The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-02 00:00:00

menses several towns, greater than itself, sad twenty
;igiss-iis population. Not only are the favoured
wee& than pissed on an equal Sating with
agricultural oonatitasecies, bat between the
asseegais themselves, equally represented in par-
ent, the greatest discrepancy both e„
=linen and wealth, prevails.
The can;
have, perhaps. no each 'Mame in
sus: system, as Moulton and the Tower
Hamlets, but they have inequalities similar in princi-
ple, and differiug only in degree. There are awe in
which a brrou4la of 2,000 people counterbalances in
the legislature the influence of 40,000 resident else-
where, and may others within these extremes.
gsserel It the boroughs are notoriously corrupt and
under enc.:. control, like so many in oar own
osentry, The is the evil•of which the Canadian
liberals complain, so far as the re.pregente.
tips is coos curd, and to which the ministry now
in power are determined to apply a remedy. In
Englciid one can, at least, account for the origin of
the absurd inequalities which characterise our repro
-
optative eyetem, bat why, when a representative '
system was to be created in Canada. similar dime-
packs should have been transplanted thither, with-
em say eirounatanoes imperatively calling for them,
oak really at a loss to conjecture. If the Canadians
wish to pat their representation upon a rational foot-
isg, now is the Arne to make the attempt. By and
bye, if th./ t-o nut now snowed, precedent, prescrip-
tive rights, and Tt stud interests, will stand in their
way, and multiply their difficulties.
That which the ultra reformers were desirous of
&Min Sal to do sway with the remaining distinc-
tion between the two provinces, and to base the re-
presentation, as in the United States, solely upon po-
pulation. This would, of course, give the preponde-
rance in the legislature to the more populous province.
The sabinet have resolved for thy present to atop
short of blots these propositions. They will not dis-
turb the principl t by which the two sections of the
united poorness ate equally represented. Thus, Ca-
nada Evil and Canada West will continue, despite
the ether changes contemplated, to return the same
number of members to the House of Assembly. This
is a principle of which the lower province has bitterly
comitains d ever since the anion in 1840, when its
population was at kart 34 per cent. greater than
that, of the upper province. 'the ultra-liberals in
the latter have even admitted the reasonable-
ness of the complaint, and have contended fur
giving to the greater p.palstion the greater
legislative weight—no matter on which aide of
the Ottawa it was found. Population is now,
howevor, re ttelly rising to the same level in both pro-
vince-yea List the injustice of the distribution is not
KO great as it was seven years ago. And by and bye,
when the population of Upper exceeds that of Lower
Csaada, which, at its present ratio of increase, it will
speedily co, the table, will be turned, and the in-
'Tail will then operate in favour of Lower Canada,
as it cow operates against it. The proba-
bility, however, is, that by that time a new
light will bet ak spun the Upper Canadians, and that
they will ab i den the principle ere it commences to
operate in tit.. oar of the lashitans. Bat, for the pre-
sent, no sue:. intuition as manifested, and thus the
enemies cr the movement now going on are deprived
ot arnunient which they would otherwise have at
their come :nil, that It meditated a departure from
the organic laws ot the province.
Nor do the ministry contemplate the disfranchise-
welt of say existing constituency. Another great
ilikulty is thus, for the time, got rid of. What they
repose bt to divide tho larger constitur ncies into one,
wo, or inure seet.oce, and to form each scztion by it-
lf, into a rely acrd distinct constituency. Thus, a
ty,. 311,000 itt:tabitants, forming a single
mut iiey, ill btt divided into two conatitnenuies
'.:rants each.—this being the basis of
...in tit.. to be sdop:ed when practicable. In
pr. ',seam the measure will fall short of the
of tle alt at supporters of tr:e cabinet, but it is
'es feature in the tooe-event that this section
the party w 11 not ploy,: itself impracticable, but
• I elner u ty receive from the liberal leaders the in- I

