Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-02

The Rsjorm Speech Of Mr. Giadsfo"s "a lAs
EnglisA Parliament.


ton Of il in the following extract:
1t appears TO me that 80 much of parliamentary history
describes the events OF the period which has elapsed
the first rejection of Mr. Locke Kings bill for the
extension of the franchise IL most unsatisfactory chapter
10 that history And hope that the effect OF the present
discussion will be to bring home to the public mind the
conviction that have not been a. keenly alive to our
duty ought To have BEEN and that for the interest
of the country that this question If the franchise should be
continuously entertained until at last wo get 1T satisfactorily
settled.
Now decline to enter into the discussion of whether
extension OF the franchise would encourage bribery
merely record my emphatic dissent to the proposition and
to the interests OF the working classes being well looked
after in Parliament far be from me to deny that this
House has full sympathy with the working classes, but
do admit that that sympathy would be less shown If the
people were more fully represented. What want to
know is where fairly lies the burden OF proof In this argu
ment whether the party who maintain that the fran
chse ought not to be touched those who say that
ought speedily to DO amended.
The honorable member for Shoreham says that il dis
turb the present franchise the case OF the British cons
tuition will be that of the who chose for hs eptah the
words WELL wished to be better, took physician,
and here am and that the effect this motion will be to
divert from the study Of practical aud pressing AFFAIRS
and to plunge at uto all the exct ment of do
nestle revolution.
entirely deprecate such language In my opinion the
agitation Of the working classes is thing which ought not
to be waited for made the preliminary condition OF our
movement; but on the contrary is thing which ought
to be deprecated, and possible prevented aud antci
pated by wise and provdent concessions on the part OF
very different thing from the agitation of the classes who
in easier circumstances For the working man bis
time has heavy money value and when no nnds himself
in such condition. politically speaking, that be must
abandon the daily labor upon which no depends for sub
sistence, it ia sir state of things in which, TO use The rail
way language We have the" danger signal turned on as
sign that the working dstruss his members and II Is
which should possible be averted by the wise con
cessions of Parliament At present we have consiltu-
of which certainly less than onetenh ID composed OF
the working classes BetWeea oneenh and one twentieth
including aud country believe TO be about the pro-
poron and that tenth twentieth still leaves
less than onehfteth Of the whole working classes IL the
enjoyment of the franchise. want TO know whether we
fairly describe domestic revolution any attempt
TO improve such state of things.
Now, the objection made by many to an extension OF the
franchise the direction OF the working classes Is that
those classes will act class and break OH from The
other of society do not wish to harsh Ian
gusge and therefore, will say that such assertion
libel the working classes, but believe 1t TO De an
opinion that wholly unussd by the facts lt IS not
the habit OF working who have the franchise 10 go To-
gether class grant that if you were to adopt sud
den sweeping, and revolutionary measures, giving mono
poly OF power to the working classes Instead OF one
third yGu gave them tWohrds OF the burroughs there
might be justification for the assertion, ani it won be
icut to show that there would not be some danger IN
such cOncession but, the matter stands appeal to
the judgment of those who know whether they have
the workingmen disposed TO 60 together class-and
whether the contrary they have not seen the ncna
ton of the working TO be To follow hs superior, To
coDfde in him and TO trust him. They follow their land
lords in the country, and their employers IN the towns
such the whose characters they respect
the they fellow in matters of opinion. They
do not act class and any thing compes them TO do
il will be the OF their unjust exclusion from the
privileges Of the constitution Whatever tends TO keep
them accessible to bribery by treating them unworthy
OF share ia the constitution tends than any means
of to bring domestic revolution, and has the
effect of driving them back from tn II natural means Of
sedence into such union would be- adverse 10 the
other classes III the community.
We told that the have attery taken very
Uuch to strikes, but believe it is the opinion of the EN-
poyers that these strikes and more losing the
character OF violent ference with the free will of their
comrades aud assuming the legal aud legitimate char
acer which they ought 10 possess the emily means which
labor has 10 assert its rights agsnst capital In the abor
market We must admit for the aboring man that there
is greater danger him than TO be undersod in the
labor market, but still with respect 10 large portion OF
the working class there 10 believe that the pro-
gess of knowledge is producing it's fruits, aud that the
time is coming when the king will be ready to
admit the rights Of the minority of the majority on the
question of wages. Look then at how altered are The
relations Of the working classes To Government To our
laws and institutions and above all things to the throne OF
this country.
Let US 90 back for some years before the reform bill aud
consider what the state Of Thugs this country when
many of unborn, and wbsn most Of were chi
dren mean the years that succeeded the pence oil 1910
We can remember the Ideas which received aud the
atmosphere in which brought up. They were |
ideas refersbc to the calamtous effects Of the French
revolution aud went to foster the opinion that the mass
of the community the natural enemies of the laws
and unhappiy there too mauy indications To show
that this vague, unreal, imaginative description
mat was time IN which deficiency III the harvest was
to be followed by riot and when the rioters did not
hold sacred even the person Of maesy itself In 1913 the
carriage Of the Prince Regent assaled By the popu
lace OF London aud the suspension Of the habeas corpus
the passage Of the six acts the further Limitation OF press
already restricted aud the employment OF spies all over
the country were the remedies by OF which tran
qullhty was sought TO be restored.
What IS the state of things now But half century
has elapsed but measured by the alteration in the mind oil
the wOrki0gmsn, the distance is mmeasurabe The domi
nant sentiment in the mind Of the workingman IL
confidence in the law 10 the Parliament aud 10 the Gov
eminent.
The present franchise may be said to be divided between
the lower middle class and the upper working class The
upper middle class and the lower working class besg
cluded Now, ask is that Of thugs recommended
by any definite principe Are the upper portion of the
working classes inferior TO the lower portion Of the middle
casse7 1t appears to that the negat OF that posi-
ton may be held with the greatest confidence. aud add
that the conduct Of the worSng classes Of Lancashire dur
ing Che cotton famine cannot be forgotten What the
qualities that f for political privlleges1 Are they
not secommand, selEcontrol, patience under suffering
confidence IN the law aud respect for superiors2 Aud
when should like know 10 the history OF this any
other country were those qualities prominently ex
bi6ted than by the working people Of Lancashire under
Inc pressure OF the cotton amne do not speak OF the
mass, but OF the select class who excluded from
the franchise and do not admit Of any special merit 10
e middle class Of society which jutss them in drawing
sharp line between themselves aud the working classes
Look at the marvellous operative system which has been
brought into existence by the men Of Lancashire.
1t is well to have armies nees and Notifications sus
tanned by sound finance not wasted by the prodg aty Of
Government, but what is important still is that the
hearts Of the people should be bound together by reason
able extension Of the franchise among the aborng classes
aud believe that such will tend bind All