Upon the question of annexing a Redistribution Bill to the
Franchise Bill, Mr. Gladstone entered into much detail. The proposal was physically impossible. The Government has nominally 90 days in a Session, but really only 65, in- dependent Members taking up the Fridays, and of these 65 Supply took 34, leaving 31 only at disposal. Of these, the Franchise Bill, simple and moderate as it was, consumed 25, leaving only six days for foreign policy, Colonial policy, the "unfortunate Indian Budget," and any minor legislation. The Tories knew that if Redistribution were brought forward, the two Bills could not get through, for both Mr. Raikes and Mr. W. H. Smith had admitted it ; yet the party had now the want of decency to put forward the absence of Redistribution as the sufficient reason for rejecting the Franchise Bill. It is im- possible not to believe the consumption of public time on the Fran- chise Bill intentional ; and Mr. Gladstone in this speech, and every other, declared that the first necessity was a reform of the procedure of the House of Commons, which had ceased to be able to perform its functions. He did not at any time indicate what this reform should be, but he admitted that all reforms hitherto tried had been "too mild "—a statement heartily en- dorsed by his audience.
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