HOME TALK.

West Coast Times, Issue 213, 25 May 1866, Page 2

HOME TALK.

(From the Home News.) A Reform Bill is before the nation Previously to its introduction, wo had all kinds of sinister reports, and it was emphatically asserted that the differences in the Cabinet, and tho apathy of the country, had been too much for Earl Russell, that he had tendered his resignation, and had advised her Majesty tosend for thnDuke of Somerset. But this statement, which appeared one morning in a leading article in the leading journal, was flatly contradicted in tho evening. The authorship of the allegation was unhesitatingly assigned to Mr Robert Lowe, who was supposed to bo discontented at not being taken into the Ministry. Whether there were any grounds for the statement will not be known at present. Many persons believe that there were, but that their crystallisation into assertion was premature. Be this as it may, there were no resignations, and Mr Gladstone introduced tho Reform Bill pn March 12th, in a speech of two hours and a half — an address which I had the questionable advantage of hearing. I use the word questionable because, although it is always an advantage to hear a great subject discussed by a great man, I do not think that I ever heard Mr Gladstone speak so ineffectively. It was manifest, in a quarter of an hour, that his heart was not in his work. His premises were narrow, and his deductions were scarcely legitimate. The grounds on which ho rested the necessity of legislation were almost technical. And his speech was chiefly composed of details, very lucidly brought out, though at a length which wearied you. Pie rose but once into the orator, and that was at the end of his speech, when he not very Micitously brought in a negative illustration from Virgil, and made an eloquent appeal to the House not to be afraid of the democratic element. A great speaker could not, as a matter of art, conclude an address without some such high-toned peroration. Yet even this failed to produce much . effect, and the Ministerial applause was scarcely over when an Australian ' member, Mr Marsh, had the ear of the House as he attacked the bill. I have seen cases when Mr Gladstone's speeches have daunted other men, and the House has been almost ready to adjourn, that tho effect of the orator's potter might subside, and leave members unawed by the recollection of his brilliant delivery. The measure was received as coldly as it was brought forward. No impediment was offered by the Conservatives to the introduction of the bill, but a meeting of the Opposition has since been held, at which it has been resolved that the measure shall be stubbornly resisted. But all 1 its foes arc not iv the antagonistic ranks. Earl Grosvcnor, son of the great rich Marquis of Westminster, has given notice that he shnll move an amendment to the effect, that it is expedient to legislate until the whole subject of the representation can be taken up, and Sir William Hutt, who was lately the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, adds his amendment, that the bill, if carried, shall not come into operation until the question of the re-distribution of scats shall have been dealt with. In addition to these, there are two other obstructive notices, by Mr Oliphant and Mr Kinglake, the one asking for a Royal Commission to procure statistics for the new adjustment,, of boroughs, and the other tending to a resolution not to go on with the present bill till the introduction of a bill for the redistribution' of seats. In consequence, however, of the Government having announced its intention to place before the House the outline of bills completing the desiderated changes in tho representation, Sir William Hutt and Mr Oliphant have withdrawn their resolutions, and the battle will be fought on Lord Grosvenor's amendment, which Ministers have accepted as a vote of want of confidence. / Statistics, elaborately compiled, were laid on the table a few hours before tho bill was introduced, and they disclose facts which took the majority of persons by surprise. It appeared that the Working Man, who was said to be excluded from tho franchise, was so far from being excluded, that under the existing system he had, by honorable industry and frugality, acquired 26 par cent, of it. It is therefore ai'gued that as this is the case, and as the vote is open to the class which ought to have it, there is no reason for lowering the standard. At present, said Mr Gladstone, a man must earn £2 a week to have it, and the bill would place it, he thought, within the reach of a man who earns twenty-six shillings. It cannot be denied that the action of the measure would be anti-aristocratic. But one may be permitted to believe that it would be tolerably harmless, As to having any fears of the kind of men who would claim the franchise under this bill, one may leave such terrors to old ladies of both sexes. Nor do I believe that the votes of the working men would all go one way, nor do I think that the mercantile employers of labor would find their hands much strengthened. There, is no excitement on the subject, there is a sort of wish that the question shonld be settled, but the middle class is in a profound calm about it, and thet politicians will be permitted to fight out tho matter their own way. Government pledges itself to stand or fall by the bill. There wore two nights of debate, only remarkable for the speeches which I have mentioned, and for one by Mr Bright, who for once had to imitate Dullness in tho " Dunciad." "The goddess, with a discontented' air, Seems to reject him, while she grants his prayer." He had to clisolaim the authorship of

the bill, to pretend to grumble at it as too small, but to signify his intention of supporting it. He made amends for this enforced calm, by some capital pounding at Messrs. Lowe aud Horsman, the former of whom he described as elected by, Lord Lansdowne, who might have elected his groom, and the latter as the founder of a Cave of Adullam, for every one who was discontented. The rest of the speeches (I may noticed an interesting maiden one from Mr A. Peel, youngest son of the great Sir Robert), were not remarkable. The second reading is fixed for the 12th of April. ' Other political matters have, of course, been comparatively uninteresting. The estimates have exhibited a very small reduction in amount, but the Lords Hartington and Clarence Paget assure us that though we are not spending less money, wo are spending more wisely than heretofore. A bill for the total abolition of Church rates, without providing any compensation, has been read a second time, Mr Gladstono voting for it, but on the express understanding that it is to be essentially altered in committee. There seems some hope of a compromise of this matter, which, as Prince Avtur says, "is not worth the coil that's made about it." The attempt to do away with the absurder part of the Parliamentary Oath has succeeded to the extent of the bill getting through the Commons. But I had occasion to write on the same subject a good while ago, and to mention that Lord Derby desired to maintain the anti-Catholic part of tho oath for the sako of " muzzling" antagonists. If he perseveres in the same statesmanly view,the Lords will destroy the measure, but I think tho party havo parly reasons for not wishing to offend Irish constituencies. Our Queen goes about a little, and our Prince a great deal. Ho is really übiquitous. We hear of him in the hunting field, and at a launch, and in tho theatre, and at the Garrick Club, and at the French Exhibition meeting, and at scientific tests, aud in short, if he do not understand those who will be his subjects, it will not bo for want of coming in contact with them. His Royal Highness is very /good naturcd, and very popular, and it is hinted that in the most illustrious quarter he is thought to bo almost too condescending. But most of us do not think him so, but believe that the best thing a prince can do is to become tho personal Mend of as many of his subjects as possible. There is no other court news — Princess Helena's marriage is the next important event iv that sphere, and we all hope that she will be happy, but her fiance is a good deal older than herself, and is said to have acquired confirmed bachelor habits, which are not always held to conduce to conjugal peace. The delicate health of the young Prince Leopold causes much anxiety to the royal family.