-- _
Itahnent of t . ussle* which is uttered for general no-
tie
. Toes loebeanin• eon the part of the ultras
from two causes—the intrinsic difficulties
Lich ale), ere aware bc,:t the question, and the con-
' wheel/ they entertain that the cabinet would
ve gone further, had it seen its way more dully.
imuinimity which thus exists between tore cabinet
Its sup,,it:4 rs augers well for the success of the
plated r• farms.
The pr.osiall to leave 'he boroughs for the present
Is they are, al d tuditide the huger constitornetes into
two or more . lec.o• al d i,' riets, necce.onrily involves an
increase to tbo number of members in the elective
branch of au legielature. This is the third and
not the least important feature in tho minis-
terial piste. Ever since the union, when the
exlstirie re rreisrta. IVO system was establishes],
the 11•• u se eil Assembly hay consisted of 81 members,
4 fro :a earl pruvinee. At hone we have reason to
templAu • is t I. lower Louse being too numerous, but,
this is bo too menus 113 great an evil as it would he to
leave it tat small. The lacier evil isthat of which the
Canadian people have, since 1810, had to complain.
le a house oeuposel of so email a number of mem-
bers, maiontit s., nu roa.ter to wheat 'tido they incline,
must always e small here is the difficulty. A go-
vernment with a eousiderable amount of patron-
see at its disposal can tinily, if it will,
• • dunce a body tiros circumstanced. At all events,
the e'.Ancts of its being able to do so iecrease with
the diminution of the majority which my be against
it. Tots places the House of Assembly in a state of
• e dew n cnec upon the executive government,
the peru cwt. ell c:s of which have been more than
• •ce telt in tine trivet political experienca of Cinada.
1 t is essential, to mecum the independence of
House et Assembly, that its number
mild be increased beyond 84. The con-
• mplated n cum° proposes an increase of
member-, which would make the house
•• • ist of 132 in all, 76 from each province. To se-
the (Photo cy of the Chamber, it is desirable
tit alioutot be beyond even the suspicion of undue
• ; antes. The proposed addition to its numbers will
•ce to secure its real independence. With a house
us constituted, it is not -likely that ministers will
'a be luund governin; the provinces by majorities
twos and threes, or, indeed, without a majority at
nor will it bo possible for the execn-
• . ve, as it has done, again to secure the
c of the house when the majority was
eat it, by purchasing only one or two of its mem-
S.nce the union, the majorities have averaged
Sam 10 to 15, whereas, when the proposed addition
Is effected, it is but reasonable to anticipate that they
Will average from 20 to 30. This will make a minis-
try strong to act, when the majority is decidedly with
It, and wterly paralyse it when the tables are turned
upon it. The province will thus be secure against
the recurrence of the gross outrage recently perpe-
trated epee it, when a cabinet ruled it for nearly two
years, in open and undisguised antagonism with the
representatives of the people.
We have already taken occasion to express our
Ipnions as to the course, which alone the imperial
=nt should pursue, in reference to such
questions as are purely of local import.
The question of parliamentary reform in Canada is
emmially so, particularly when no organic instita-
tisa is sought to be affected. We trust, therefore,
fat Lord GREY will leave the Governor-General
untrammelled, so that, with the advice and co-opera-
tion of his council, he may take that course which
sloes will meet the wishes and requirements of the
rantry. There are other questions of the greatest
Importance to t •e future repose and welfare of the
colony ripe for discussion, and the colonial department
tenant, on the eve of their being mooted, be too
guarded as or how it embroils itself with the local
laternment in connexion with the question of paella-
mastery reform.

gbe court.
WINDSOR,. MosmaT.—The Marchioness of Water-
ford is expired to arrive at the Castle this day. Her Ma-
NI and Prince Albert imparted at Saturday a llOshed
ifctoos by 8 meet Coati.., A. R A., of the forthcoming ca-
lming I. ora Winterhalter'n Picture of the Uinta Family.

The Duke of Cambridge attended a meeting at the
Amore Hospital yesterday.
The FArl of Auckland, First Lord of the Admiralty,
rl Knight Grand Cr is of the Order of the Bath, emired
eaten o':loek yesterday taming, at the Orange, limp-
mn_. the $ ,Lt of Lord Ashburton.
,o fspatch were rent off yeeterday evening from
Ceiew.i Ofiet, for the Governors of the West India Co-
&se also 6 r the Governor of New Booth Wales.

ROYAL Rev fILLL—At the early hoer of half-pest
111; 7"t"1.1 th. hand of the 2n4 regiment or Vie
61116 Liz enabled is the Hoteopuk, sad &mimed them.