I may say there has been more consistency, more calmness, and consideration on this subject on the part of gentlemen on this side than on the part of those who seem to arrogate to themselves the monopoly of treating this subject.  I can, at least, in answer to those who charge us with trifling with the subject, appeal to the recollection of every candid man, and say that we treated it with sincerity—­we prepared our measure with care, and submitted it to the house, trusting to its candid consideration—­we spared no pains in its preparation:  and at this time I am bound to say, speaking for my colleagues, in the main principles on which that bill was founded—­namely, the extension of the franchise, not its degradation, will be found the only solution that will ultimately be accepted by the country.  Therefore, I cannot say that I look to this question, or that those with whom I act look to it, with any embarrassment.  We feel we have done our duty; and it is not without some gratification that I have listened to the candid admissions of many honorable gentlemen who voted against it that they feel the defeat of that measure by the liberal party was a great mistake.  So far as we are concerned, I repeat we, as a party, can look to Parliamentary Reform not as an embarrassing subject; but that is no reason why we should agree to the measure of the honorable member for Leeds.  It would reflect no credit on the House of Commons.  It is a mean device.  I give all credit to the honorable member for Leeds for his conscientious feeling; but it would be a mockery to take this bill; from the failures of the government and the whole of the circumstances that attended it, it is of that character that I think the house will best do its duty to the country, and will best meet the constituencies with a very good understanding, if they reject the measure by a decided majority.

THE MEANING OF “CONSERVATISM” (Manchester, .April 3d, 1872)

Gentlemen:—­ The chairman has correctly reminded you that this is not the first time that my voice has been heard in this hall.  But that was an occasion very different from that which now assembles us together—­ was nearly thirty years ago, when I endeavored to support and stimulate the flagging energies of an institution in which I thought there were the germs of future refinement and intellectual advantage to the rising generation of Manchester, and since I have been here on this occasion I have learned with much gratification that it is now counted among your most flourishing institutions.  There was also another and more recent occasion when the gracious office fell to me to distribute among the members of the Mechanics’ Institution those prizes which they had gained through their study in letters and in science.  Gentlemen, these were pleasing offices, and if life consisted only of such offices you would not have to complain of it.  But life has its masculine duties, and we are assembled here to fulfill some of the most important of these, when, as citizens of a free country, we are assembled together to declare our determination to maintain, to uphold the constitution to which we are debtors, in our opinion, for our freedom and our welfare.