Mr. Bright's speech on the Bill was in reality the
strongest made in its support, but his apparent line was simply toleration. He condemned the proposal for a county franchise as feeble, a 10/. qualification having been repeatedly agreed to on both sides, and offered to vote with the Tories for its reduction in com- mittee. He accepted the 71. franchise "only for a time," condemned the Savings' Bank franchise, convicted Mr. Lowe of changing opinions uttered in 1859, laughed at him and Mr. Marsh, the Australian member for Salisbury, as persons of Botany. Bay ideas, quizzed Mr. Horsman for retiring to a political cave of Adullam, to which he invited every one in distress and every- one discontented, observed that Mr. Lowe's patron, Lord Lans- downe, could return his butler, warned the House that whenever disorder occurred in Europe the nation would ask much more, and that even without disorder emigration might weaken the country, and sat down, leaving the impression that the Bill was too moderate for him, but that he would accept it as an instalment of justice. As at least ten years must elapse before there is another Bill, the effect of this was to propitiate many Conservatives.
