Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/483

 1867.] Death of Palmer ston to Reform Act. Conclusion. 469 banks of 50 and upwards were to have votes for the place in which they resided. The qualification for the borough franchise was to be 7 rental, and lodgers occupying rooms of the annual value of 10, exclusive of furniture, were to have votes. Moderate as these proposals were, they encoun- tered the opposition not only of the Conservatives, but of a considerable section of the Whigs. Mr. Horsman, Mr. Lowe, and Mr. Laing hastened to attack the bill and the Ministry, and that combination was formed to which Mr. Bright at once gave the appropriate and enduring name, the " Cave of Adullam." The Radicals, on the other hand, gave the measure a hearty support, although it was less extensive than propositions which had previously been ac- cepted by the large majority of Liberals. In this they showed their political wisdom, their moderation commending them to an increased following in the country, whilst the short-sightedness of the " Cave " was shown when their present obstruction led in the following year to the adoption of a scheme much more democratic. Their virulence and rancour were equal to their folly, and night after night they made attacks upon the character of their countrymen and the stability of the Government. Amid the enthusiastic cheers of the Tories, these men speaking from the Liberal benches, declared that the majority of the people of England were unfit, from selfishness and ignorance, to be entrusted with a voice in the management of their own affairs, and that the Ministry which offered to enfranchise even a few of them was unworthy of the support of Parliament. Once more the Radicals proved themselves to be not only the truest repre- sentatives of the national will, but the soundest practical statesmen. The discussion on the motion for leave to introduce the bill was adjourned to the I3th, when, after further debate, it was carried without a division, and the second reading was fixed for the 1 2th of April. The first formal attack upon the bill was made by a member of one of the great Whig families, and seconded by the son of the late Conservative Premier. A