The second reading of the Redistribution Bill was passed on
Monday, after a debate in which only Mr. Disraeli and Mr. Cardwell took part. Mr. Disraeli denied, like Mr. Gladstone, that the small boroughs were exceptionally corrupt, and thought that their value in introducing young men to Parliament was overrated. "In a free country, and under a popular constitution, such men as Pitt, Fox, and Canning will always find a place in Parlia- ment." He thought their use was to represent the interests not connected either with land, or manufactures, or commerce. lie would enfranchise the new cities, but did not suggest how he would obtain the necessary seats, and objected altogether to the scheme for grouping, as increasing expenditure, aggravating anomalies, and disintegrating organized communities. Re dis- liked the grant of three members to great towns, as increasing plurality of voting, which he thought a false principle, every man being properly entitled to only one vote, and pleaded for grouping by throwing unrepresented boroughs into boroughs now returning members, as Middlesborough into Stockton-on-Tees. He would make the county-constituencies strictly representative of agriculture, and pleaded for delay, in order that boundaries might be settled by the Inclasure Commissioners. The speech fell rather dead on the House, and contains from end to end scarcely a sarcasm, ex- cept upon the " look " with which Mr. Gladstone accompanied his remark that "the workmen in county constituencies were flies in the pot of ointment."
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