1867.] Death of Palmer ston to Reform Act. Conclusion. 471 tellers, 318 Liberals and two Conservatives; against them, 282 Conservatives and 33 Liberals.* The closeness of the figures was received, of course, by the opposition with great delight, and Mr. Gladstone took time to consider what course the Government would pursue in con- sequence. On the 3Oth of April the decision was announced. Although their majority was so small, ministers did not think it consistent with their duty to abandon the bill ; but after so many members had expressed their opinion that redistribution should be dealt with, they intended to accept the necessity and introduce their plan. This was done on the /th of May. The proposal was to obtain forty-nine seats for distribution, by withdrawing one member each from all boroughs having a population under 8000, and by grouping certain boroughs which had now separate representation into sixteen constitu- encies, some with one and some with two members. The forty-nine members were to be allotted twenty-six to English counties, fifteen to English boroughs, one to London University, and seven to Scotland. Four of the English borough mem- bers were to be given to increase the representation of existing constituencies, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds each obtaining one. This scheme, although not very complete, was accepted by the Radicals, whose desire was to bring the matter to some practical conclusion ; but it was opposed by those who objected to reform of any kind. The part which was disliked
- The following are the
Agar-Ellis, Hon. L. Andover, Visct. Anson, Major Baring, H. B. Beaumont, W. B. Bruce, Lord E. Bulkeley, Sir R. Brecknock, Earl of Carington, Hon. C. Clinton, Lord Arthur Crosland, Col. The two Conservatives G. Bowyer, names of the Liberal deserters : Doulton, F. Duff, R. W. Dunkellin, Lord Elcho, Lord Fitzwilliam, Hon. C. Gregory, W. H. Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor, Lord R. Heathcote, Hon. G. Horsman, Rt. Hon. E, Laing, Samuel who voted with ministers Lowe, Rt. Hon. R. Mackie, J. Mainwaring, T. M'Kenna, J. N. Marsh, H. H. Packe, Col. Pirn, Jonathan Saunderson, E. Stock, Osborne Tomline, Geo. Tracey, Hon. C. H. were R. J. Harvey and Sir
