The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-10 00:00:00

THE HHEoHII QUESTIO!T.

The members of the new cave have all but destroyed,
the Daily Phan says, the chance of converting the Reform
Bill into a measure which can be accepted by the country
as a settlement of the question. The tactics of Monday
leave Mr. Disraeli master of the situation, and the action
of the house is henceforth a scramble. It is almost certain
that if a measure be passed at all, the battle of true re-
form will have to be waged against an invigorated pinto-
cracy in the large and small boroughs. It may be pre-
sumed, however, that the changes by which Mr. Gladstone
proposes to place electors below the line of 10/. rental
under the same conditions as those above it will meet with
general support from liberal members ; but the DaifyNeers
thinks the condition which Mr. Gladstone proposes to in-
sert, that the qualifying premises " must be of the yearly
rateable value of Lk or upwards," is of more than doubtful
expediency. Looking simply at the third clause of the
bill, and taking no account of possible alterstious in
later parts of the measure, that part of his amendment
which relates to a 51. rating restricts the enfranchisement
which Mr. Disraeli proposes. The dissentients who re-
jected the instruction of Mr. Coleridge are not likely
to concur in this more objectionable revival of its
moat equivocal feature. Mr. Gladstone places himself in
an attitude open to misunderstanding. The course which
events have taken during the present week has involved
the question of the borough franchise in a mare, from
which an outlet is not easily discemable. Mr. Disraeli,
with his usual dexterity, has imposed upon some good
liberals a name which they have taken for a principle.
Deluded with the shadow, they have allowed the substance
to escape.

In another article the Daily Nerve replies to a correspon-
dent, one of the members who was at the meeting on
Monday, and who objects to its criticisms. The Daily
Rees adheres to its opinion that the dissentients should
have declared their views with sufficient openness on
Friday last, which they could have done as well as on
Monday afternoon. Such conduct is not handsome, and
in political matter' its consequences are ruinous. No
reliance can be placed on men who are capable of thus
treating the best leaders they are ever likely. to have •
chance of following.

The Pool anticipates that if a reform bill is ultimately
passed, "it will be an incongruous agglomeration of sec-
tional hobbies carried with no settled design pervading and
influencing the whole. As • settlement it will be but
temporary."

The Standard is not afraid of being thought over confi-
dent in mourning that, apart from such accidents as can
never be excluded from human, and particularly from par-
liamentary, eslculations, the passage of the Reform Bill
is now secured. It has been made evident that on this
question the opposition have not, 118 was supposed, a ma-
jority. Thu divisions in the liberal camp become daily
wider and more irreconcilable.

The Telegraph counsels the liberal dissentients, if they
would remain in political life, not to be wanting in the
division on Mr. Cla,bdone's amendment.. Upon those
amendments, the House of Commons will be judged by
the country ; and upon those amendments must the alter-
native turn whether the government bill is to be made •
" settlement " of the question, or to bring on • new and
indignant movement of the entire people, which must end
in larger results than would now satisfy the popular ap.
petite. The personal payment of rates is utterly and
abominably bad--a device which would bisect the citizens
of the realm into two sharply-marked classes, and con-
struct wholesale facilities—nay, rather invitations and in-
c, wives—for the universal merchandise of votes.

It not so essy,theStar remarks, to manipulate. bill in
committee in opposition to a party in power and a wily