The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-07 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAY.-Morning, 3h. 50m.—Afternoon, 4h. 5m
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LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1867.

The much-talked of demonstration of the 6th of
May has happily passed over without s rious dis-
turbance. 'The concourse of people in the Park
VR3 very great, but nothing like riot or tumult
occurred. Only five prisoners were apprehended,
and none of them bore the smallest approach to
political martyrdom, three of them being arrested
for pocket picking and two for gambling. At ten
o'clock the police, who, during the evening had
patrolled the Park, and the military who had been
kept at hand,were withdrawn, and an hour later the
I'ark was empty. No accident of any note occurred
during the afternoon, and if no great political object
has been gained by it, its promoters can, at least,
toast that nu serious consequences have ensued. No
doubt the Council of the Reform League are heartily
glad that the day is well over, and we hope it will

be some time before we are treated to another of
these monster meetings. We should imagine that
the most ardent of their supporters must by this
time be pretty well convinced that they are not of
the kind which influence legislation. Orderly as-
semblies at suitable places, where debate and dis-
cussion are matters of reality and not of form, and
at which the sentiments of the audience can be fairly
tested by the speakers, are the demonstrations which
carry weight. We must feel sure that an assembly
knows what is being talked about, that it has a
definite interest in the matter in hand, and that the
majority of its members, at least, accept the terms
of a resolution before we can suppose that the
Government or the Legislature will attach much
importance to such a declaration of its sentiments.
The platforms in Hyde-park might represent the
eloquence of Mr. BEALES, Mr. BAXTER LANGLEY,
and their associates, but a good deal of its sweet-
ness or acidity was wasted on the air, for compara-
tively few of their immediate surroundings could
catch their words. The only resolution which was
proposed was carried with applause by the company
gathered round Platform No. 1 ; but we apprehend
that Mr. BEALES himself would be forced to admit
that the greater portion of the motley assemblage
were sublimely indifferent to the claims of the com-
pound householder, and altogether ignorant of the
advantages or disadvantages of a residential qualifi-
cation. It is almost amusing to compare the pro-
ceedings in the House of Commons last evening
with the programme of the League. If they had
waited in patience for a few hours more they would
have found that the lodger franchise was not re-
fused by the Government, and that the disputed
point regarding the term of residence was conceded.
They could hardly suppose that the House or the
Ministry would be prepared to surrender the very
foundation of the measure, the principle of rating,
and adopt an unconditional household suffrage
throughout the country, because such a measure
would be generally unwelcome, and would be very
unlikely to be carried.
So far, then, as the gathering together of large
numbers of persons in a given spot was concerned
the object of the League has been attained, and we
are heartily glad that the annals of the day are un-
marked by any noticeable event ; and we hope
that since they have succeeded in carrying out
their programme and holding their meeting, the
Reform League will now abandon these foolish
monster gatherings, which have no sort of political
influence in a rational sense, but only serve to con-
nect their cause with agitation, disorder, and defi-
ance of constituted authorities.

Yesterday was a busy day for the Government in
every respect, and they steered their way trium-
phantly through the various shoals and quicksands
that beset their progress, completing with the
almost assured success of the Reform Bill in its pas-
sage through the House of Commons. We are not
surprised at this, because we have all along declared
our conviction that it was capable of being moulded
into a useful measure, and expressed confidence in
the good faith of the House ; but it is most gratify-
ing, nevertheless, to consider it comparatively safe.
In many respects there is far more chance of a
Reform measure being carried by the Conservatives
than by their opponents, because they are more
united and compact as a party, and do not divide
into sections as the others do, too frequently illus-
trating
the adage, " quot homines tot sententix."
There seemed last night a sort of tacit agreement
between the House and Government to do their
best in the furtherance of the great work before
them, and the result was eminently satisfactory to
all sides. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, in an-
nouncing the opinions of the Government upon
many points, declared that Mr. lIIBBERT'S amend-
ment had been considered, as they had promised
it should be ; and the conclusion was that
they could not agree to it in its present form,
and to give the compound householder the " legis-
lative relief" in the manner which he suggests.
Some propositions will be made by the Government,
however, which will have the effect of improving
this part of the scheme ; and, as Mr. DISRAELI
showed last night, it is impossible to say that the
landlord pays the fine, and that neither he nor the
tenant will incur it, and thus the legislation
will be divisted of the invidious character
ascribed to it by Mr. GLADSTONF, and agreed to by
others. "We propose," said the right hon. gentle-
man, " that the moment the compound householder
claims the right of exercising the franchise, by pay-
ing the full amount of the rates and deducting it
from the rent, to exonerate the landlord from the
guarantee he has given." So again when the com-
pound householder has paid the full amount of rates
he can deduct from the rent the same amount that
he has gained. The new clause which Mr. DISRAELI
will place on the table of the house will contain the
facilities of the original proposition, together with
some new suggestions that have been made in re-
spect to the compound householder. We may fairly
conclude, then, that this obstacle of the compound
householder is in a sure way of being settled in a
satisfactory manner. Sir ROUNDELL PALMER'S
amendment did not meet the approval of his
friends, and he withdrew it, thereby getting rid of
some others which depended upon it. It is curious
to notice that the only Conservative member of
Lord PALMERSTON'S Cabinet has thus out-Heroded
Heeon, and gone far in advance of his friends
the " sincere Reformers." The lodger franchise
may be looked upon as settled now, and that
is an important point gained, as it was one of the
best parts in the bill of 18b9, and its then opponents
have not only come round to it, but done so with the
zeal that generally distinguishes converts. The
Ministry can afford to overlook the abuse they
have met with, in consideration of the compli-
ment that was peid to their discernment, and there-
cognition of their prescience in putting the provi-
sion into their former scheme. Mr. DISRAELI
said last night that he had no " prejudices whatever
on the subject of the lodger franchise," only he
wished to consider it in a different spirit
from that in which most others dwelt upon it.
Some had tried to persuade him that the result of
admitting lodgers to the franchise would be the
greater diffusion of Conservative principles; but hr,
added, " I suppose this is a tradition of the old
Reform Bill of 1832, when everything was consi-
dered with reference to party, but I have a most
profound contempt for all these considerations. If
we are to consider the interests of party, I am per-
fectly persuaded that, however wise we may think
ourselves in these conclusions, we shall find the
experience of a few years will baffle all the
conclusions we may make. I have always felt that
a lodger franchise, if established upon a sound
principle, would be a very good franchise, and that
it might be a very important addition to our con-
stitutional element." Mr. TORRENS withdrew his
-amendment, which was the wisest thing he could
do, and the rest of the matter will be settled by the
committee. Mr. BRIGHT'S remarks at an earlier
period of the evening seemed more favourable
towards the completion of the Ministerial scheme
than any he has made yet upon the subject. lie '
said he did not despair at all of corning to
even an unanimous vote upon the chief points
yet remaining for discussion. It is a sign
of the times, we suppose, that the hon.

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