The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-20 00:00:00

COUNTY FRANCHISE.

Mr. L. KING rose to move for leave to bring in a bill to
extend the franchise in counties in England and Wales.
He said he had hoped that after the occurrences of the lest
two years in reference to the subject of Parliamentary
reform, it would not have been necessary for
him to have to bring this subject forward on the
present occasion. However, as there was no Reform Bill
entertained by Government, and no allusion to reform
in the speech from the Crown, he thought that the present
was a fitting opportunity to bring forward his measure as
an instalment of reform. Many persons in the country
think that Reform should not be attempted in the shape of
a comprehensive measure, but that they should en •
deavour to accomplish it in detail. (Hear, hear.)
In conformity with that opinion, he considered that it was
desirable that he should introduce the present bill for the
purpose of extending the franchise in counties to £lO
occupiers, the effect of which would be to augment largely
the existing constituency in counties, and admit to the
exercise of the franchise a class who were competent to use the
privilege conferred on them with advantage to the consti-
tution of the country. In support of his motion, he ad-
verted to the fact that the principle on which he based his
proposed bill had been already recognised even by those
who had been formerly opposed to it, as was shown by the
measure of reform introduced by Lord Derby's Government.
That bill, however, presented the principle for which he
contended in so mutilated a form that he felt bound to
oppose it; and, in consequence of that mutilation, it was
rejected, the noble lord (Lord Derby) was deprived of the
confidence of the country, and his party driven
out of power. Having censured the noble
lord the Foreign:Secretary for the course he had adopted in
reference to ..reform this year, he concluded by quoting the
noble lord's words in favour of reform on a fouler occasion.
Mr. WARNER, who had the following amendment on
the paper :—" That a select committee be appointed
to consider what changes it may be desirable to
introduce with a view to amend the represen-
tation of the people," said he had no objection
to the principle of the £lO franchise in the bill of his hon.
friend (Mr. Locke King), but at the same time he believed
that its adoption was the reason why no measure on
reform had been successful in the recent attempts that had
been made to legislate on the subject.
,(Hear, hear.) He
concurred with his hon. friend in his censure of the noble
lord, the Foreign Secretary, whose conduct he considered
was injurious to himself and to his party. At the same
time, however, he thought the noble lord was unjustly
blamed for not bringing forward some measure similar to
that of last year. There were no petitions in fa-
vour of such a measure, and even the unenfranchised
whom it proposed to benefit had made no demon-
stration in its favour. But there were other
courses open to the noble lott which he might have pur-
sued with credit to himself and advantage to the country.
He (Lord J. Russell) might have proceeded by resolution,
as he had done so successfully on former occasions, and
move for a select committee to form a bill
on the subject of the franchiSe. He objected
to the proposed bill of the hon. member (Mr. Loetre
on the ground that it proposed a fixed 6.uund for the pos-
session of the franchise, which he considered impolitic. In
his opinion, any reform bill, to be efficient, should be
founded on the necessities of 1861, and not in conformity
with an adherence to the principles of the Refonn Bill
of 1832. He thought the best course would
be to leave the matter to be dealt with
by the independent members of the house. At the
same time they should remember that they (Reform mem-
bers) were a mere remnant, and not as they were em-
bers)
years ago, a powerful party. (Hear, hear, from the
caption.
tion benches.) They should therefore proceed scrulhon y
I one
He drew attention to the fact that notwithsratantd, still the
g
e
out of seven of the constituenciesan wash p
presented,
yt bar; like revolutionary
general feeling was opposed to
change. The hon. member concluded by stating that he
would not then move his amendment, but bring it forward
on a future occasion as a substantive motion.
Mnr D. GRIFFITH moved the following amendment :
"That, considering that the object of the proposed bill
tip of a principle which has in-
volvesge-
the
nerally beePnracconsidered as opposed to the spirit of. our Par-
liamentary constitution, namely,. the uniformity of the
county and borough franchise, it is not expedient to reduce
the county franchise below £20.,,
He considered that it was most desirable the house should
make reasonable concessions to a desire for the extension of
the suffrage ; at the same time be considered the alteration
proposed by the hon. member (Mr. L. King) was too ex-
tensive to be carried out with safety.
Captain JERVIS seconded the amendment.
Mr. NEWDEGATE, referring to the conflicting esti.
mates of the number of electors which thisimeasure would
add to the county constituency, and observing that of all
changes this was the one respecting the effects of which the
house was least informed, insisted that it would be most
imprudent to adopt an isolated measure on this great mite
ject. Instead of increasing the representation of the opera-
' five classes it would aggravate the anomalynow complained