The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-30 00:00:00

question upon the valuation we now have, how low
the occupancy franchise Should be reduced. In
1852 we proposed a reduction to .£5 in the franchise
for burghs, and to £lO in the counties. - I Still
remain of opinion that this was a perfectly safe
proposition. (Applause.) I don't mean to tie
myself down to figures on either one side or the
other, but all I say is, that on the principle upon
which in 1852 I was ready to support and did.,
support it, I am still ready in Parliament to con-
sider how the franchise—a great boon in itself, and,
of great service to the institutions of the country
—may be best and most safely and liberally ex,
tended to those classes of the community who can
independently and intelligently exercise it. (Great
laauk.) Gentlemen, I have thought it necessary
ay these few words—to make these few ex-
natory remarks—because perhaps what I said
the other day was somewhat concise and curt upon
this matter. I don't think you will expect me to
go further upon the question of the franchise.
(Hear, hear) It is very plain that an extension
of the suffrage is an experiment that at all events
may be made with perfect safety. (Cheers, and
marks of dissent.) It is impossible to deny that
outside the pale of the present franchise there lies
a vast amount of intelligence quite as able to wield
that political weapon as those in whose hands it is
placed at present. (Loud cheers.) About this I
can have no doubt at all ; and Igo further, because
I say that outside the pale of the present fran-
chise there is a class which, for intelligence and
independence also, is peculiarly well fitted to
wield it,—cheers)—l say the elass—the upper .
class of our working people—(r enewed cheers and
hisses)—the artisans—especially the skilled artisan
—all of whom are persons of as much mental culti-
vation certainly, and often more, than those who
nominally now are within this magic circle of the
franchise. (Applause.) And I know no class,
gentlemen, which has increased more—l don't meen
merely to say in education and intelligence, but in
a steady and steadfast view of public affairs. I know
no class that has gained more position.during the
last ten years than the class of which I speak.
(Cheers.) I say *it rests with the working classes
themselves ; and I trust some day or other—when
it may come I know Rot—by an united effort among
themselves, they will. restore to Scotland its old
reputation--restore to Scotland the position which
it held in the eyes of Europe, as not only a nation.
intolerant of tyranny and proud of its freedom, but
a nation that holds the education of the people,
down to the very lowest, to be a blessing beyond all.
price and value. (Loud and general cheering.)
And there it is I would found the franchise. Not
that I see my way to an education franchise in the
direct mode—although even in that matter I am
not so sure that means might not be devised by
which the possession of intelligence itself—of intel-
lectual acquirements—might be made, without the
test of property, the foundation of the franchise. I
am not prepared to say that is hopeless, at least, in a
limited degree; and I trust and hope it may be tried
in a limited degree, or in some degree or other, for I
know no better test of a man's power to give a vote
for a member of Parliament—l know no better test
than showing that he understands what he is doing,
that he has made the best use of his own opportu-
nities—that he has acquired that amount of intelli-
gence which a voter ought to have—a far better
intelligence in many instances than the occupying
of houses either rated to the poor or valued in the
valuation roll. (Cheers.) For, after all, it is a very
clumsy criterion of intelligence on the part of the
community that we are obliged to work with the
materials we have—that we are obliged to take
measure—l mean measure both of men and things
—by a measure not applicable to all; and we have
taken in this matter of the franchise, for want of a
better, the occupancy of a house or possession of
property as being a certain criterion of a man's
intelligence or independence—l say it is a clumsy
test in detail ; but, on the whole, it works very
well. But I can conceive better tests than this—
(hear, hear)—and I say I hope to see the time when
possession of information and intelligence, testified
in a more direct way, may admit the possessor to
the franchise. (Hear, hear.) When I say I would
base the franchise on this, what I mean is, I want
to see education, by which I mean merely the
teaching of a man, the training of his faculties to
perceive, and judge, and discriminate political as
well as other truths—l want to see this so diffused •
that the Legislature shall be quite sure, in handing
the boon of the franchise to any man, that it would
be well and duly exercised.". (Cheers.)

SOUTH-WESTERN, AND BRIGHTON
AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAYS.

