The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-11 00:00:00

THE NEW REFORM BILL.

(hem the Daily Neon.)

- •
The Palms MINISTER having laid before parlia-
ment his long-expected scheme fur improving and
extending the representation of the people, the in-
terest with which every sentence of the noble lord's
exposition was received by those who heard it spoken,
can hardly exceed that wherewith each phrase of
the elaborate statement has been read alike by friends
and foes of popular right throughout the country.
On a topic of such universal and paramount impor-
tance, it is before all things necessary that the exact
meaning of each particular should be fully under-
stood, in order that it may be wisely and
dispassionately weighed by the nation at large, be-
fore any irrevocable verdict is pronounced, or any
decisive action, ono way or other, is resolved
on. In a matter of so much moment, any
other course would be unworthy of a deliberate
people. Our rights, and those of our children, may be
Jestingly affected by the decision which public
opinion shall pronounce on the ministerial proposi-
tion. Confessedly it in a step; but whither? If really
in the right direction, and thereby facilitating further
progress, it will be our manifest duty to see that it
be made good without delay. And if upon the
whole it shall appear to he a step aside rather than
onwards, then we should be false to the great prin-
ciple of progress if we shrank from exposing its
'erring tendency. All things in political change are
'of mingled elements, and of necessity combine ad-
vantages with drawbacks. The question is always,
to which side inclines the scale? And if the good
preponderates, does it so fur outweigh its opposite as
to determine popular judgment decisively in its
favour? Let us ngain go over the list of the Palms
MINISTER'S propositions and carefully scan their cha-
racter.

The first and best feature of the proposed hill is
the extension of the franchise in cities and boroughs
throughout the United Kingdom from III!. house-
holders to those rated at rif. This concession will,
according to Lard JOHN'S calculation, increase the
constituencies of towns in the aggregate in the pro-
portion of six to ten. If this fails to reach the main
body of the working classes, it unquestionably pos-
sesses the merit of overpassing the line of demarca-
tion that has hitherto subsisted between them and
the middle ranks of society. In the manafacturing
districts a considerable number of those engaged
in the higher processes of operative labour will by
this provision be admitted within the boundaries
of active citizenship. The ice is thereby broken,
and we know that the progress of u thaw is
always m ire rapid after the long impenetrable
barrier has once been infringed on. Closely con-
nected with this portion of the subject is the raising
of the minimum of electors which is to be observed
as a test of the borough representation. No town
not having at present tidd voters is to be suffered to
remain as it stands. With it are to be linked two or
more adjacent places, so as to form an electoral
group, by whose conjoint suffrages the future repre-
sentatives are to be elected. This excellent principle
is to be applied to Ireland as well as to England and
Wales. In point of fact, the dilapidated state of the
Irish borough franchise renders its application on
, the western side of the Channel more imperatively
necessary, if possible, than on this. And thus in
two remarkable particulars the practical experience
of Scotland will be followed by the rest of the em-
pire. Groups of boroughs may hereafter be formed
in all; and for all the absurdity of requiring a
property qualification for members will henceforth
cease to exist.

The county tenant•at-will franchise is to be re-
duced from .501. to 201. Why it should be fixed at
the latter arbitrary point it requires some effort to
discover. The PRIME MINISTER argued truly that a
man who was fit to be a county juror could not
decently be said to be unfit to vote for members of
wliament. That is unquestionably true. Hut Mr.
BRIMIT (who expressed his concurrence with Mr.
HUME'S cheerful though cautious acceptance of the
measure as a whole) asked, with point and force,
why a man rated at 51. in a country town was to be
deemed worthy of the suffrage, while a man rated at
191. in the county was to be pronounced unworthy?
We may probably see a 5/, county franchise moved
by way of amendment in committee ; and we shall
then see how far the vaunted sympathy of landlords
for the agricultural classes generally will carry
them.

