The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-06 00:00:00

by the course taken in the House last night, for the-
lodger franchise has been restored to its original
position, and the old ten-pound limit substituted for
the fifteen, so obnoxious to some and regarded with.
doubt and suspicion by so many. This is as well,
under all the aspects of the case, and we are glad
that one cause of dissatisfaction has been entirely
removed, and the clause left as it stood in the
House of Commons. Earl RUSSELL had the satis-
faction of gaining his point, and it is to be hoped
that the unanimous consent to his proposition will
go some way to remove the feelings of irritation
and disappointment experienced by the Opposition
at their plans being frustrated last week. Lord
RUSSELL said that the effect of the fifteen-pound
limit being adhered to would be that large numbers
of skilled artisans would be excluded from the
franchise, and such a result was certainly to be
avoided. The noble lord evidently took great in-
terest in the matter, and urged the point with his
accustomed ability. Lord DERBY took a very sens-
ible view of the matter when he said that he did
not look upon the amendment relating to the fifteen
pound limit as so vital a question that it would
justify them in coming into collision with the House
of Commons, and he advised the house as a matter
of expediency to consider the vote they came to
last week. Although absent at that time the noble
earl said that he quite took his share of the
responsibility of the affair, and of the two
he preferred the fifteen pound qualification.
Lord CAIRNS made a few remarks, to the effect that
he was willing to have the decision reversed. He
did not know at the time he brought the clause
before the House that an arrangement had been
entered into taking ten pound as the figure, but
bringing up the franchise practically to twelve or
thirteen pounds value by substituting the clear
annual value in place of rental.
Lord GRANVILLE had a large majority against
him in his clause to disqualify the under-
graduates at universities from voting for the
members of the boroughs in which their universities
are situated; Lord DERBY remarking that it would
be a matter of regret that the amendment should
be carried, because it would exclude the most highly
educated and enlightened members of the consti-
tuency from the privilege of voting. Lord
STRATHEDEN met with no better fate in his extraor-
dinary proposal to alter the county franchise from
a rateable value of twelve pounds to a rental value
of twenty pounds. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH
effectually disposed of this suggestion by stating that
the limit proposed by the Government had been
originally fifteen, and that it had been reduced to
twelve, with the approbation of both sides of the
House. The scheme of the noble lord was indeed
one calculated to destroy the whole principle of the
bill, and the House of Lords did wisely to reject it.
Had they consented, nothing would have induced
the House of Commons to tolerate such a
change. Lord HARROWBY proposed that ad-
ditional members should be given to West-
minster and Marylebone instead of to the
borough formed by the parishes of Chelsea, Fulham,
Kensington, and Hamm ersmith,which was negatived
kewise, the Government refusing to entertain the

motion.

Lord SALISBURY'S clause was then considered,
and all the regulations agreed to with little altera-
tion, Lord CARNARVON withdrawing the amend-
ment he proposed, as he found that another clause
provided for the change he desired. Lord RUSSELL
expressed his disapproval of voting papers, and
went to complain of the evils that it would produce.
In fact, he considers that this plan was " open
to the objection against the ballot, which he had
always thought to be strong, and likewise to the
objections against open voting." Notwithstanding
the discouraging view thus taken by so eminent
an authority, we believe that the system of vot-
ing papers will be found to answer, and when
the formidable prejudice is got over that attends
the introduction of changes that it will be a popular
plan. Lord DERBY announced that it was the
intention of the Government to take the third
reading of the bill to-day in order that it may be
returned to the House of Commons as soon as pos-
sible. Good service was done last night, and there
is every reason to congratulate the House of Lords
upon the manner in which they have performed the
task allotted to them. There is really nothing
now for the House of Commons to disap-
prove of that is worthy of the name, and
they will best consult their own reputation
and the best interests of the community by
allowing the bill to pass as it is. Time will be lost
to no purpose, and irritation produced, if there is
anything like a collision between the two houses ;
and, now that the Lodger Franchise has been dis-
posed of in a manner so satisfactory to all, let there
be an end of disputes, and a cessation from con-
troversy and recrimination. The public will
expect that the question be brought to a
speedy issue, and notwithstanding all the senseless
clamour and unmeaning agitation of the Reform
League and their friends, the true well-wishers to
the course of Reform will earnestly desire that the
present Bill may become the law of the land with as
little delay as possible. That it may do so it will
be necessary for the House of Commons to show its
determination not to support the claims of faction,
and to vindicate itself as it has now already done
before this session.

Almost simultaneously with the brief but im-
portant discussion on the state of affairs in
Abyssinia, in the House of Commons, comes the
appearance of an able and interesting summary of
the history of the country and the people in the
current number of Colburn's United Service Maga-
zine. The writer is Lieutenant-General ELERS
NAPIER, who has devoted some time and attention
to the works of authors, old and new, upon the sub-
ject, of which there is no lack, for the empire of
THEODORE may boast of being mentioned by
HERODOTUS, JOSEPHUS, and STRABO ; while, more
recently, travellers and geographers have frequently
commented upon its peculiarities. In early ages
Abyssinia was known by the name of Ethiopia,
which indeed was extended to all the regions south
of Egypt, but Ethiopia proper, the Abyssinia of our
own day, extends only from the Nubian desert on

the north to the confines of the Galla country on
the south. When Europe was still sunk in com-
plete barbarism, there were cities and monuments,
arts and civilisation in Abyssinia, and ancient
writers are uncertain whether Egypt derived these
from her neighbour, or Abyssinia obtained them
from Egypt. However this nay have been the two
countries were constantly at war, a custom they still
maintain, for TitEoponb: is known to regard the
Egyptians with particular dislike, and has been all
his life at war with them. All through the ancient
history of the era B.C. we find frequent mention of
Abyssinia, and it is not a little singular that when
the Emperor NERO despatched an expedition in
quest of the source of the Nile the explorers pene-
trated to the south of Ethiopia and then returned,
saying they had been stopped by immense marshes
covered with reeds and water. PTOLEMY, in his
works, appended a map of the districts through
which they passed, in which these marshes occupy
the same position near the Equator, now assigned
to the two great Nyanza Lakes. Coming to more
modern timono find the Portuguese at the end of the