Mr. Stansfeld made a good speech at Halifax on Thursday.
He remarked that he had always noticed that the foes of a good measure advance it much more than the friends, and that Reform was no exception to the rule. Since the Conservatives had, as usual, given it last session the great advantage of their determined -opposition, it had advanced more rapidly than ever before. He -called the Bill now before the House, in many of its details, " tricky, delusive, and mischievous," but he thought if Reformers united, it might issue from the House " large, simple, and satis- factory." He remarked that Lord Grosvenor's policy in voting -against Mr. Gladstone was to combine all the proposed restrictions, —the 5/. " hard and fast line " shutting out absolutely all lower- rated householders, with the personal rating to restrict the number of higher-rated householders. Mr. Stansfeld said be hoped all true Liberals would resist a coalition between Lord Grosvenor and the Government for such a purpose as this, and that Mr. Gladstone, having failed in his own plan, would now simply lend his energy to strike off the restrictions remaining in the Govern- ment plan.
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