The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-14 00:00:00

CONDOM-- TriITRSDAY 'EVENING. MAgeli -14-,

Nias legitimately connected. There was no disfranchisement
of 40s. freeholders in the bill which I brought forward,
though that there was is a charge generally made in this
house when there are these debates, and lam sorry to say
the bringing forward of that charge is not confined to gen-
tlemen opposite. The bill of course not being allowed to be
read a second time is liable to misrepresentation. (Hear, and
laughter.) Welooked upon the 40s. franchise as one of the
most valuable and constitutional in the country. What we
proposed in a large scheme, consisting of so many fran-
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•
Lases, was that the elec`or should vote in the locality in
hich he was interested. But is that all ? Why, we have
eard to-day of the great mischief that would accrue if this

were carried, by swamping, as the phrase is, the natural

donstitueneies of the counties, those who own the landed
property, and those whose occupation is that which con-
stitutes the prime industry of the counties. Why, did we
not provide against that; did we not secure in our bill the
reformation of borough boundaries ? What would occur if
the bill of the hon. member for East Surrey were carried is
that Manchester or Birmingham, or fifty other great towns,
Might overwhelm the natural constituency of the counties
4,y a population which is really homogeneous with the
population of those large towns. What was the instance
Mentioned by my hon. friend the member for Cheshire
just now ? He is naturally afraid of being overwhelmed
pith the town population in his county—that" of Staley-
llwidge for example. By our bill that could not have hap-
pened, because Staleybridge would have been represented
by a member for the borough. In our bill we endeavoured
to secure to the landed interest that predominance which is
imcessary to public liberty, and that was the object
and the only object which, with regard to the land, we
wished to attain. We recognised the fact that in the due
preponderance of that interest in the constitutional scheme
there was the best, the oldest, and the most valuable secu-
t ity for good government and for public liberty. I will not
trespass for a women:: more on the house, because the hour
has come when we ought to divide. I have not completely,
but I have sincerely, indicated the course we took when we
introduced our bill to extend the franchise and to provide
for the due representation of the people. I may remind the
house that in that bill with regard to the county franchise
we worked out a self-acting registration and a multiplication
of polling places, and we proposed that all expenses should
he illegal, which alone would hav - L^".•••
than any nthem in. rarity of oiection. I believe that there
fare many provisions in that bill which will be found most
Valuable on future occasions; but after the attack which
the noble lord has made on the bill, I can only say that,
though it was not successful, I am at least as proud of having
been the organ for bringing it before the notice of Parliament
as the noble lord can be of having obtained office by carry-
ing a'resolution implying a premise to extend the franchise
which he has not had the power of fulfilling. (Cheers.)
The "previous question" having been moved by way of
amendment, the house divided up0..1 the point, " That the
question be now put"—
- Ayes 220
Noes 243
Majority —2B
The cheers of the Conservative party were of the most
boisterous character, when the numbers were announced
by the tellers, the bill being virtually lost.