The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-31 00:00:00

MB. HAPCOUBT, M. 13., ON THE NEW
HOUSE OP COMMONS

At the annual dinner of the Loyal Wellington Lodge of
Odd Fellows (Manchester Unity), which took place in the
Town Hall, Oxford. Mr. Vernon Harcourt, M.P., in the
course of a long speech expressed his view upon the new
House of Commons, in the following terms :—" There is
nothing which I should view with greater regret than
the exclusion from the House of men of ability
and integrity of the opposite party. I have
seen with regret the gratification expressed at
the exclusion of what is termed Young Oxford,' with
the implied gratification at the success of mediocrity ; I
have seen with still more regret satisfaction at the exclu-
sion of representatives of the working classes, all of which
chews, I think, that the' spirit of party has overpowered
the sentiment of patriotism, and what is -due to the
free Parliament of a free people. I think all
opinions should be represented in the House of Commons,
and that they should be represented by the best men
of each class that you can find. The House, I have
noticed, assembles in a building which, with the spirit
characterising many parts of o it cherished "Constitution,"
won't hold above two-thirds of the members who ought to
be there. It is not only difficult for outsiders to get what
is called ' a seat in the House,' but when that is done the
difficulty is greater to be seated. Like a great many
other British institutions, the House requires expan-
sion, and I am glad to say that before long the
building will be enlarged. There was considerable good-
natured quizzing of myself and such other new members
as gave notices of motion, and the Times called us "the
early birds.' It is a comfort to know that the early bird
is generally supposed to meet with its due reward. The
subject to which I ventured to call the attention of the
House of Commons is one which I am sure must have
presented itself recently to the attention of this con-
stituency—the question of the registration of voters.
I am sure no one can have seen the working
of the existing system of the registration of voters
without being satisfied that it requires great
and searching reform. This is a question in which both .
parties are equally interested ; for whatever may be
.our
_opinions as to the.proper bases of the suffrage, no one will
deny that you ought to give every possible facility to
persons who are entitledto it obtaining and exercising it
in the cheapest, freest, and most valuable manner. That
the present system was entirely inadequate to its ends
no one could for a moment doubt. A great many are
on the register who ought not to be there at all. Then
there are a great number kept off the register who ought
to be on—kept off in a most vexatious way, and by pro.
cesses very easy, and
.it.seems to me highly desirable
to amend. This seems to me to be one of the first,
simplest; and most obvious of reforms. I have
seen in some of the newspapers analyses of the present
House of Commons- not altogether flattering to the
individuals who compose it. I was reading one to-day,
which stated that the average age of the members was 55.
Of course that places those who are not so old in the
proud position of being in that small minority which
tends somewhat to reduce the average. A great many
calculations have been made of ages, professions, and so
on. I think you can judge a member of the House of
Commons only as you judge of a horse—by his`public
running.' In spite of all the criticisms on the present
House of Commons, I believe there never was one of
which the country formed greater and jester expects•
tions. It has to conduct it a Minister who I believe is
one of the greatest and most honest public men who bar
ever conducted the affairs of this empire. Mr.
Gladstone has been able to gather round - him
certainly one of the strongest Governments in point of
ability, experience, and integrity, which has ever adminis--
tered the affairs of England. He has got together e
majority unexampled in its strength, and unequalled in
fidelity towards its chief. I believe Mr. Gladstone may
say of his party as Wellington said of his Peninsular
army—that it would go anywhere and do anything. At
the back of all that, there is the confidence of the
nation, and if the Government, under such circumstances
with a Parliament so willing to support them, are not

able to. accomplish for the country reforms and benefits
such as no Government has ever yet conferred upon the

English nation, then indeed it may be said that constitu-
tional government has been upon its trial, and has not yet
answered the expectations of the people; in point
of fact, that it has failed. If I thought such a thing
possible, I confess I should despair of the destinies of this
country. On the contrary, I have such profound faith in
the ability and integrity of the Government, and the
fidelity and loyalty of the House of Con,mons, that I
believe mit,her will disappoint the just expectations of the
people, who are looking to them to accomplish that which
they have pledged themselves to do."