The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-07 00:00:00

would have brought in a Reform Bill that should
have satisfied the discontented of the well-inten-
tioned, well-conducted, and educated of the working
classes of the country. The working classes is a
most unfortunate name. There are comprehended
under that term persons of very different qualities.
There are working men to whom I pay every respect.
They are well-conducted and they are instructed
men ; they behave well to their families ; they do their
duty to that station to which it has pleased God to
call them, and they deserve in every sense the respect
and consideration of their fellow citizens. (Hear.)
But there are others in that class to whom I do not
pay any respect—(applause)—they are fractious ;
they are drunken; they beat their wives ; they ill-
treat their:children ; they don't do their duty asmen
ought to do. (Applause.) Now I suppose, sir, it
will be said that I am an enemy of the working
classes ; I am not an enemy of the working classes.
The well to do, the well-conditioned of those
I hail as equal with myself and worthy of every con-
sideration. But never will I condescend to flatter
the drunkard, or to give power to those who are
totally incompetent to use it well. (Cheers.) There-
fore, I say, sir, in any well considered Reform Bill
care would have been taken to separate those classes
one from the other, and that whatever power you
conceded it would not be in that wholesale way of
giving it to the number of pounds, but that they
would have taken some means of separating the
good men from the bad among them. (Applause.)
I want to know what was done. He was for a cer-
tain time in the House of Commons before my pain-
ful illness drove me out of the house, but what was
the result ? Why, I found a bill which I supported,
because I could not help supporting it ; because I
found a bill which was, in fact, an attempt to cajole
the House of Commons. (Applause.) There were
two things that were really necessary—the one to
enlarge the suffrage, the other to regulate the towns
to which that suffrages hould be given, and when it
was inquired why they were not combined what was
the answer made ? " Why, you know that if we
bring in a bill to affect the distribution of seats we
shall give offence to certain members, and they will
vote against us ; but if we bring in simply the bill
to regulate the elective franchise they will vote for
us, and we shall carry that measure. (Cries of
" Hear, hear," and a voice, " Oh, no.") Oh no ! I
like that gentleman who says " Oh, no !" I was in
the midst of it. I heard it said. I know it was felt,
and I know that that was the reason why the two
measures were separated, and that we were com-
pelled to fight the battle of the Administration upon
a wrong point. Well they brought in their double
bill, and then at that time I was forced to leave
the House of Commons. What took place ? Why,
at first, Mr. Gladstone, for whom I have every
admiration as far as regards his talents, but he is
far too clever. (Laughter and cheers.) Mr. Glad-
stone endeavoured first of all to cajole the House
of Commons—he endeavoured to persuade them to
pass his single bill, and when he couldn't do that he
endeavoured to bully them. Now, the House of
Commons is such an assembly—l have known them
for many years—that to cajole them would be very
difficult, but to bully them impossible. (Cheers.)
He assumed to do both, and he failed in both; and
then at last he threw his cargo overboard. He sought
the nearest harbour of refuge—resignation. Well,
sir, that is my story of the Russell-Gladstone Re-
form Bill. (" And a very good one.") The attempt
at first was to cajole the House of Commons, and,
second, to bully them. (Hear, hear.) They failed
in both, and lost their bill and their places. Look-
ing at the future, what shall we see ? My answer
is that the present Administration are there from
no power of their own. They came there in spite of
themselves, and it is our duty to give them a fair
trial. (Hear, and applause.) As far as lam con-
cerned they shall have a fair trial. (Cheers, and
cries of " Bravo.") I believe the result will be this
—that the two great parties now dividing the State
will be united into one. (Hear, hear.) There is
really no difference between the two, except some
small rays of bigotry and intolerance that stick un-
willingly to them. (Cheers.) Let them get rid of
them. Let them throw-overboard the talk about
church-rates, the talk about the Universities, and
they will do it, and we the Liberals, the Moderate
Liberal party, will join them, and form such a
strong Ministerial power in England that will enable
us to maintain the power of England throughout
the world, that will make her feared by her enemies
and loved by her friends, and the protecting power
over people. (Cheers.) lam sure that will take
place. lam sure that Lord Derby will disappear.
I hope that Lord Russell will disappear—(cheers
and laughter) —and that other men will rise up in
their places representing the united feeling of Eng-
land, and that then we shall be enabled to preserve
the people of England from the control of ignorance
and vice (cheers) with which we are now
threatened—(cheers)—and, in spite of all the dema-
gogues in the world, the people of England will ride
triumphant. (Loud cheers.)
The other toasts were of local interest.