Year: 1867




England we gather that the Reform bill OF the
Derby -Disraeli Ministry is likely to pass .no
House of Commons at no distant date. The bill
has undergone considerable modification III Com-
mittee of the Whole House. and is very dlllereht
measure now from that which was originally III
troduced four months ago. In this short space ol
time the Tory Government have MADE woh-
dcrful advances in the direction OF Liberalism
the most noteworthy illustration and PROOF Oh
this being the fact that the bill as 1t stands at
present, and as it is likely to pass, pIactlcahy
recognizes the principle of household suffrage
Starting with thc'intention OF simply extending
the elective franchise to a certain class OF
rate payers, the Government have, by the
nrcssure brought TO bear upon them
Inv the earnest and consistent members
of the Liberal party in the Commons, as well
as by the popular 9gitsattit9,a outside q PgEla,
menf On 6n Inc snbiect OF Reform, been compelled
to Weld point after point, until at length pro-
vision has been made for ledger franchise
which will have the effect of admitting TO the
exercise of the suffrage large number or per
sons of whose enfranclliscment at an early pc
Rod very few even of the most sanguine friends
ondearnest advocates of Reform entertained any
hone four months ago. To cXtort the conces-
sion of the right of dodgers to the franchise
was to gain great point; but the advantage
would have been practically nullliicd had those
clauses of the bill providing for the payment
of rates through the landlords rs the condition
of exercising the right to vote been carried
On this point a great battle has been lOught
and. if the Cable dispatches inform MS cor
rectly a great victory has been gained III
ENGLAND there are two modes of paying rates
one personal payment, as it is termed, ana the
other payment made through the landlord; and
those who pay their rates on the latter plan
are called compound h0uschodcrs. The land
lord pavs the rates in the lump, and then in
cludes in il the rent, receiving the amount from
the tenant in quarterly, OF monthly or weekly
installmcnts, rs the ease may be. The blli' as
originally introduced, provided that those only
of the class whom it was proposed to admit TO
the franchise who paid their rates personally
should be entitled to vote. Had tins been
carried. the whole body OF the compound
Lors.bolJcrs would have been left with
ont The suffrage, through no fault of their
own. and "A most unjust distinction would thus
have been created between people OF the same
class. simply on the ground that some paid





pound lEouseholders' Act, it is necessary to state
here. is not universal in it, operation, 1t being
optional with the local authorities TO collect the
rates under it OF not. Thus, had the Govern
mcnt plan been adopted, in Birmingham where
the act is in operation, The compound house
holders, composed principally of working people,
would have remained DISTINGUISHED, while IN
Sheffield, where its provisions have not been
adoptcd. and where the rates are paid personally,
the pcople of the same class would have been
put in possession OF the franchise. This point was
urged by the Opposition with such effect that the
Government consented 20 modify the bill so as to
admit the compound hOuScholdcrs, allowing them
To deduct tho rates from their rent. But as
this was To bc matter of mutual arrange
mcnt between the tenant and the landlord, the
former il was cOntcndcd, would be to a great
extent in the power OF the latter, the cOnsc-
qucncc being that in the towns, in which the
landlord interest and influence are powerful,
the poorer class of electors would he as much
controlled politically as the tenant farmers are
by the lords of the soil. Now if we interpret
Alright the tclegraphic dispatches on the sub
jcct received during the present week, the
Government have yielded on this point like
wise, and it is now settled that iii all cases the
rates shall be paid personally, and without any
reference 10 arrangements between landlords
and tenants This, taken i'll connection with
the lodger franchise will have the effect OF
swelling largely the electoral lists in all
the large towns, especially i'll the manu-
featuring towns of the north, and OF
thus giving the people more of real
power in controlling tho Government and
shaping the legislation of the country, than
they have ever yet enjoyed. IL remains to
he seen what effect these important concessions
will have upon the party agitatng in favor of
manhood suffrage and of the suffrage for
women also, or rather, what effect they will
have upon the agitation. Possibly, they may
check it for time but the principle of house
hold suffrage once practically adopted in En-
gland it is easy to see that the next step will
be TO universal suffrage The Tories have been
doing the work of the Liberals more thoroughly
do it themselves; but the motive power has
come from those popular demonstrations which
have been shaking England for the last nine
months. If righteous Reform bill should be
carried this session of Parliament, the work
will have been the achievement of the people,
who are beginning to feel their power, and
learning how to use it with the best effect.
Evidently, the crOwning victory is not very
far of.


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