[BILL 43.] SECOND READING. (Hansard, 7 June 1869)

§ MR. SHERIDAN
said, that this Bill had a two-fold object—to restore the compounding system, and to abolish the rate-paying clauses of the Reform Bill. He believed that the Government were in earnest in this matter, as was shown by the Bill which they had brought in to settle the question of the compound-householder. He had been induced to move the second reading of this Bill by the fact that many hon. Members had pledged themselves to the repeal of the rate-paying clauses; but, as the Bill just read a second time would accomplish one of the objects of this measure, as various other questions were at present occupying the attention of the Government, and as a private Member could scarcely hope to succeed in carrying through such a measure at this period of the Session without the assistance of the Government and of a large majority of the House, he desired to leave it to hon. Members to say whether he ought to proceed with the measure. He moved that the Bill be now read a second time.

MR. GLADSTONE
said, the hon. Member for Dudley (Mr. Sheridan) had stated that he would leave this matter in the hands of hon. Members, and as he (Mr. Gladstone) felt that he came within that definition, he begged to represent to the hon. Member that he would do wisely to withdraw the Bill. They had been engaged that night upon a question of considerable importance, even if they measured it only by the additional franchise that the Bill they had 1335 just been, discussing would be likely to confer, but of still greater importance in reference to the removal of a pressing grievance. There were a number of points of detail in reference to that Bill which would require to be carefully considered in Committee; but upon the whole there had been a remarkable concurrence of opinion as to the main provisions of the Bill; and the opinions in favor of it were not confined to his side of the House, for two hon. Gentlemen on the other side had objected to it as not going far enough, and therefore they were supporters of the Bill and something more. He thought that the hon. Member for Dudley, who, as he knew, showed great sagacity in prosecuting his Parliamentary measures, would see that, with a task like that already before them, it would not be wise to complicate the controversy by importing into it somewhat doubtful points. There were a great many persons who cordially accepted the principle that the franchise ought to be separated from personal liability to the rate, and yet who entertained considerable doubt whether, in the ease where they enfranchised the owner of every house, it was an evil that the payment of the rate by some person or other in respect of the property should be a condition of the franchise. In the Bill of 1860 the Government of which he was a Member undoubtedly proposed to abolish the rate-paying clauses; but that was at a time when they were only asking the House to agree to a very limited franchise; and although he did not wish to pronounce any very strong opinion upon the point at that moment, and indeed scarcely entertained any perfectly formed opinion upon the question whether it was desirable to retain the rate-paying classes in conjunction with household suffrage, so long as they took care that the rate should only be one in respect of property and should not be a grievance to the occupier, yet he was sure that the matter was so far open to controversy that any attempt to pursue it at the present moment would place a material obstacle in the way of the House carrying a measure on which they had set their hearts, and on which they were very much agreed. He trusted, therefore, that the House would not then be pressed to accede to the second reading of this Bill, but that it would be withdrawn, while it would always be in 1336 the discretion of the hon. Gentleman or of any other Member at a fitting time to challenge the judgment of the House upon the subject.

§ MR. SHERIDAN
said, he had been unwilling to take upon himself the responsibility of withdrawing a measure of so much importance; but after the remarks of the right hon. Gentleman he felt there was no other course open to him than to withdraw the Bill.