LORD HARTINGTON ON THE FRANCHISE BILL. [To THE EDITOR OF
THE "SPECTATOR. "1
Sin,—Lord Hartington, speaking on Saturday at Rawtonstall in support of the Franchise Bill, used words which certainly indicated that the Government are not unwilling to lay their plan of Redistribution before the country, if the Peers, on the other hand, will undertake to pass the Franchise Bill, on seeing that the plan is based on fair principles.
If the Government have really decided to make such a con- cession, I, as a Liberal, cannot but think they have made a mis- take. Is it likely that any scheme of Redistribution which they may produce, will commend itself to Lord Salisbury and his adherents ? Has not Lord Salisbury plainly indicated that he is in favour of some artificial system of representation, by which minorities are to obtain more than their due share of political power ?
And therefore why should the Government depart from their former resolve to pass the Franchise Bill, before the Redistribu- tion Bill is brought in ? It is monstrous and intolerable that the House of Lords should have power to compel a Liberal Government to pass a bill to please the minority in the House of Commons. Throughout the country Liberal meetings are being held to strengthen the hands of the Government, and to express disapproval of the recent action of the Peers. And Mr. Gladstone and his colleagues can hardly yield without disappointing a large section of their supporters. Lord Salisbury has nailed his colours to the mast. Let the Government be resolute and unwavering, and let the country, if need be, decide whether an unrepresentative Chamber shall have power to thwart the will of the people, as expressed by a large majority of their representatives in the House of Commons. Surely the Govern- ment have not, CalignIa-like, led their followers to within a measurable distance from the struggle, merely to withdraw ?
Surely they cannot choose but stand firm, when their supporters in all parts of the country are passing resolutions
asking them not to give way P—I am, Sir, &c., C. T.
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