The Express.
London, England, 1852-06-04 00:00:00

TO CORKESPONDINTS.

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1 omossor—, wets . 53... Aftelotaa. 11. No.

LONDON, FRID.4r, JUNE 4.

Lest' night parliament re-assembled, and amongst
the earliest speeches was one by Mr. DIORAELI, in
which ho shadowed forth the annual " slaughter of
the innisients," which ever betokens the early close
of a parliamentary session. Year after year our sena-
tors open their ball with a Rood of speeches so
long and so heavy, that real business is literally
bustled out of the way by them. 'rho opening of
the session is all talk—talk—talk ; and then, as time
grows short, and the period fixed fur closing the
house draws near, there is such an accumulation of
measans on hand, that a minister is able to quote
the glut as an excuse for getting rid of those ho is
teem fond of. Last night Mr. Dtsitaytt fixed
Monday next as the day when ho would
indit ate the intentions of government in
regard to their bills now lxifore the legis-
lature, and on that day we may confidently
anti, ipate the strangulation of not a few propositions
on which many igsieclies have been made, much
printing has been wasted, and many hopes have been
excited only to meet disappointment. the murder
of tic innocents" draws nigh, the Treasury Calendar
is doulitless already drawn up, and during the next
three /at s the occupants of 1 )owning-street will judge
and condemn all these bills on which the Ca Cit'ELLOR
of the Fat ittQt L is to do execution on Monday
neat. _ . .

Nor was this all that Mr. DtssieLt said last
night. for the early part of his oration applied in a
great measure to every member who has independent
isinesit entered on the books of the house. lie
led to these gentlemen in the set parliamentary
lop, which really means, " Pray get out of
oar way. Mr. DissvELl and his colleagues, who,
by their tortuous proceedings, have wasted so much
of the riblic time that the business of the house and
the people has got into armor, now wish all this busi-
ness to be upset and removed out of their way. He
does not want tot* troubled with talk about reforms,
and improvements, economies or ameliorations, but
asks opponents to forget the wishes of their con-
stituents and to " clear the way." Nobody wishes to
prolong the session for its own sake—it has been too
unproductive and troublesome for that—but a great
11231,T persons will he ready to demand that no
jugiling pretences of want of time be permitted to
Jostle and trip up those few good measures which the
session is, at least, quite strong enough and quite
long enough to pawl into law. Where the will is
present the way can always be found, and both will
and way must be forthcoming to secure a few morsels
of good from our expiring parliament before its mem-
bers go before their constituents.
Lord ROR,ACT GROSVENOR'S bill for reducing
county election polls to a single day is a measure of
such ~brious simplicity and usefulness that a push
really ought to be made by the liberal party to get it
through this session. It has the support of the leading
members of the great county constituencies. Mr.
Bt. Kra DeNtsox, of the West Riding of York, Mr.
WII,LIAM BROWN, of Lancashire, Mr. LOCKE KING,
of Surrey, Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE, of Middlesex, and
Mr. ROBERT l'AntEtt, of Becks, are all in its favour.
The CitaNctuain of the Excitetteta—snubbing the
poor Home Secretary, who suggested objections—
expiessed himself favourable to its principle; the
Colonial Secretary, on behalf of Quarter Sessions,
had not a word to say against it ; and when we add
that Colonel Sin-moue thinks it " a disgrace to a
civilised community," the weight of personal testi-
mossy as to its value must be admitted to be very
etmn g.
To reduce county polls to a single day is to reduce
the expenses of county elections generally ; and by a
reduction of their expenses the field of choice of
county representatives will be proportionably en-
largea. At present county members are either men
of great wealth themselves, the cadets of noble fami-
lies, or men moderately off, whose subserviency to
party obligations is so great as to induce others to
subscribe money for their return. Under the old
system--before the enactment of the Reform Bill
had increased the political power of the great land-
owners—there were many counties in which the
small freeholders were able to return members. Bat
now-a-days popular influence is scarcely known, for
the cost of a contest frightens men who would otherwise
appeal to that class. Thus the large proprietors have
obtained a monopoly of county representation; and
the old and independent constituencies, the smaller
freeholders—by far the better part of the whole body
—have been swamped by the new dependent tenants-
at-will.

A great part of the mischief arises,no doubt, from the
vicious system of canvassing. But when time premises
—when there is barely as yet a few hours in which
to win ; while a doubt remains after the first day's
poll—then acts are done, inducements are resorted
to, and expenses are incurred, that very seriously ag-
gras ate the sum total of the election's cost. And
in the excitement and enthusiasm, and fear and ap-
prehension of the second day, the whole eounty is
kept in estate of disorder and tumult; the public.
houses arc filled, if not at the amMeee's
coat, at the expense of the menses Ibminebeen
One day's holidai in a week may be sosspensated
for, hut two days riot and indulgence generally
to further abuses ; and practically a esunty e
when contested lasts four days—firsts there is the
nomination—then the polling days—and after ell
the declaration; each day probably rieing.in mow
and extravagance, in the disturbance et honed In
dustrv, and in the excitement et bin. ifoliss&
Yet experience has shown that isoolp mouses are
really decided on the first day; the he en Me poll is
never mad, up the next day ; sal eII to se et the
second day contest is to pat meow big trkets
of lawyers and tavern keeps% ea boor min
into the heads of voters.
Mr. BRVISTON save it prevents electors boil
carried by " surprise °; security against "
is, he thinks, as much a part of the coast:l2=lles
Christianity itself. But the fact just mendensel
ou rturns this fine theory ; the candidate
by a majority against him the first day, twitt
without exception, equally astonished the next day ;
and when declared not elected the day after, is quite
confounded. To shorten his misery the best thing
that can be done is to terminate the delusion under
which he has been labouring the find evening. That
done, the worthy gentleman will save both his rue-
prise and his money.
The excuse for delaying the puling of a bill so
rely desirable is, that new polling places may be re-
quired if the poll be li nited to a single day. Cer-
tainly they may ; bat there is no great difficulty in
increasing the number of polling places. The justices
of the peace in Quarter Sessions assembled can aug-
ment them as they choose; they have power
to do so; what they want perhaps is inclination.
At present, with two days' polling allowed, they
have an apology for not exercising the powers
they here pawns in this respect. But put the
Per were of Lord Room? GROOVENOIOI proposition
apse them, reduce the twe days, and then their 1
worships will be obliged to move in that direction.
With kw hours to poll in, smaller Piling districts or larger polling accommodation may become indis-
pensable.

" hut there is not time between now and the die-
so''ution to do that." This is the argument on which
B.cretary W•Lrotz falls back. And there might be
fore in it, if a new law for increasing the number of
places were necessary; but such a law being
to iimence, the argument mixes up two questions
which are not at all interwoven in present legials-
elan. Paw Lord lifinKßT GROSVENOR'S bill at once;
Ind. at the Lest general election, the course of
practically indicate where the additional
P""nll 'laces are needed. But delay the measure
r tlat sham, and the chances are that in a new
Pir',.isment it will he posepotted for smoke after
:maim, until it be again forgotten, and county oleo-
!Joni, will go on a scandal and a disgrace to the age
in nhieh we Ave; ruining and embarrassing families,
?everting the noblest franchise ever entrusted to
nail to the 'dew purpose., such as the gratification
of family pride and rivalry; and undermining the
Prosperity of this great country by perpetuating the
'Dockery of county representation as it now exist&

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