The Franchise debate of Friday week and Tuesday turned entirely
on Mr. Brodrick's Irish amendment, Mr. S. Leighton's amendment for giving a freehold franchise in boroughs to balance the freehold franchise in counties having been withdrawn. Mr. Brodrick then moved to substitute " Great Britain " for " the United Kingdom," in the Bill, and urged that the inclusion of Ireland, so far from guaranteeing equality between England and Ireland, would produce inequalities of " so vast and striking a description between the two countries, that it would amount to a gross injustice to the other portions of the United Kingdom. If they succeeded in passing the measure, the Government would concentrate in that House all the evil passions, all the patriotic follies, and all the delusive sentimentalities, which were now wasted at public meetings throughout Ireland." Mr. Trevelyan replied that nothing should induce him personally to remain even for five minutes in a Ministry which should propose to give England and Scotland a franchise from which it proposed to exclude Ireland. As for the Crimes Prevention Act, all its most important provisions were in force when Mr. Disraeli last extended the franchise in Ireland.
