The question raised at that private conference was, what
was the state of each man's constituency? and it was agreed that,
wherever there was a constituency that would not brook a sale, its
representative must vote against the Government; but wherever there was
an inactive clergy, and local leaders who sought places, and instructed
their representatives in making a traffic of the votes of the people,
for the purpose of getting cousins, nephews, and other connections
appointed to places of emolument and gain, in these cases the
representatives were required to vote against the people, and to
sacrifice them; because there was a consciousness, on their part, that
there were none amongst those they ought to fear, who would call them to
account, before God and man, for their treachery and baseness
(tremendous cheers). We are dealing here to-night, not so much with
theories as facts; and I, therefore, tell you of those things which I
have seen, my statements in reference to which I can vouch."[208]
The positions taken up by the proposer of the Bill were not seriously
damaged during the discussions which followed. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer was the chief speaker on the Government side against the
second reading; but his arguments were characterized by an honorable
member as "a mockery.
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