In the House of Commons, after two good speeches from
Mr. S. Howard and Mr. Summers, the mover and seconder of the Address, Sir Stafford Northcote, who complimented both, but condemned rather sharply the political tone of Mr. Summers, made a speech, most conciliatory in manner and most ob- durate in substance. He gave not the slightest hope of con- cession. "We maintain," he said, "that this is so large and so vitally important a question, that the two parts must not be separated in our minds, but must be considered together ; and that we must act with reference to the whole subject, and not merely to a part of it." As Mr. Gladstone said in his reply, that is a very mild mode of saying,—" Adopt our views, pursue our methods of proceeding, recede from every declara- tion that you have made, turn topsy-turvy all that you have said about the practical absurdity of getting through the subject without separating the redistribution of seats from the franchise, and then, when you have gone through this process, and under- taken to wear a white sheet, you may rely upon it that we, the minority of this House, and the majority of the House of Lords, having completely conquered and completely discredited you in the face of those to whom you made contrary professions, shall be most happy to concur with you in carrying the Bill through." We need not say that Mr. Gladstone altogether declined to let the majority in the House of Commons pass, as he called it, "under the Caudine forks ;" and put it very strongly that here was a case in which the question was whether the majority in the Lords should yield to the majority in the Com- mons, or the majority in the Commons to the majority in the Lords; and that on that question there could be no compromise. The debate on the Address was ultimately adjourned.
