New-York tribune., 1867-05-29
GREAT BRITAIN.
nlr RrroRu QUESTION


The great event Of tho week before hc mail left was
the great middle cass RoTortn demonstration 10 81
Jntncsr Han. An the entrances wcrc thronFcd with
people obtain admission two hours before the
char there was not only 10 siandnE rnom bat scuecy
any breathing room supporng Ai hSrtcy %el' !, Jon" -
Fdw Iiaincs VI p Barnes. ~. H., j. IS Potter, ". T.,
isa,c uoden NJ r. Sir Henry Hoare, Edmuud Icaies,
Tho Rev Newman Hall &c. Nc. la opening the proceed
iugs the Chairman interrupted 10y 6nch umuit 81
ccr,nr ihat for some inmate ho could not proceed a
powerful speech was made Dy Mt Bright
Mr. Bright, on rising to address tie meeting, was re-
ccived with the most enthusiastic chccrug the whole
audience rising and waving hats and handkcrcnicfs
when silence restored the honorable gentleman taid
Although dare say all feel that great meeting Ike
this Is not generally the hcs assembly for the transac
ton Of business yet cannot help thinking thu there Is
some important business before us and In the speeches
that have already been delivered portion o IL has
been got through We have before work wich per
haps can measure as wen as any l.i' ~ NV t'
opportunty measuring tie work winch has been al
ready accomplished. forget exactly the day Whcn
was on this platform last bat some tne IN - Deo,nsor % ,
iIcsfioi, ON which we nave set our hearts made
ircaf and memorable advance Hear, hcar But not
witstanding that advance, would De 10 Ihu "tI eyes
10 the fact not 10 and 10 acknowledge that that
question at this moment Is IN q critical position, and
M one small peril from the INST, from the opening
of the session, have had the m!sorucs OF seeing TINS
question In the hands of its encmcshear. hcarl-hhd
when You know how great j. the power IN he House OF
Commons Of every Government whilst 10 lasts, You may
form some dea OF the disadvantage are subject 10
ON seeing this bill or any Reform bill, IN the hands OF Lord
Dcrly's administration. The members OF mat AdnIhs-
raton dared altogether to refuse TO defer o pub
Jc olini N but, while pretending To do that which the
people want, they nave III almost every cause Oi lhcr oi
introduced mehng OF aperncous tendency tat should
make The whole bill ol very small vaue to the country
lChccrsl Now, shan not say nurh about tle psSih 1
tie borough franchise except this, that think II bad
aud that requirement that all men should pay certain
rate the poor rate VIII inevitably, IN the lowest class OF
voters, afford at least great opportunity Tor corruption
hin everything should bc wish, viii not even
quarrel with the basis OF tie b II the basis OF the bill
had been fairly applied TO where IL could not apply, If
some Oihei lode oi chllanthsg Tie people hau Dcch
adopted, that through all the broad land OF England
and Wales the same common justice should have been
mctcd out TO MI householders IN all the bOrougls Hear
hear The newspapers tell US some Of theni-lgrcat
pound householder is that the thing has been so much
discussed that those who knew nothing before know
knew everything find themselves in stato of complete
confusion. Renewed laugner But this bill, If passed
Tonight ana coming into operation under the most IA
NOihble circumstances, and operating as believe It's
trainers hope aud intend II wil operate would offer TO
25 men IN all the bOroughe Of England and Wales the
elective franchise, on condition that every one OF them
had resided u months IN the borough, paid his rate,
and taken Whatever steps bc necessary to that
his name Is left neither of the rate book nor OF the
Commons that II you take The hole number and vide
~ two YOU Will get as near possible TO the actual
number Of persons who would come upon the register
Some have not lived long enough. that IT, the IL months
In their borOugs some have paid their rates.
have changed their residence fro.n one town TO other
have themselves forgotten, somebody else had
forgotten something and about half OF the whole
Der do not nhd themselves upon the register But II
admits offers the franchise TO IL would therefore
really admit about l22OOo names upon the borough
But what does II excludel IL excludes, taking
whole number Of those whom IL does freely OF
the Bse, II excludes Ina these same
than 10000 persons, and dividing that by two
it practically and actually excludes $4,000 voters
men who would be voters If the bill fairly applied
equally 10 all the bOTOughs OF the kingdom
lCheers.l / suppose that most OF you have after ALL
Notwithstanding what some writer's say get idea Of
the OF this. have on two cecasiOne IN Bir
mnghaJa and IN the House Commons, illustrated
the case by the example OF two great townsville town OF
sheffield and the town Of birmingham. which | am per
mtted to represent. Cheersl Now, in Sheffield,
rule the Oecnpicr OF the houses the householder pay
the TO tue parish officers In birmingham, rule
y passed some of them nearly 40 years ago. up 10
Ri2 rating nnc is, suppose s5 rental at least up
that point ai the rates paid by the and land
lords OF the houses In the OF Sheffield the
on the list; In the OF Birmingham the men
cludeI from the list IN Sheffield $4,000 have the chance
OF the vote OF whOm may say, 1890 will get II. In
RrmlnZiain $1,000 have not the chance, and Of them
1900 or the half, practically prohibited from
Getting the franchise lCries Of "Shalne."l "Wel,
4 have asked in the Eouse Of Commons
there arc good many rational menthd ihey sometimes
admit an argument and fact; ana YET III q division
~, " will moi vote in accordance with It'll ask them VIII
man say that there is any difference n the condition
Of The oeople Of Birmingham and the people OF sheled
rhew an speaking Of them by the trade OF Io towns, are
Wonderfully ingfI,0ps ~o'ts'' ~ metals 1ty oDcythe