The New York herald., 1867-04-01

desirable; and secondly, IL desirable whether the
means which We propose adequate 10 er CT that
ject In the nrst place, would that object rs
not Only TO maintain, but 10 strengthen the
and fnnctons OF this House. They are peculiar ang
popuaf assembly they are perhaps, moi only rare
unexampled IN other which has existed The House
OF Commons has combined national representation ,oih
te Attitudes Of Senate That peculiar union has In
opinion, been owing the variety Of elements of
which formed It's variety OF character has given
% t its delberative power and IL it, debera-
tive power It's general authority. Hear, hear We
wish, repeat not only TO maintain, but to strengtneh
that character and those funciions and believe
IN the present age and under tho existing circumstances
OF the country the best to do 50 Is 10 establish them
on'a sound popular basis. Cheers, know that there
are some persons in whose minds the epihet which
have Just used create feeling OF dstrust; but
attribute the sentiment OF alarm which Is associated
with Il TO misapprehensiou OF its meaning that
confusion OF ideas which bnt too often confounds pop
Ia prrileges tcii deppcrdc rights Thev ideu
teal They are not similar; more than that they
opposed Popular PRIVILEGES are consistent with state
OF Society IN which there is great inequality OF
condition. Democratic rights, on the contrary de
mand that there should be equality OF condition
iss e rsgsis Menu oass sne society %,s,,o wnon
which ought TO be borne in mind by the House in
dealing with the provisions OF The bin which am about
TO ask ior leave TO introduce II this bill be proposal
that her Majesty saa be enabled to concede her SUBJ
ects with the advice and concurrence OF her Parliament
liberal measure Of popular privileges then there may
be many of its provisions which will be regarded pru
dent, wise and essentially constitutional. II. the
other hand, It be looked upon as measure having for
as object to confer democratic rights then admit much
that il may contain be viewed in the light Of being
smdefeusble and unjust We do moi, hocere pe and thrust
IL cH nerer be The tate y ths countryt live under de-
mccracn tcheers) The propositions ,chich am
going b maxi io-nigf certainly hare tndency
dhot dtrec,ion. Renewed cheers) Generally speaking
wonid gay that looking 10 what has occurred since
the Reform act OF 1892 passedhaving regard
increase of education the spread OF industry and Of
knowledge and TO the ingenuity in the which
widely prevails in this country-we ara II opinion that
numbers, thoughts and feelings have since taat time
been created which II Is desirable should admit with
in the circle or the constitution We wish thai aimis
sion to take place in the spirit of existing institu.
tons AMI with dus Difference to the traditions OF
ancient state tCheers) In dealing with the question
~ N oh Slatp lrh is
really the question before us-I would in the first
place cali the attention of the House that part Of
II which is perhaps The most important and which
certainly 10 the creates, extent commands the inter-
est Of the public. allude to the franchise which
at the outset TO CONSIDER the principles upon which
occupation franchise in borough ough. to rest upon
which IT is eNpcdient 10 base it, In 1882 the borough
franchise founded on the principle OF value hose
who pad fl0 for the house in which they lived subject
TO certain regulations regards and residence had
the borough franchise conferred upon them believe
shat franchise may be fairly considered hav been
its generation operated with advantage the country.
!. My own opinion has always been tha, from the
would necessarily IN the course OF time lead 10 some dis
turbance That is however question of controversy.
psso, nna Will not indulge in controversy a. The
y fact that only twenty years after the passing
Of the great measure Of 1882 the pr ncipai OF. at
least one OF the principal authors OF that
nounced in this House that the arrangement which
been entered nto especially with to the borough
franchise was no longer satisfactory and invited us to
consider new arrangement which mi2ht 'command
more complete assent. That Is fact which be
denied The proposition which was at the period To
which refer. made in order to allay disc content
meet the requirements of tmc by the man
who, upon tho whole, had taken nearly the most prom
nent part in the passing OF the act Of 1892 invo, cd
diminuon OF the value which the borough franchise
was established. That proposition received with
satisfaction and from that period up TO the present
and fifteen years have, think. c,apsed-the ques
,tion has more or less engaged public attention. and
has been taken up by public who brought for
ward various schemes with view to the solution OF
difficulties by which surrounded. All these schemes
and n
have been unsuccessful but OF them has been
proposed was dminution in form auothor. or
IN somo degree or another, OF the value on which the
easily recall recollection combination figures
which have been submitted TO the Of Parliament
on this SUBJECT We had before us 81 rating or rental
No proposition however, which has as yet been put
forward has given satisfaction, because the couDty
and the House rejecting the feeling Of the cOun.
Y try, has felt that by mono OF the changes
fsuggesed q settlement Of the question likely 70 be
insured Hear haar) Last year bill was Introduced
with the object that which have risen 70 ask
for leave TO bring in to-nght-nameIy. 10 amend the
That bill avowedy not founded ON principle; IL
was avO~edy founded. rs far ss can understand,
It's powerful advocate this House seemed
sincy always 70 have laid down. In the course or hrs
should be an admission OF The workirC classes into tho
constituencies; that IN accordance with figure which
Of them would be admitted, but ths. il another
ngure were adopted which he named he thoagnt
ns 3. ,Sersiops recommcpcsG the nrs. nr"re as
A that which, upon the whole, would, no thought
furnish the best and safest solution Of the difficulty Hts
proposal, therefore, involved principle. II might
have been appropriate arrangement but u was esseo
tally exredient. Tho House knows what took place
during the long discussions in which engaged
last year (ronica cheers from the opposition infer
from cheer that tho House Is prepared 70 recognize
the the statement that generally felt that
the proposal Of the Afforded prospect
OF satisfactory settlements OF this question Hear,
hcar.) A very considerable amount OF time was last
employed unsatisfactory
ner-toppos.oD cheersl-lntii at length the House
took the matter iro its own hands. and in
one Of the largest divisions which ever took place
within these walls asserted principle with regard 70
the borough franchise which carried BY majority
THAT principle that the borough franchise should DO
founded rating The House VIII admit that the state
,sns for momont that The did no. doubt
the Importance OF that decision IL was decision on.
trely opposed to the whole policy which the govern
they had not acknowledged the Importance OF that
decision they would not have retired from position OF
power but they felt that the decision which the
House OF Commons arrived when there very full
attendance Of members was one opposed 70 the
che session. do not say tnat every gentleman both
sides Of the House who contributed divnoni
numbered above six hundred members, had narrowly
investigated and pursued to the ss consequences, all
principle; but happened, IL happens in ell popular
assemblies, that great decision arrived at by the
ss ,ns for the last fifteen yes ss question Of the
borough franchise had not been treated In sasfao.
tory manner Dy any government winch had attempted
90 deal with IT, and that the time had come when
some principle should be laid down IN distinct
aud decided manner for she guidance Of those
who might have to offer propositions TO the House on
she subject take IL for granted that if there
WAS decI.ion Of the House Of Commons which meant
character s t1s q authority a ss: aoss n va. he
vote arrived at that occasion. me House. assume,
meant by the decision arrived a. that shs person who
was TO be inrusted with 70 elect members o. Par
l,sment should b one with respect 70 whom there
should guarantee and security for the regularity
n his lo and the general uustworthtness Of bis
lot and the House thought that the fact Of man
rated the relief Of the poor and being able 70
av his rates gave that fair which the State
had right 70 require take that vote OF the House
or Commons meant tbis:--n you are going 70 invest
men with the exercise Of public rights let that great
trust be- accompanied with the exercise % public duty
fHcar hear) take II for gnnted that was what the