On Wednesday, the House of Commons, by a party vote
of 216 to 200, reversed its decision of the previous week on the subject of the Leicester petition; • and secured to the Ministers the two Tory votes of Messrs. GOULBURN and GLADSTONE. Substantial justice was thus defeated; for we understand that not the least doubt exists that the sitting Members would have been displaced, had the means by which they were elected been laid before a Committee. But the Opposition leaders very absurdly neglected, or refused, to employ the usual means of insuring the attendance of their friends. The Tories were not so squeamish': they knew the importance of two votes in the present state of parties, and brought a majority into the House. We trust that on such another occasion, the Liberals will act with more regard to common sense, and not scatter their strength and dishearten the constituencies by lazy fastidiousness.
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