The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-25 00:00:00

tion ; it takespower from those who pay, and confers
it upon those who mainly have enjoyed the fruits of
every important financial remission during the last 20
years. This bearing of the question, of course, had
to be kept in view, because the efforts of Ministe-
rialists from the beginning of the debate have been
pertinaciously directed towards the confusion of
issues, and the blinding of the house to the real and
single point upon which it has now to deliver judg.-_
ment. Mr. Bright exclaims " Settle the question."
Mr. Walpole answers " Settle it by recognising
Lord Stanley's unrefuted argument, and adopting
Lord Grosvenor's amendment." The member for
Birmingham, who has more voices than a ventrilo-
quist, preached on Monday night something like
finality, with, he reckons, four millions of unen-
franchised working men still waiting for their rights
even should this bill become law. We would rather
in such a case be more just to him than he is to him-
self, and credit him with more sincerity when he is_
talking in his natural atmosphere about " leverage"
than when in a cold House of Commons he is prac-
tising the accents and attitudes of moderation. As-
suming, however, that he imagines himself sincere,
what does he understand by a political settlement?
As Mr. Walpole interprets him, a Franchise Bill,
partially enacted, hotly pursued by another of an
entirely different nature and scope, with an immi-
nent prospect of the two coming into collision, and
both thrown off the rails. Even were the second
reading to pass, which every hour renders more
doubtful—in fact, Ministers no longer count upon
a majority—the Franchise Bill must be shunted
into a siding, until the Distribution of Seats Bill
comes up with it, so that both may go on together
until the final collapse and dissolution takes place
in committee. But this is not the spirit or the
method upon which the House of Commons has
been accustomed to legislate upon questions of im-
portance to the nation now, bearing upon the
destinies of many ages to come, and it is not with
the paltry object either of forcing through a raw
Franchise Bill, in order to keep a dilapidated Mi-
nistry erect, that Parliament will hammer this piece
of mechanical patchwork upon the great organism
of the British Constitution, which is nothing if not
maintained in spirit and substance as a whole, the
repertory of the nation's life, and the source of all
its freedom.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

LEEDS-TUESDAY.

There is a fair show of grain this week. For good qua'.
alities of both old and new wheat we have had a steady
consumptive demand, at the full prices of Tuesday last.
Spring corn in moderato sale, and there is no change in
prices.
The average prices for the week ending April 23 were :
Wheat, 47s 7d per qr. ; barley, 40s ; oats, 29s 60.

L IVERP OL—T UESDAY.
The arrivals from Ireland and coastwise since this day
week have been moderate. At this day's market there
was a good attendance of the town and country trade.
Wheat met with a fair consumptive demand at recent rates.
In barley, beans, and peas no material change to note, but
oats and oatmeal easier to buy. In flour full prices were
made. Indian corn was less inquired for, and may be
quoted 3d lower—prime mixed being 28s 9d.