General disfranchisement of small boroughs, after
the fashion of 1832, there is to be none; but per-
manent provision is to be made by a separate enact-
ment fur the successive disfranchisement of places
proved guilty of corruption. St. Albans is to be the
first instance of this new system. In every case
judicial investigation is to be held into the practices
of venality alleged, and, when sufficient proof shall
have been given, a short bill shall in each rase be in-
troduced for the purpose of transferring the forfeited
privilege to some other town named therein. There
does not appear to be any restriction imposed upon
the transfer to a county rather than a town; but
Lord JOHN stated that, as far as his own views ex-
tended, he was not prepared to disturb the balance
established by the first Reform Bill between the com-
mercial and agricultural interests. When the debate
upon the Bill arises, we may probably find some
independent liberal ready to propose the removal
of one member from certain small boroughs that
now return two,—and proposing further that the
members thus at the disposal of the House be given
to certain large towns and districts at present imper-
fectly represented.

Farther, it is proposed that instead of the present
wretched medley of oaths prescribed to be taken by
protestant and Homan catholic members of parlia-
ment, one simple oath of allegiance should be substi-
tuted to be taken by all in common, and in such a
form as would no longer exclude the Jews. We
believe that the idea of making the question of
Hebrew emancipation a condition of the new reform
measure was first suggested in the columns of the
Daily News. We need not say, therefore, with how
much pleasure we now regard its adoption as part
and parcel of the ministerial scheme. We think it
just, wise, and statesmanlike • and we trust it may
be stedfastly adhered to by those who have seen fit
to propose it.
Lastly we have the creation of a novel suffrage,
founded on the payment of forty shillings in direct
taxes—a plan by which thousands of intelligent men,
hitherto voteless, will be put upon the register. One
or two other matters of comparatively trivial value
complete the programme. Such is the sum total of
this new measure; and now that it is before the
country the people at large must pronounce their
i
judgment upon it. Within ts range are certainly
many. good points. It is a step in the right direo-
tion, if but a short one.

But we cannot too deeply deplore the one great
and lamentable emission—that of THE BALLOT. We
have again and again urged the indispensability
of protection to the voter, in any popular aye.
tem intended to be permanent. We shall
never cease to reiterate that opinion. Nay,
so strong is our conviction regarding its necessity,
that we scruple not to say we think re-
flecting men will be very much swayed in
their mode of receiving the government bill by the
consideration how far its acceptance may tend to pro-
mote the speedier attainment of that essential
guarantee of popular freedom. As a means of arriv-
ing more qiiickly and quietly at that most desirable
end, the qualified extension of the suffrage will be
hailed by many who, if the bill were offered as the
price of surrendering the ballot, would scornfully
reject the proposal. The minister may or may not,
upon a division of the house, consent to permit secret
voting for members of parliament to form a part of
his plan. If he decides against the concession. he
may rely upon this that the passing of the New
Reform Bill will be but the inauguration of a renewed
and still more powerful demand for protection in
the exercise of the franchise. _ An Extension of the

Suffrage if not coupled with—must be inevitably
followed by—the Ballot.

HULL AND SELBY Ramerair.—The half-yearly
general meeting of the shareholders of the Hull and Selby
Railway Company was held on Monday an the Sees at the
Railway BUBB*, HELL Riehard Tottse, Req., in
,•11,
It appeared from the report that the .
the company amounted to 31,8821. 7s. 9d. ; •t" "
recommended that, after the payment of • • tr 4
quarter shares up to the lit of February, ' ,
should be declared by the meeting of 21.8 s
„.
the whole, or 504. shares; and of 11. M. • ••-'174 -2_161;;F, '
the half, or 261. shares.
after the transeetMn of some ramie, b • • —lil J
separated. • 4
. 5 • '!"
•

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, TaseD►T EVINTINC!.
The Reasiag Poet ban the following interesting

W• kw* hilewsd. with ikon tifleatioa Oat a
ossimesnisseins his ressird Murray, beac-
hes, the die soma of Ohs Pop, and amebae in the
Wahine est meat tielieaNe hissimege. If ear Mimes-
ikon be ma we bay, no mess whatever to doubt
• arassear. lY Ilelinein bee latisisied hie email seprowel
se Ile MOM
jottear=yis the eedsdnedist
Aiodeletedien .1 Ids in repel the
Shetinesse of his *Urn fr.am politimal &diodes. At
premise, we shall make to further rehresot to this
bet we CS./114 help rrpeating the impassion of diellebtle
mr• feel, on Mamie( that such a esihneny of
hem the highest eattority is the mat& elturel4r=
lose to the seal, the pity. and the pesdence wells h Moe
esseited lesi=mtusinielied awn of the sisersied
Andiblibip

