"Mr. Manners," said Mr. Bartholomew, "has generalized almost as much as Richard Chappel."
"No," cried some of Kingsley's supporters; "there is a great difference between them."
"Let us hear and discuss," said Mr. Bartholomew; "it will open our minds."
"What does Richard Chappel say about universal suffrage?" asked a member.
Richard Chappel scratched his head. He had not given the subject that necessary consideration which enabled him to reply on the instant. Up jumped Mr. Bartholomew.
"I like that hesitation on Richard Chappel's part," he said. "Universal suffrage has bothered cleverer heads than any in this room."
"What do you say about it?" asked a bold member. Mr. Bartholomew laughed.
"I would give it to every man who has a right to it."
"No, no; there must be qualifications. The Reform Act did a lot for us, and a lot has been done since, and a lot more will be done in the future. There _must_ be electoral qualification. Even in our little club here every man has not a right to become a member. The difference between some of us is this--we agree upon the main point, but we do not agree in the way of bringing it about. 'Go slow' is my motto."
"Yes," grumbled one, "and die before we reap."
"Perhaps," said Mr. Bartholomew, gravely. "But does that lessen the value of our work, which, I take it, lies greatly in its unselfishness? We look more to the future than to the present. We think of our children and of the benefits they will enjoy, benefits brought about by us who may not live to see the fruit."
Much discussion of a similar nature followed, and it seemed likely at one time that the result would be largely influenced by the private wrongs of a member who had resolved to take this opportunity of ventilating them, and had, indeed, been urged to that course by the more inflammatory spirits. His story was not an uncommon one, and may be narrated in a very few words. He was a working-man, of course, with one child, a daughter whom he idolized. This daughter, to his grief and despair, had left her home; and it was, the father said, a gentleman who had brought the shame upon them. The man was very eloquent in his description of the monstrous wrong. He did not know the name or the whereabouts of the villain who had inflicted it, and said that if he could find him he would strike him dead at his feet. Mr. Bartholomew was too wise to prevent the father from speaking, although he strongly disapproved of the intrusion of this private matter into the club business; but he saw that it had been prearranged, and was intended to influence the election in favor of Kingsley. As a prudent general, therefore, he proposed the adjournment of the meeting, which broke up in some slight confusion.