The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-06-16 00:00:00

Voroet Count 4 expres.

TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1866.

NOTES OF THE WEEK.

Very satisfactory pr trees has been made in the
peat week towards taking the verdict of the country
on the great question at issue between the Govern-
ment and the Opposition. The adoption of the
recommendations of the Selert Committee on
boundaries by the House of Commies, with the
acquiescence of the Government, is equivalent to tl.e
removal of an obstacle that stood right in the way
of an early dissolution, while the Registration Bill
is intended to clear the path of minor difficulties
ahead. Until the boundaries question was deposed
of, there WU a number of important constituencies
in which no preparation could be made for
the general election, inasmuch as the limit of the
constituencies themselves were left in uncertainty,
and thousands of honseholdere in different districts
did not know whether they would become borough
or remain county electors, or without votes at all.
Practically, the question is well settled for the
whole country, and it is satisfactory to leave it
settled, although the statement in itself
may not be a very satisfactory one. The
Registration Bill seems to do all that can be
done to expedite a general 'biotite, and to enable
Parliament to meet before Christina.; and since it
has received the almost unqualified and certainly
warm approval of Mr. Gladstone, one may readily
imagine that it contains the hest propositions that
mild be made for ehorteeing the considerable period
required for preparing and revising the new electoral
lists preparatory to the general election. It deems
to inflict little, if any, inconvenience on claimants
for votes, se the principal saving of time it would
effect, would be in the revision of the lets by the
revising barristers, and this would be done chiefly
by employing more of these functionaries. Hold•
tog, as we have always held, the opinion that to the
new constituencies should be left the decision on the
Irish Church gaieties, and consequently on the fate
of the preeentGovernment, we *retied to see arrange.
moots proposed on one side, end accepted on the
other, for expediting the appeal to the country.
Putting resignations of Ministers on one side as •
matter within their own discaption under the
circumstances of their position, we think it better
that the inevitable appeal to the country should be
delayed even until next January than that the whole
driers of the dation should have been thrown into
confusion by a precipitate dimolution. Neither will ,
the Irish Church question be prejudiced, nor the I
interests of the country be injured, by the Ministry
retaining office for a few months. But, of course, it
Is much better that there should, if possible, be an
autumn esseicat By his propositions Mr. Hardy
hopes to oinks it possible for Parliament to meet
early in December, when, after the sweering-in of
members, the first bushiest will be to decide the
fat* of the Government. We will not anticipate how
the verdict may be given, but, after it is pronounced,
Parliament will be prorogued, and which ever party
Is in power will have • few weeks, before the com-
mencement of the ordinary semion, to prepare its
legislative measures for next year. This will
probably prevent the loss of • session, and imam' to
the country the active services of its new Parliament
while it is still fresh and vigorous.
It is rather curious that while all parties, if not
taking leaps in the dark, are making strides in the
Reform question which would bay, been considered
most rub only two or three years ago, there should
be as much controversy on the comparatively petty
question whether revenue officers are to have votes
or not. Mr. Monk may be said to have carried the
seeend reading of his Removal of Disabilities Bill by
• bake, iesseeeth 51 the treat beeohee on both skim

of the House were nearly empty when be made the
motion, and • number of independent supporters of
the measure, seeing the Mate of the House, cut short
tbe speech which the hon. gentleman was peepared
to snake, by esh,.rtations of "move, move I" and thus
secured the passing of the Bill before officialism could
My anything against it. It does cot appear, how-
ever, that there is soy very strong feeling among
Ministers and ex-Ministers against the proposed
enfranchisement, or they would not have allowed such
• chasms to mom for getting the principle of Mr.
Monk's proposition sffirmed by the Hosea But, in
the present state of business, it is more than pro-
bable that this Bill will be elbowed out of MN 1r57
every time it turns up, as it was last Friday. It is
soarosly worth while pressing it forward, as the
quertion is neither very important nor very urgent,
and will doubtless receive • favourable oonsideration
from that new Parliament which is to right all our
wrongs.

The Government., it is understood, have deter.
mined to proceed with the Electric Telegraphs Bill.
They have mad* it the drat order of the dey for
next Thursday. They will refer the bill to. select
"'unities, and will make a strong effort to pees it
this aserion. The realms for this urge's:7 is said to
be that the porchasamooey must be increased by at
least half a million merlins if the transfer is delayed
twelve mouths through the state of brininess.
_ . _ . _ .

- -
It is asserted in the Paris papers that Prinoe God.-
achakoff has addreiwed a cirmlar to the Courts of
Europe, Proposing that they shall come to an agree-
ment not to nee explosive rifle bulleta in carrying on
war! and a telegram from Paris announces that the
Emperor Napoleon Iwo already sent his anent to the
proposal.

-
Intelligence of the sasusination of Print* Michael
of Sonia was received on Thursday. The deed was
perpetrated by • father and his two sons who have
been arrested. When struck dow• the Prince we.
in company of his cousin, the Prinoe•• Anna
Constantine, her daughter, and an aide-de-comp.
The two 'Attar. 111 also • valet, were wounded in the
attack, and it almost OM= that a massacre of the
whole party was intended. The act has caused the
greatest agitation in Belgrade, end • provisional
government has been formed. The deceased Prime,
it seems, wished his nephew, Milan Obrenowits, to
be his snoocesor, and a proclamation has been issued
by the Minister of War, calling upon the troops to
support the wish of their late Sovereign. It is said
that the originatcw of the conspiracy to assmeeinate
the Prinoi was Um enthroned Prince, Alexander
Karsgeorgevich.
President Johnson hae nominated the Hon.
Rowdy Johnson Minister of the United States to
the British Court, and the Senate has unanimously
, confirmed the appointment. The new ambassador,
who is better known 1111 an eminent lawyer than as
a statesman, is • Democrat, and he was one of tbe
senators who voted against the impeachment of the
President.

General Grant, in formally accepting the coming.
tion of the Chicago Convention, has entered, for the
Bret time since the war, into a statement of his
political views. His concluding words will doubt.
less be made &rallying cry throughout the approach-
ing campaign, and to be taken as the watchword of
the Republicans wherever they hold a meeting.
They are, " Let sis have peace." The general will
not pledge himself to adopt any particular policy
except the one on which the Government is founded,
namely, the duty ef the ruler to obey in all things
the will of the people.