The facts relating to the dispute 'which has just
arisen between these two companies were not quite
correctly given in the notice we published yesterday
of what had occurred at Havant on the previous
day. The correct state of the case is as follows :
For several years past both companies have worked
the Portsmouth traffic together, the South-Western
receiving two-thirds and the Brighton and South
Coast one-third of the total receipts. This arrange-
ment followed the abandonment of the projected
Farelam and. Portsmouth Railway some years since,
when by an agreement between the two companies
which received the sangtion of the legislature, the
South-Western purchased a moiety of four and a
half miles of the Brighton and South Coast main
line, from the Cosham junction to Portsmouth, and
shared the expenses of building the present station
at the latter town. When the Direct Portsmouth
Railway was projected it received an active opposi-
tion from both the Brighton and South-Western
Companies, but the bill having passed in 1833, a
joint agreement was entered into by the two esta-
blished companies not to afford any facilities to the
new and competing railway. -In the last session
of Parliament the Direct Portsmouth, then nearly
completed as a single line of railway from Godalming
to Havant, sought Parliamentary powers to run
over the Brighton and South Coast main line from
Havant to Portsmouth—a distance of about eight
miles. A sharp contest took place in the com-
mittees of both houses ' • but at length the amended
bill having passed the Commons, its preamble was
declared proved by the Lords, subject to an agree-
ment as to terms, which the committee ruled must
be arrived at by thel engineers of both companies, or
by an arbitrator mutually appointed, before the
running powers sought could be exercised. Shortly
after this decision had been pronounced, the share-
holders of the South-Western Company called upon
their directors to lease the direct Portsmouth lino
upon the terms it had been offered to them, viz.,
£lB,OOO per annum, and this policy was carried by
large majorities at two meetings called for the
purpose of considering the subiect. As a natter of
course, the rival engineers could not agree as to
terms, and Mr. Harrison, the engineer of the North
Eastern Railway, was appointed arbitrator by
mutual consent of the three companies interested.
Mr. Harrison has been engaged on the arbitration
for some weeks, but has not yet made his formal
award. This was the state of matters last wcrk
when the South-Western Company advertised their
intention to open the Direct Portsmouth line for
passenger traffic on the Ist of January, at the
same time giving notice to the Brighton Company
that they would run a goods train over the new
railway and through the Havant station on the
morning of the 28th inst., and on each succeeding
day. The Brighton Company met this notice by
warning the South-Western that their passage
through the Havant station would be opposed until
the terms for using the railway from Havant to
Portsmouth had been decided upon, in pursuance
of the legislative direction to that. effect.
Attempts at arrangement having failed, the
Brighton Company on Monday night removed
the down points at the junction of the Direct
Portsmouth line with their own railway, and
placed an engine over the up-crossing—thus shut-
ting off all means of getting upon the main line.
The South-Western goods train was not ex-
pected until 9.58 a.m. ; but Mr. Scott, who had
it under his charge, took time by the forelock,
and arrived at Havant at 7 a.m., with a strong
muster of platelayers and other employes of his
company. The first step taken was to relay
took
point rail, but not being able to effect a pasbage on.
to the main line by this means, they neat
forcible possession of the enFine placed upon `e
up-crossing, and ran it into a siding. The Bri ton,
and South Coast adherents had by this time
ntus
tered strongly, and before Mr. Scott could get hia-
train across they had lifted another rail on the
main line, and thus prevented the possibility of his
going on to Portsmouth. Mr. Scott kept his train
across both lines of the Brighton and South Coast
Railway for two or three hours, during which tiro
all traffic up and down was stopped ; but at
finding that all his efforts to get forward were vain,
he retired in order, and retraced his journey to
Godalming. All circumstances considered it is
very fortunate no more serious consequences oc-
curred than the delay ofthseouupthancoasddotwßn zawayssen:
gers on the Brighton and
forcesin bc rt both)
on partieshe were determined, and their united
spot (fortunately not called. into
t
are said to have amounted to more than 500
men. •
The Brighton Company arc about to apply for
an injunction to restrain the South-Western from
running traffic off the new Portsmouth Railway on
to their main line; and in order to carry out their
announced intention of opening the new line on the •
Ist of January, the latter company have advertised
that trains will run on that day to and from
Havant, between which„ place and Portsmouth
their passengers will be conveyed in omnibuses.
The Brighton Company advertise a reduction of
fares between London and Portsmouth and
Bri(Thtoni other ttaTantag•es.