The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-18 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1867.

The Redistribution of Seats is always one of the
most difficult and unsatisfactory parts of a Reform
Bill. The electoral franchise is, indeed, more im-
portant and more exciting, and has oftener occa-
sioned the downfall of a measure, but there is some
definite principle to guide the Minister with respect
to the voter's qualification, there is something to
arouse sympathies and to create animation, whereas
the Redistribution of Seats is at best an invidious
and uninteresting task. If disfranchisement is in
question the Government is certain to excite a strong
opposition in all the places to be disfranchised. Cela va
sans dire. But even if actual disappointment is
ingeniously evaded, as in the case of the bill now
under discussion, there are still some awkward
obstacles in the way. The very apportionment of
new seats is of itself a difficulty, since it is impos-
sible to give satisfaction to all the applicants for
increased privileges, all the aspirants for political
honour. Our population has increased so rapidly,
and our villages have sprung into towns with such
marvellous celerity, that unless some considerable
addition is made to our Parliamentary members,
every place which for business and population de-
serves a representative
_cannot hope to obtain one.
The great cities and the counties that think they
are now inadequately represented cannot all be
satisfied, and thus it is almost as unsatisfactory a
task to apportion new members as to take away old
ones. Then comes the boundary difficulty—no in-
considerable one when the variations of population
and other circumstances are taken into account.
The Government are evidently anxious with respect
to the formation of the Boundary Commission, and
desire to have, if possible, a list of names to
which no exception can be taken by either side of
the House. The names are not yet given, as Mr.
LAING'S motion took precedence of the Govern-
ment motion last evening ; but they are, it seems,
ready, and the Government are prepared to give
them very extended powers. With the exception
of diminishing the existing boundaries of boroughs,
which would involve disfranchisement, they are to
have carte blanche, to add to or alter in any way
they may think fit. In answer to a question from
Mr. GRIFFITH, the Chancellor of the Exchequer
said he thought it desirable that the Commission
should be represented in both Houses of Parliament.
The object of this is that if the decisions of the
Commissioners should be questioned in either
House, they would have a representative to explain
their conduct and conclusions without depending
on the Government for an advocate. Lord
EVxRSLEY has, we are glad to find, accepted the
office of President of the Commission, and will re-
present the Commission in the Upper House. This
is in every respect an unexceptionable appointment,
and we trust the names of the other members of the
Commission will be equally calculated to inspire
confidence in the House and the country.

The Government met yesterday with a series of
successes, and the Reform Bill has made great pro-
gress in many respects. Not that it was all smooth
work either, because some objections were made to
the proposals of the Government, and in catain
quarters great excitement was displayed. Mr.
LAING made a mistake in pushing his advantage
too far, and had better have been contented with the
success he had already met with, for, by trying too
much, he has only reaped disappointment and
failure. A majority of eight decided against the
proposal of the hon. member, and so eager had
been the expectation of some concerning the matter
that it is not to be wondered at that loud cheering
hailed the announcement of the majority in favour
of Government. Taking all things together the
arrangement of the Ministers respecting the redis-
tribution scheme seems as rational as can be desired,
and any alteration of a decided character is unneces-
sary. Mr. DISRAELI, in an elaborate speech,
showed the fallacy of the arguments of the
various speakers in favour of Mr. LAING'S
proposal to give a third member to six
towns, and explained the circumstances relating to
the county representation, as by the new places some
of the county representation will be done away
with, and hence the proposal to give the counties
twenty-five members was a direct compensation for
the rather indirect representation that had hitherto
existed. The right hon. gentleman showed the
futile nature of Mr. LAING'S assertion that the
Government had taken forty-five seats from the
boroughs only, and put it to the committee that
this interpretation was not a just or a wise one ; on
the contrary it has been shown that the said
representation by these boroughs of " urban in-
terests" was quite a farce. A great deal of the mis-
conception that has taken place in this matter has
arisen from the notion that hon. members have taken
up that that particular scheme can be carried out,
instead of taking a comprehensive view of the ques-
tion, and looking at it in the general aspect of
affairs. As Mr. DISRAELI said, it is only by de-
grees that it is possible to adapt the representation
of the country to its wants. " How," very
naturally asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
" are we to provide for the rising urban popula-
tion if we accumulate the representation
among the large boroughs which are already
represented ? It is no argument to contrast Bir-
mingham, with its two members, with some small
town which has also two members. You might
as well contrast some great county, with its two
members, with one of its small boroughs having
a like representation. You might as well take
North Durham, with its great industrial popula-
tion, which is represented by two members, and
compare it with four boroughs it contains, whose
aggregate population, not exceeding one half that
of the county, returns eight members to Parlia-
ment. Why, there is a flagrant anomaly,
according to what I may term the super-
ficial reasoning of the day." This passage is worthy
of notice, because it tends to expose one of the
fallacies which are apt at the present day to become
current, and to gain credence with many. A new
numerical arrangement can never answer altogether,
and the scheme now before the House is far more
likely to become popular if too much is not ex-
pected from it, and if " strong philosophers" and
others do not seek to make it perfect.
With respect to cumulative voting, Mr. DISRAELI,
ou behalf of Government, declared that they were
against it, and would not hesitate to state their
objections to it in due time. There was a good deal
of truth in the closing remark of the right hon.
gentleman on this subject, to the effect that it was
needful to pause and consider their ways before
changes took place in the principles upon which the
opinions of the people of England have been
represented in Parliament. In adverting to these
plans, Mr. DtsRAELI said that they had been asked
to give six members to Manchester, but it needs
little to show that confusion instead of order would
be the result of this, as the right hon. gentleman