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

that the Ministers have been ill-advised, or are
themselves mistaken in thus doling out their pro-
positions. The only correct course to pursue
in such a. matter is to itit the House
at once in possession of all the particuolfatrsherehlotiunsge
to the measure, and to take the sense
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 man in the story who tried to suit all
tastes, and ended by causing a general destruction of
himself and his belongings. Earl GRosvENon,
inquired if the members were to have time to co-a-
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, which were 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 supplit 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 Rouse to take a leap in the
dark." After 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-
ter.ce,—" 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 House 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
houso 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 futuro.