The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-26 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, FED. 2G, 1867.

When a fortnight ago Mr. DIsRAELI introduced
tho House to the Government Resolution 3 on Re-
form he expressed a wish that the House of
Commons would rise to the occasion before it, and
this was not an unnatural hope, considering the

importance of the subject. We regret, however,
to state that in some respects the House did not
fulfil this desire, for the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer and his colleagues had to stand the fire of
a hostile assault from many quarters, and one con-
ducted, too, with great energy and determination.
Of course, no one expected that anything like una-
nimity would be come to, but still it would have
been very easy to make what objections were neces-
sary, as were deemed so at any rate, without intro-
ducing into the tone of the discussion that bitter
and acrimonious spirit of party which has been the
ruin of so many noble projects, and has caused the
destruction of much that was good and great. Mr.
DISRAELI is no novice in Parliamentary affairs ; he
has often had before this to withstand hostile
criticism, and has had to witness the failure of
schemes whieh might have been rendered conducive
to the welfare of the community. We do not
think, however, that upon any preceding occasion he
had brought forward a measure so deserv-
ing of the support of the House and
the sympathy of the public as that of
last night. We do not profess to be the
champions of the measure in its every detail, and to
assert that it could not possibly have been better de-
vised, but we do say that it is a great deal better than
many had a right to expect, and that it goes further
than had been anticipated in the right direction,
while it also affords a prospect of settlement in
many awkward matters, and seems to have grappled
with every leading difficulty in a very successful
style. Many of its propositions are broad, states-
manlike, and well-considered ; many of its changes
have long been called for by the growing intelli-
gence of the people ; and the rapid changes, and
most, if not all of its provisions, seem actuated by
a spirit of fairness, and animated by a sincere de-
sire to do justice to the various classes of the com-

munity.
Perhaps there is no question which of late years
has engaged the attention of the House or occupied
the labours of our statesman more arduous than that of
Reform, and of the many times when the matter has
been before the House and the country not one has
been so awkward in many respects as the present
one. The Government of Lord DERBY has the luck of
finding itself constantly brought face to face with
the most complicated measures. No matter at what
time the Conservatives are suddenly called into
office, they are told that they must immediately
come to a decision on this or that subject, and high
above all others in importance and interest towers
the vexed question of Parliamentary Representation.
We would warn those, however, who think that
they may run down their prey at this convenient
season that they will have to bear a heavy respon-
sibility in so doing, and that in the face of the
house and the country they will have to answer for
their conduct. There have been many indications
during the last few months that the country at large
is getting heartily sick of the way in which Reform
has been treated by Parliament. Those who con-
sider, and with justice too, that their privileges are
concerned in this matter, and that their interests
are at stake while the settlement lies dormant, feel
very naturally hurt and indignant that year after
year should glide by and nothing definite take place,
and that session after session should see one bill
after another introduced with pomp and ceremony
only to be consigned in its turn to the limbo of
darkness, and add another to the numerous lists of
failures which pass to the land where all things are
forgotten. It becomes, then, more important than
it has ever yet been that this year should see the
settlement of the Reform question ; and, indeed, so
significant have been the signs manifested in respect
to this that we think that a measure in many re-
spects faulty and imperfect had much better be
passed than that nothing should be done in the
matter. Not that any one has a right to apply
such terms to the scheme last night brought forward by
Mr. DISRAELI, but we fear that many care not fur the
right or wrong of the thing, but only look to their
own individual prejudices and particular fancies
not being thwarted or interfered with at all.
Mr. DISRAELI made a very lucid statement of
the several plans of the Government last night, and
entered into an elaborate explanation of its details,
which, so far as we can judge at this brief space of
time, seem fair and impartial. We say again, as
we said before, that the
,right hon. gentleman was
not, met in a spirit of confidence and good faith
by many. Mr. LOWE and Mr. BRIGHT agreed for
once in their deunciation of the project before them;
and Mr. ROEBUCK, we regret to say, also showed
himself adverse to the plan. Considering all
things, we may come. to the conclusion that Mr.
LOWE is the most formidable of the Ministerial
opponents, and, therefore, it is well to look to some
of his chief arguments. lie begins by saying that
the Government scheme is like a " balloon in the
air ; they have no contact with it." Then the right
hon. gentleman seems to feel some compunction for
the hard measure he and others dealt out to Mr.
GLADSTONE last year, and thinks his reserve was
openness itself compared to the manner in which
the Chancellor of the Exchequer has carried on his
explanations. Mr. LOWE expended all the powers of
his considerable eloquence in an earnest appeal tothe
house not to consent to the motion that the Speaker
leave the chair, and used illustration after illus-
tration, heaping precedent upon precedent, to show
the danger, the fully, and the injustice of the
scheme of the Government. All ended, however,
in the decision that a bill must be substituted for
these Resolutions. " Let us call upon the Govern-
ment to bring in a bill after the good old English
fashion, and then let us deal with it in our own way."
We have no doubt whatever that " all our way"
would very soon settle the matter, and send the bill
of Lord DERBY after those of last year and the
years before. " Touch the nettle gently,-and it will
sting your hands," says Mr. LOWE, but " grasp it
firmly, you are unhurt, and may tear it at your
leisure." We think, however, that this is very
much what the Government has done, for they
have acted with sense and spirit, and seem to have
taken every possible precaution to prevent failure.
Mr. BRIGHT followed in the wake of Mr. LOWE,
and condemned the cause of Government, and de-
clared that a bill must be brought in at once and
without delay. He taunted the Ministers with
the convenient manner in which they changed
their opinions to suit the purpose of the
hour. Mr. BRIGHT concluded by asking the
House not to falter in its duty, but to allow such a
measure to be passed as would settle the matter, and
relieve him and others from the necessity of ever
again opening their lips on the matter of Reform.
Wo may well ask, however, could such a scheme
ever be found, and if it were, would it please Mr.
BRIGHT any the better ; would he not find some
excuse, and see some plan at the eleventh hour in
the vaunted scheme which compelled him to put his
veto upon it.

Mr. GLADSTONE'S speech is quite a relief after
those of the two gentlemen who preceded him, and
he seemed to be actuated with the full desire to
do justice to the proposition of the Government.
lie did not promise any unqualified support,
but he did promise to do nothing hastily or
harshly against the measure ; and on that we must
rely, as we suppose the Ministers will do, as their
best chance of getting over the great difficulty of
the task before them. Although he did not approve