PREFACE.
THROUGH all the dust and din of the present controversy, four things, at least, are surely clear to all thinking men:—
First, that it would be an unmitigated evil to have a General Election with the new Franchise, but without a new Distribution of Seats;
Secondly, that there would be no difficulty in avoiding all risk of such a catastrophe, PROVIDED THAT a clause were added to the Franchise-Bill, enacting that it "shall not be put into operation until a Redistribution-Bill has also been passed";
Thirdly, that there would be no difficulty in both parties agreeing to such a clause, PROVIDED THAT each felt secure against the other party obtaining an unfair advantage in the Redistribution;
Fourthly, that there would be no difficulty in making this secure, PROVIDED THAT some general principles, making it impossible for either side to obtain any such advantage, could be discovered and accepted by both parties.
It is in the profound conviction that such principles exist, and that they can be as clearly formulated, and as fully proved, as the principles of any other Science, that I venture to address these pages to all interested in the matter.
Ch. Ch., Oxford,
Nov. 5, 1884.
