§ MR. BAINESI have to ask the permission of the House to introduce a Bill for the purpose of extending the elective franchise in boroughs in England and Wales. As I understand that this Motion is not to be opposed, I shall of course follow the usual custom of the House by not making any observations upon the merits of the question on the present occasion, but leave those remarks to be made on the second reading of the Bill. I may, however, state that my object is to give a moderate and yet substantial and valuable extension of the franchise to classes who constitute the great bulk of the people, and who are now entirely excluded from the privileges of the Constitution. I propose to do this by the simplest of all means, and in a manner that has been proposed in this House on high authority—namely, by lowering the borough franchise from an occupation of £10 to an occupation of £6. I believe I may, without provoking discussion at the present time, ask the Government and the House to do me the favour of giving their consideration to one important question before this matter is discussed—amply and fairly, as I hope it will be, on the second reading—and that is this:—This is the last Session of the present Parliament, and it is precisely with that knowledge that this question of the alteration of the franchise ought to be discussed and settled. I believe they will find there are many reasons in favour of this. The whole country would be saved the trouble and the cost of one general election, if a question of this nature were settled at the end instead of being settled at the beginning of a Parliament. If we have a great extension of the franchise, it is obvious there must be a dissolution immediately, in order to allow the new voters to exercise the franchise to which they will be entitled: 560 and having regard to the public interest, having regard to justice, having regard to the position of the Government and the Members of this House, I appeal to you to consider if, in this present Session of Parliament, it might not be the most wise as well as the most just course to make an extension of the franchise to the country.
§ MR. AYRTON,referring to the absence of the Government at the moment, Mr. Brand being the only official Member present, said, it was due to the country to take notice of the condition of the House on this occasion. It was not, perhaps, to be expected that hon. Gentlemen on the other side should grace the House with their presence at that time. It did happen, indeed, that a Member of the late Administration (Mr. Adderley) was present, but that was due to the accident that a Motion in which he was interested had just been disposed of. It was natural, however, that there should be some curiosity to learn the views of the Government on a question of such importance. Not long before, there were some Members of the Government present, but when his hon. Friend the Member for Leeds rose they all fled from the Treasury Bench, as if they were going to be reminded of some crime they had committed. No doubt it must be most painful to them to see his hon. Friend introducing this question, and to which a few years ago they were pledged, and to which they professed to attach so much importance, that they thought it their duty not to allow the present Opposition to retain office a moment after the beginning of the present Parliament. If there were any Members of the Government in or about the House they ought to be in their places; but even those who were in attendance carefully avoided the Treasury Bench. This was a curious illustration of the way in which the Government redeemed the solemn pledge on which they came into office. The present state of the House was a most distressing condition of things, and he thought it ought to be known, in order that it might be understood throughout the country what were the feelings of the Government on the very question on which they came into office.
MR. J. J. POWELLobserved, that there were many Members deeply interested in this question who were not present because they understood there was to be no debate. He need scarcely remind the hon. Member for the Tower Hamlets that it was on the 561 second and not on the first reading of a Bill that the Government and other Members discussed the principle of the measure, and declared their views concerning it. He thought, therefore, that the remarks of the hon. Gentleman were uncalled for. At the same time, he trusted to hear a full statement of the opinions of the Government on the next stage of the Bill.
§ MR. BAINESexplained that it was perfectly understood between the Government and himself that there was to be no discussion that evening.
§ Motion agreed to.
§ Bill to extend the Elective Franchise in Boroughs in England and Wales, ordered to be brought in by Mr. BAINES, Mr. BAZ-LEY, Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, and Mr. WILLIAM EDWARD FORSTER,
§ Bill presented, and read 1° [Bill 32].