The Sun.
London, England, 1859-04-18 00:00:00

STANLEY.

The resolution was skilfully contrived to capture
stray votes—to keep together those who would not
have taken the extreme step of voting against the
second reading, but who were glad of a plausible
excuse to that which, to all intents and purposes,
answered the same pm nose. It was not until
Lord PALMERSTON flung forth the tabula in nau-
fragio, that the pretext was eagerly seized on and
rendered available to secure the services of sundry
waverers. It was scarcely fair for the Noble Lord
to say that the Government might have accepted
the spirit of the resolution, when he confessed that
he never expected them to adopt its language. Nor
was it more fair to say that the Chancellor of the
Exchequer declared—" If you do get a majority
against any of the provisions of the Bill, or in
favour of introducing new provisions, we shall feel
at liberty to go on with the Bill, or to drop it—
to assent to such alterations, or to refuse our
assent." At wliat time was this statement made ?
Was it not at the very conclusion of a protracted
debate, when every mind was decided, with per-
haps one exception. How, then, could it have in-
fluenced the resolution, or induced parties either to
bring it forward or support it ?
Besides it was not a voluntary statement. It was
made in answer toone of the most extraordinary ques-
tions ec er exhibited to a Government. It was inquired
if they would, in the event of being left in a mino-
rity on certain points, pledge themselves not to
resign. And, as a matter of course, so humiliating
a promise, which would have degraded the Govern-
ment, and rendered them unfit to direct the affairs
of a great nation, was unhesitatingly declined.
Not much better is the mystification respecting
the Ballot. It is a second edition of the game
played by his brother at the last election, but
which cannot deceive the most short-sighted. His
belief is that if there are truth and justice in favour
of the Ballot it will be carried, but he does not
think it will be for the public interest ; and, there-
fore, his conviction is that " public opinion will
pronounce against it." However, he adds, " its
decision one way or the other can perhaps hardly
be attended with those consequences which some
hope and others apprehend !" Will any staunch
and consistent Reformer be contented with this
quibbling—will any person earnestly desiring
the abolition of bribery and corruption, and
of enabling even the more humble elector to bestow
his suffrage, conceive that there is any prospect of
obtaining the great and anxiously-sought-for boon
at the hands of Lord JOHN RUSSELL ? Nor
would he give the slightest inkling of what he was
disposed to bring forward. He maintained a dis-
creet silence that prevented those entrusted with
the franchise from knowing what they were about
to do with their votes. The citizens of London
will have to decide between him and Lord STANLEY
—of Whom the highest anticipations were long
since justly formed—many of which have already
been completely redeemed.

A few months ago Mr. BRIGHT was all but
revolutionary. His favourite element was at any
rate that of Democracy. He argued energetically
in favour of a very considerable extension of the
franchise, in favour of the Ballot, in favour of a
total redistribution of the electoral districts. His
own particular views in regard to Parliamentary
Reform he not only explained lucidly and elo-
quently to large audiences at Birmingham, at
Glasgow, at Edinburgh, at Liverpool—he defined
them clearly and succinctly, so clearly and suc-
cinctly that those who ran might read in a series
of bold, blunt schedules ranged alphabetically. All
this occurred during the recess—or rather towards
the close of it—during those wintry months when
there is most leisure for politicians, for all poli-
ticians indeed except those who happen to
be entrusted with the ever-onerous and
never-relaxed responsibilities of Administration.
Parliament met at length in February. The pre-

liminary labours of the session monopolised not
very surprisingly the residue of that shortest of the
twelve calendar months. At length, in March,
Ministers made good their promise of submitting
the literally "long vexed question" of Parliamentary
Reform to the candid consideration of the popular
representation. The Government Bill was laid
upon the table of the House of Commons—was
printed for distribution among the members—was
minutely and elaborately explained by the Leader
of the House, the Chancellor of her MAJESTY'S
Exchequer. Recollect that in the address of the
Commons inaugurative of the present session—
the address in answer to the gracious speech
from the Throne—the House had formally
pledged itself to the SOVEREIGN, in so many
words, to give to this most difficult problem of
Reform file most candid and impartial considera-
tion.
No sooner, however, had the Ministerial
Project for the remodelling of the existing system
of the popular
representation been laid upon the
table, explained to the House, and brought under
diseusslen, than the Commons flagrantly broke
away from their
.
s they
did this, t pledge to the SOVEREIGN. They
is, moreover, in a manner so distinct and
undeniable, that
the problem—(a
not only did they refuse to take
candid and imparti a
ih a
cdo
ns
saiiade
rt hey
nw, o übludt) —itini
et
yo
actually declined to take it into consideration at
all! They refused to allow the Bill to

:0 into

IVE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 18, 1859.

LATEST NEWS.

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr. Reuter's office :

VIENNA, SUNDAY.

Count Caroly left yesterday for St. Petersburg,
on a private mission. On yesterday evening's
Bourse there was a slight rise in the shares of the
Northern Railway and the Credit Mobilier.

STUTTGARDT, SUNDAY.
The official Wurtembergischer Staatsanzeiger
publishes an extra sheet, containing a Ministerial
decree concerning the forced levy of horses for

military service.
FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAINE, SUNDAY.

The Frankfort Journal of to-day states that the
Ministers of War of several German States and the
Commanders of the Eighth. Federal corps d'armee,
will hold another meeting on Thursday next, at
Heidelberg.
The Ober-Postamts-Zeitung of yesterday pub-
lishes the following :—" Munich, April 16th.—The
King of Bavaria has left to-day for Darmstadt, to
attend, as it is alleged, a meeting of several mo-
narchs of Southern German States."

CASSEL, SUNDAY.

The whole Ministry have tendered their resig-
nation, on accont of certain differences in the
administration of internal affairs.
DRESDEN, SATURDAY.
The Dresden Journal of to-day states :—" The

latest proposal of Austria for a general disarmament
previous to the Congress is said to be supported by
Prussia and England in a manner which mill faci-
litate its practical fulfilment. The great powers
now seem agreed in principle, but Sardinia con-
tinually persists in raising difficulties."
TRIESTE, SATURDAY.
An official announcement, emanating from the
Austrian naval commanders, contains particulars
respecting the ordered enlistment of volunteers for
naval service on the coasts of Istria, Croatia, and
Dalmatia.