The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-02 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

DAY.—Morning, lb. 40m.—Afternoon, 2h. 9m.
ra-Mormow.-Morning, 2h. 35m.—Afternoon. 311. Om.

,
,erzdj. :pp
-

LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 2, 1867.

....---4g0.---

The Committee have begun the week well, and
have made some decided progres3 with the Reform
Bill. Last night was, however, by no means a

propitious one in some respects, but the chief points
under discussion were satisfactorily settled. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer wisely agreed to give
an additional member to some of the large towns

hence Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and
Leeds will have a third representative. This is

well, all things taken into consideration, and will

very likely al!3y dizcontent and dissatisfaction in
many quarters. There has long been a great desire

on the part of many to see these huge towns more
fully represented, and as this bill now before the
House has every promise of being a lasting one, it
would be much to be regretted if any flaw was

- ---
!ound in its composition too late in the day, and

any opportunity given to the critics to animadvert
upon it. Mr. DISRAELI, at the commencement of
the sitting, proposed that the Government

should still be allowed to continue the

system of morning sittings, so far as to
keep them on when necessary ; and this was wisely
agreed to, for it is of the utmost importance that
despatch should be used, in order to get through

the work still before the House, in the discussion of
the Reform Bill, and allow due time for its consi-
deration by theother House. Mr. DENMAN created

some amusement by declaring that the Government

were bound to bring in his amendment in some

other form, which called forth from Mr. DISRAILLI
the remark that it was evident the hon. member had
been trying to do something himself in the matter ,
but had not succeeded. It is certainly unreason-
able to expect that this proposition can be enter-
tained again, but at any rate the Government have
done their duty, and nothing more can be demanded

from them. • Mr. CANDLISH had the credit of intro-
ducing a serviceable clause, to the effect that those
persons should be disqualiaed as voters who are em-
ployel as agents, caavaszers, messengers, &c., at an
election. This is a very wise proviso, and it seems
strange that Mr. GLADSTONE should have supported
the proposal of Mr. CRAWFORD, that agents should
be exempted from the operation of this clause.
Mr. HORSFALL then proposed to give " increased
representation " to three large towns —namely,
Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham. To these
the Chancellor of the Exchequer wisely added Leeds,
and explained that the Government agreed to this
comproulise, but they could not do it at the expense
of the counties ; and these four seats must be
taken from the boroughs. This intimation was
not favourably received by the Opposition, but
it vas very unfair of them to think
one side should have all the gains and make no
sacrifice whatever. We think that the proposal to
include "Leeds" in this increased representation was
a statesmanlike one, and, as Mr. DISRAELI said,
" considering the noble rivalry between the indus-
tries of Yorkshire and Lancashire, it would be most
unwise to confer this itteat increase in the represen-
tation of the two great cities of Lancashire, with-
out at the same time acknowledging the claims of

one of the two great cities of Yorkshire.
In concluding his remarks, the right lion
gentleman expressed a hope that the spirit
in uhich the - Government made the offer to
the committee might be mutual and reciprocal, as
they did so in the sincere hope of advancing the
cause of the great measure before them. This hope
Wa3 not destined to be realised, because General
PEEL thought it necessary to oppose the scheme in
the most determined manner, and he did so with a
vehemence which looked as if the right hon. and
gallant member had been waiting for some oppor-
tunity of expressing his indignation at the course of
the bill altogether. We would remind him that he
sometimes lets his feelings run away with him, and
that last year he made a speech upon the extension
of the franchise, for which this year he expressed
his regret, and it may be so again concerning the
exhibition he made last night. We consider that
he has a perfect right not to vote for the third
reading of the bill if he does not approve of it
generally, but it would have been more becoming
if he had refrained from making use of the extrava-
gant language in which he couched his concluding
remarks. For the matter of that, he made no
charge against the Government which cannot be
easily refuted, for if there was one thing which
Mr. DISRAELI put more plainly before the House
than another it was that the Ministry did not pro-
pose to introduce a measure that must pass without
attention, or that if it were interfered with they
must resign. It was well understood from the
first that charges would be made, and all this after
recrimination is unworthy and unsuitable. Lord
CRANBORNE, following in the same cause, re-
quested to know when they would be told the
particulars concerning the boroughs about to be
disfranchised, when it was quite evident that
there was no disfranchisement imposed, and the:
sought to get out of the difficulty by bravado, and
asked
,when they would bring about the boroughs
that would not be- disfranchised. To this the
Chancellor of the Exchequer returned the fitting
reply that he should be prepared to-day to proceed
with the Reform Bill.

The large majority which decided in favour
of Mr. HORSFALL'S clause proved the opinion
of the committee in respect to it, and
fully justified the course pursued by the Govern-
ment. It was not to be expected that no collision
of interests and differences of opinion would arise in
the carrying out of so complicated a scheme as that
now before the House, and it is no exaggeration to
say that, all things considered, there have been
fewer of those contretemps than might have been
expected. This is due to many causes, chief
of which must be placed the great desire entertained
by the maj-_,,rity of the house for the settlement of
the Reform question. Another important agency
has been the admirable manner in which the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer has conducted the business
of the House this year. 1:IAd he shown any natural
impatience or irritation it would have been quite
impossible for the Government to have surmounted
the difficulties that have been before them but

hicli arc grad. tally vauia'aing away as time

goes on.

Railway catastrophes are unfortanattly nothing
new. We are seldom, if ever, able to congratulate
ourselves on having passed through a summer un-
marked by one or more of those melancholy dis-
asters which startle the public, and bring death and
desolation to many cheerful homes. The vast ad-
vantages conferred by railway travelling have natu-
rally some drawbacks, and although it may be
said that when we begin to calculate the number
of accidents we ought to take into account the vast
increase in the number of passengers, yet the
frightful nature of the injuries too often received
by the sufferers renders the dangers to which all
are liable somewhat formidable. It remains to be
considered whether such risks are ; educed to the