The Irish mast was visited with another severe
gale last night, the wind blowing from the north-
west. 'the Holyhead mail packet, due at Kingstown
at 10 o'clock, p.m., did not arrive until three this
morning. Kingstown harbour has been crowded
with shipping during the whole of the late severe
weather. Nearly twenty colliers from Whitehaven '
made that harbour yesterday, having been unable to
come up the river to Dublin.
In the Court of Common Pleas, yesterday, Mr.
Jasper Wheeler Rogers obtained a verdict for 6981.
against the Irish Amelioration Society as damages
for the breach of various covenants in his deed of
agreement with them.
Mr. Charles Towneley, of Towneley Hall, has an-
nounced his intention to offer himself as a candidate
for the representation of Sligoat the next election.
A melancholy catastrophe took place at an early
hour on Sunday morning in the village of Coag, near
the tows of Moneymore : the house of a woollendraper,
named Gibson, having been burned to the ground,
and Mr. Gibson himself, together with two of his
song and his servant maid, having fallen victims to
the flames. The value of the property destroyed was
about 4,0001. Mr. Gibson 's wife and some of his
children were absent on a visit, and thus escaped.
The Cathedral of Cashel had a narrow escape from
being destroyed by fire on Sunday last.
The Armagh Gsardian has the following statu-
meat :

Hanretty. the utoterions individual tried at our swum
senisea. It for the murder of Mr. Mininerer, and
anivaitted. anberquently emigrated to Assies.
he. lately died. We are informed that prinisudy
Lases he made an open cooftweiss MUT* be guilty et
Ow Mae Ise which be was chaffed, and. as we are &Mier
isheesd, ark certain revelations tandias to iimolleate
email retie. in the locality then and 'Moe dwriaaissi by
arrarima satrap.

NAVAL.
ADMIRALTY, FED. 10. Arrouryirzwire._:As.
eisleat-Rergreoev J. Whirler, to Oreeswielt Hospital ; sad
R. Rue. to rirtery. Muter 0. A. Waters, sad Bettood
Multi Y. R. Your'. to Nasoost.
FfIRTAMOUTU. Ft L 10.—The wind having vaned
nand snimewhat to the mirth, the ndlanniatlilikaignia
Gabinnitb, baying it.ar Admiral Dumdum bird, NM
ham Spithead at &deck this et eetly& he the Median,
mama, to relieve Viol-Admiral We W. Pens, La the
.dries. I IG. Capt. C. WM.
Powromoirrn, Fan. 10.—Wa (Thew) are enabled
to state that Rear-Admiral Sir lames SWIM( is selected to
All the rummy at the Admiralty Board sassed by the re.
lisemeat of Rev-Admiral Deaden.

MILITARY.
(nem Ire Mikes Casette.)
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tar
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SPORTING.

DONCASTER SPRING
WEIOHTS FOR THII D
BTA
Af* it lb.
Rhesus 6 6
Young Alti4dors
View Halloo (it b) 6 7
Abd al Hader a 4
Tbe Calculator.. 4 4
Selina
Haddam 6 2
Tom Heltby 4 0
lambi
Simplicity
Haook Knoll
Mallard • 12
Miklos&
The Proctor 4 10
Copia (11 b)
Ch f by John o'
(haat. dam by
Halatiaziorr
Edward of York 4 1
Hard Imbiber Hate
Ulm)
The Cutler
FiSACill
Stand 4
The Little Paws_ 4
AbbameafJiavemia 6
Empload'a Okay— 4
- • -

4 EETINO.—WEDNzsoAY.
ONCASTER HANDICAP
lUD.
et b.
Ischia A4
6
C by Red Deer oat
of Sister to Porto
Belle 1 6 3
Bird•cmatbe-Wiag 3 6 1
lissom 4 613
Thu Teri* 4 610
Ass
6 9
B e Irish Bird-
ea r eat of
Flower of the
Tees
Farmer's
Galvanien
Final
Tem Plash
Sir Chorlee Napier 3 6 3
Hyacinth
Don Carlos
Clevelaad 3 5 5
Needy Beekaasr 3 6 0
Ileowdrop 3 6 0
Sc Michael
Dismay 3 412
Lirsy 3 410
Volante 3 4 5

If the bigheiTt weight eteeptiog be woks hit Mb, it will
be retied to thst weight sad Ilia Wan la properties.