The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-24 00:00:00

that the Ministers have beeiThill-advised, or are
themselves mistaken in thus doling out their pro-
positions. The only correct course to pursue
in such a matter is to put the House
at once in possession of all the particulars relating
to the measure, and to take the sense of the House
upon its merits in a• definite manner. As it is, the
framers of these instalments of Parliamentary Re-
form seem likely to find themselves in the position
of the old luau in the story who tried to suit all
tastes, and ended by causing a general destruction of
himself and his belongings. Earl GROSVENOR
inquired if the members were to have time to con-
sider the other bills, and declared that he could not
consent to the second reading of the bill for the
reduction of the franchise until the House had time
to consider the other bills, whichwere all intimately
connected with that one, neither did he think that
the house would consent to the course proposed by
her MAJESTY'S Government.
Three days certainly will not be very long for
hon. members to settle upon the merits of the ques-

tions put before them ; and, after all, the bills are

only to remain in their present form as theories
during the present Session, and not to become law
under any circumstances. The Government must
now be able fully to appreciate the unwise course
which they have pursued, and we are not surprised
that Mr. GLADSTONE, under the irritation and
annoyance of the affair, for the first time this ses-
sion lost that control over his temper which he
has hitherto so successfully maintained since
his accession to the leadership of the House.
It would be paying the right hon. gentleman a
very poor compliment to suppose that he was the
proposer of this policy of instalmentary Reforms,
which seems likely to shipwreck the Administra-
tion, and no doubt his vexation was increased by

the perception of how far his acts had been from
his words. No one who knew the nature of his
discourses upon this topic during the last few
years would ever have imagined that the right
hon. gentleman would ever have lent his powerful
aid to meddle and muddle a great ques-
tion so completely. Mr. GLADSTONE tried
to make an effective appeal to his party
last night by intimating that Earl GROSVENOR'S
amendment implied a want of confidence. We do
not see this at all ; and the notion of a factious
spirit of opposition actuating the mover of it is quite
put aside by the fact that he belongs to the Minis-
terial side of the House. But such considerations
ought not to be entered into in the discussion of this
important matter ; and it would never do if those
who ordinarily support a Government are to be
told that they must do so blindfold now that most
material interests are at stake.

Mr. DISRAELI made one of his -telling speeches
in a brief form. He said it was proverbial that to
" change your line in the face of an enemy was
always a very perilous operation, and also that the
Government asked the House to take a leap in the
dark." Aster declaring that the plan of putting
bills on the table and not proceeding with them
was trifling with the House, the right hon. gentle-
man said, very truly, that there seemed great incon-
sistency and wavering about the Ministry, and, as
always happens, timidity and precipitation are
nearly allied. It would have been well for tue credit
of the Government and the success of their measure
had they at an earlier period acted on the principle
foreshadowed in Mr. DISRAELI'S concluding sen-
tence,—" If I might presume to offer any advice to
the Government, which their numerous Cabinet
Councils, so hurriedly called, show they are in want
of, I would say this—that a Government which has
to deal with a great question in the [louse of Com-
mons, and wishes to treat it successfully, should,
above all things, treat the House of Commons with
frankness."

As the Ministers have made one change in their
plans they may make another, and perhaps
after the Easter recess we may hear that
the other bills are to be considered this
session ; but if the Government adhere to the
course indicated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
last night the amendment of Earl GROSVENOR is
certain to be carried, It is very desirable that the
house and the country should know for certain that
the Government has not been so dilatory in the
preparation of their measure of Reform in the
Cabinet as they have been niggardly in presenting
it to Parliament ; but it will disappoint those who
wished this decided step to be taken to know that
the completion of the scheme depends upon the
continuance of the Government in office, and rests
in the uncertainty of the future.

The rapid extension of our railway lines in almost
every part of the kingdom is a matter of common
remark, and there are a good many points connected
with it which are fairly open to inquiry. While the
public advantages derived from the increased faci-
lity of communication and traffic are very great, it
does not by any means follow that there may not
be less disinterested motives for promulgating some
of the new schemes. A railway line has always an
especial attraction to the speculative, and it offers
an opportunity to those whose ambition exceeds
their capital, but it is necessary the credit system
should not be carried too far, as there are many evils
attending the construction of a line whose directors
and shareholders may be all found under one roof,
and whose capital only exists on paper. The public
are not likely to be well served under such circum-
stances, and very often the object to be attained is to
force an existing company to buy up the new line
rather than to get it in good working order. Lord
REDESDALE last evening brought the whole subject
of the financial arrangements for the construction
of railways before the House of Lords,
and he condemned the excessive extension
of the credit system with just severity.
Parliament had, it was thought, taken due precau-
tions to secure bona fide schemes, but, as is often
the case, speculators have easily found means to
evade their provisions. Lord REDESDALE reminded
the House that in the early days of railways capital
was easily acquired, and up to 1845 and 1846, the
time of the railway mania, it was still easy of ac-
cess. " Since then," said his lordship, " the prac-
tice had been going from bad to worse, -without the
required capital being obtained before the bills were
passed. At last it had come to such a pitch that
he felt bound to call the attention of the House to
it, for, unless some change were effected, they would
bring everything connected with railways into the
greatest possible difficulty." At first railway com-
panies were always started with a subscription con-
tract, which
was often a large part of the necessary
funds, and up to 1847 or so those subscription con-
tracts were realities,but the railway mania brought
speculation to such an
many of the contracts becanextravaganta
th. e i gshet
gthat
was the discredit brought upon the whole system at
this time that subscription contracts were no longer
held of any value as guarantees for the security
of
a company. After some discussion in Parliament
a per cent. of the estimated cost of
the
wasof 8
ordered, such deposit not to be
withdrawn
tdheclP
lineroaswitn except under a bond on the completion
of the railway, or unless one-half of the capital of
the line was expended on it. But even these pre-
cautions have proved ineffectual to guard against
the devices of enterprising speculators. The de-
posit has in too many instances ceas.d to be bona