The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-28 00:00:00

the mind of the population without its becoming
a known, a patent, and notorious fact to the whole
country ? (Hear, hear.) And yet when the day of
trial came, we had manifested that sympathy with the
people of the North—that subtle sympathy on their part
with the people of the North— that determination that,
be their sufferings what they might, no word should pro-
ceed from them to damage the cause which they believed
to be just. (Cheers.) Hero was, on one side, a magnificent
moral spectacle ; on the other side it was a remarkable les-
son. It was a lesson to us—it was a lesson to us all—to
teach us this : that in those minds, by a process of quiet
instillation opinions and sentiments, gradually form
themselves, of which we remain for a long time unaware,
which at last, when they make their appearance, we find
to be matured, solid, and irresistible. (Loud cheers.) Sit,
we should prepare for these things while there is yet time.
(Cheers.) But I must yet ask my noble friend what he
means to do with the incongruous associates whom be has
gathered around him. Here is his amendment. There
ought to be some unity of purpose among those who asso-
ciate together to destroy a Reform Bill and overthrow all
Administration. (Cheers.) What is the unity of purpose
between my noble friend, and shall I say his friends o'l
associates—those who are leagued with him in the emahl--
nation which he has been pleased to form ? I will quote a
portion of the contradictions that are to be gathered from
this debate—not from the the two sides, but the one side'
My noble friend suggested that we should refer the question
to the Privy Council. The right hon. gentleman the member
for Cambridge answers two things—first, that it would be
useless, and secondly, that it would bo entirely unconsti-
tutional. My right hon. friend the member for Cambridge
says we ought to have introduced a measure including
a redistribution of seats. The right hon. gentleman the
member for Stroud and the noble lord the member for
Galway say that they would have been quite contented
with us if it was not that we also propose a measure for a
redistribution of seats. (Cheers and laughter.) The lien'
member for Wick says we ought to proceed with the bills
pari pussu. The hon. member for Cambridge says it would
increase delay. The member for Calne says it would net
remove any of his objections. The hon. member for Dublin
and the right hon. member for Buckinghamshire demon-
strated there was no pledge whatever. Then I defy All-
man to extract from thOse speeches a single eatena or cow
tinuous agreement. The noble lord the member for lied'
dington says ,he is an ardent Reformer, but he has con-
tradicted himself, because he says he glories in Lord Pal"
merston, whose life, if it had been prolonged, would have
effectually kept off the bill. Such are the contrarieties of a
party gathered together under such circumstances, and
with no bonds of cohesion, no deliberate principles, and
with no avowed intention, meaning one thing and saying
another. (Cheers.) And not saying that which the most
important persons in it deeply feel but do not wish to saY•
That is the state of things under which they continue to-
gether. This debate will soon come to an end. (Seer'
hear.) Ido not resent the warmth with which that re"
mark is answered. lam deeply indebted to gentlemen
opposite as well as to gentlemen on this side for their
patience and kindness, but may I say to hon. gentle-
men opposite, as some gentlemen have addressed advice
to us, "Vv ill you not consider before you embark
upon this new crusade what were the results
of the old." Three great battles have been fought,
and you have fought them manfully. The battle of main"
taining civil disabilities, the battle of refusing the Re Orin
Bill, and the battle of protection. All these great bates
have been fought by the party opposite, and I admit rof
own share of responsibility as to the opposition to the Be-
form Bill. Have they been so satisfactory that you are
disposed to renew the experiment? Certainly those whet
sit on this side of the house have no reason to find fault
with the results, for the result has been that for five rail
out of six and six years out of seven since the Reform Act
we have been in power. The effect has been to lower, re-d•
duce, and contract your just influence in the count*"
your share in the public administration. But if you are
strong you can only be strcng by showing not only per-
sonal,, kindness and generosity towards the people, but pub-
lic and political confidence in them. (Cheers.) You'
listen with kindness to what I now say. We are assailed'
This bill is in a state of crisis and peril, and the Govern:
melt along with it. We stand or fall by it, as Was
dared by my noble friend. We stand with it now--we
may fall with it a short time hence ; but if we fall we shall
rise with it hereafter. (Loud cheers.) We cannot plea-
sure with precision the forces that are to be raised in the
coming struggle. Perhaps the great division of to-night .
not the last act of the struggle. You may succeed ousel°
point. You may drive us from our seats; you mayliy
the bill we introduced ; but for its epitaph we will Vint-
on the gravestone this line with perfect confidence—

" Et onare aliquis nostris et ossibus ultor."
(Cheers.) You cannot fight against the future; time is
on our side. (Cheers.) The great social forces are against
you. They are arrayed—they are marshalled en outside'
The banner which we carry, although perhaps it 11
at this moment droop over our sinking heads, yet it
soar again and float in the eye of heaven, and will be born:
in the firm hands of the united people of these tbret
kingdoms—not perhaps to an easy but a certain and 21°
distant future. (Immense cheering.)
The right right hon. gentleman resumed his seat at tell
minutes past three o'clock.
The SPEAKER then put the question in the nsu4
form, but the responses in the affirmative and negati-go
were given with extraordinary vehemence.
The house then divided, and after the lapse of
of an hour the result was declared. At exactly half-Past
three, Mr. Brand and Mr. Adams acted as tellers on the
Government side, Lord Grosvenor and Lord Stanley °,ll,
behalf of the supporters of the amendment. The result
thus appeared: a quarter
ter

For the Motion
For the Amendment 313
Majority for Government
The announcement of the numbers was greeted
with deafening cheers from the Ministerial side e*
the home, and counter-cheers from the Opposition.
The bill was then read a second time.
Mr. GLADSTONE said that he would fix the conolitte°
for Monday, and would then state the order of business'
The other business was disposed of, and
The house adjourned at 20 minutes before 4 o'clock.