view,
and said lie doubted whether the small measure of redis-
tribution conceded by the Government will be satisfac-
tory. (Hear, hear.) He regretted that the scheme
should be based on the principle of population, and urged
that as the franchise was to be dependent on the payment
of. rates, the right of representation should depend on the
proportion of revenue contributed by a town. He admit-
ted that in respect of population the metropolis was en-
titled to a larger share of representation ; but complained
that of the several bills proposed of late years the present
measure gave the smallest amount of representation- to the
counties. With respect to the small boroughs, the only
means by which they could be preserved was by adopting
the proposition of the hon. and gallant member for Wells,
and he should, therefore, vote for it. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said—We
aro now upon the 9th clause, which refers to boroughs
that return one member only, and I. wish to explain the
position the Government find themselves in upon arriving
at the 10th clause, providing for the appropriation of seats,
after the vote of Friday night. The vote of Friday night
has also added fifteen seats to the number proposed by the
Government, and with the general concurrence of the
House the suggestion of the hon. member for Wick was
adopted, that the scheme of distribution of those seats
should be entrusted to the preparation of the Government.
It was not until to-night that the Government were in
possession of the definitive resolution of the committee.
The subject is one of vast importance, and requires great
consideration, and, in consequence of the increased area
for collective seats, it will also be necessary to reconsider
the previous scheme. We have to consider the whole 45
seats. That will of course require considerable attention,
for the scheme cannot bo placed upon the table without
the schedules being prepared, and in a finished state befit
ting its importance.' Therefore, what I propose, if the
committee will pass the 9th clause, is this, that we should
report progress, and. I will not ask the committee to be
again opened until we meet again after the ...Whitsuntide
holidays. With regard to the amendment of the hon.
and gallant member opposite, I must say that, although
his:epeech was very interesting, it had very little bearing
upon the clause, as it was rather a project for a new Re-
form Bill and distribution of seats. I think the commit-
tee will hesitate before it adopts tho amendment which, if
carried into effect, would change the character of the
county representation by adding rural areas to several
small towns without any corresponding advantage.

A short conversation followed, in the course of which
Sir F. Crossley urged that seats taken from boroughs ought
to be distributed among boroughs. • Colonel Dyott recom-
mended that the Boundary Commissioners should be in-
structed, not only to enlarge boundaries, bat to contract
them, like Tamwortb, for instance; in cases where they
had been extended into the surrounding country to suit a
particular purpose ; and Lord Galway vindicated this
policy by the example cf his own borough (East Rotford);
Mr. M‘Laren advocated the claims of Scotland to a still
further addition under the altered circumstances; Sir R.
Palmer hoped that if the principle of grouping were
adopted it would be applied equally to all boroughs iden-
tically situated, but Mr. Hardy guarded the Government
against any presumption that they were committed to the
principle of grouping. Ultimately Captain Hayter, acting
on the advice of Mr. Laing and Mr. Kinglake, intimated
his wish to withdraw his amendment, but this course was
objected to, and it was negatived without a division.
Clause 9 was then agreed to, after a protest from Mr.
Knatchbull-Hugessen against the inadequacy of the
scheme, which he insisted ought to deal with 80 or 90 seats
at least, and the committee was formally adj,,tirnod until
Thursday week, but on the understanding that no busi-
ness would be taken in it until Monday week.

Some further progress was made with the Irish Court of
Chancery Bill.
Several orders were forwarded a stage, and the house
adjourned at 10 minutes past 2 o'clock.

English Workmen at the Paris Exhibition.

On the 26th May a deputation, representing the
working men of some large manufacturing towns
in England, was received by NAPOLEON at the
Tuileries, Lord RANELAGH delivered the address
in behalf of this body, which his Majesty graciously
received. The object the deputation had in view
was to obtain an extension to England of pri-
vileges enjoyed by the labouring classes of France,
granting facilities in visiting the Paris Exhibition.
It was evident from the EMPEROR'S manner that he
favoured the views expressed by the deputation, and
his reply was no mere complimentary phrases.
NAPOLEON is not only broad in his views, but in
the highest degree practical in his measures. There
are certain principles of his policy from which he
never departs ; and although he adapts his means
to the changing features of the times, his ends are
grounded on a solid and changeless basis. Two of
these principles entered into the cor cessions sought.
The end of my politics, said the EMPEROR, has been
to cultivate a cordial alliance between our two
countries. NAPOLEON might have added, the basis
of my power rests on the masses. To erect his
dynasty on the solid frame-work of the people
has ever been the object of his family. The
first NAPOLEON, who saw more clearly than
any man of his generation, adopted this principle,
when it was not only dangerous in practice,
but held to be a delusion. If time has shown
the great warrior to have been right in anything, it
was emphatically in this policy. He had the mis-
fortune to have England for his bitter enemy, and,
though his combined opponents overthrew him in
the long run, yet the Third NAPOLEON stepped to
the Throne from the solid platform erected by his
uncle. The House of BONAPARTE has proved more
than any other that those who rely on the people
do not build on a foundation of sand. It is, then,
no fancy of the moment that leads NAPOLEON to
consider attentively, and to favour, any project
which professes to benefit the working classes. He
was ready to remove any barrier, that impeded
the free flow of English workmen to Paris. He is
aware that nothing tends more to remove prejudice
than travel, and that nothing could be better cal-
culated to impress favourably English mechanics
with his own grandeur and power than the view in
its concentrated magnificence his capital affords.
We believe that he would prefer to make this im-
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do both, and it is probable that the oppor-
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oppor-
tunities to do both will be contemporaneous.
The workmen will return to talk for the rest of
their lives of what they saw at Paris, imbued with
the danger and folly of a rupture between their own
country and one possessing such vast strength.
NAPOLEON knows that English power tends more
and more towards the masses. Each nation must
exercise on the other a controlling influence for
good or evil, and it is of no small moment to him
and to France that the masses who henceforth in
England will exercise so weighty a control, should
hold a strong conviction that it is for the best inte-
rests of all that they should be closely allied.

France at this moment possesses a glorious opportu-
nity for effecting this object. Newspaper reporters,
lec.urers, awl books can comparatively have but
little effect. To see is too believe, the more so
when the man who sees is so well qualified to form
an opinion as an intelligent English mechanic.
Nothing will more impress a tradesman than the de-
partment of the Exhibition which displays the pro-
gress of his own branch. There can be no keener
and truer judge than he. He will not only detect
the points in which a neighbouring nation excels,
but quickly ascertain whether the superiority is
due to the work, to the material, to an advantage
of climate, or other cause. English mechanics will be
surprised at the progress made within late years
among their Continental competitors, and to see
this will do them good, for it will act as a spur. A