The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-15 00:00:00

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

The demerits of the government scheme of re-
distribution become more apparent to the Times the more
it is examined. The disfranchisement falls with equal
weight upon liberal and conservative, but the enfran-
chising clauses are carefully contrived to the disadvantage
of the liberal element. The effect of conferring the fran-
chise upon all ratepayers will unquestionably be by itself
to strengthen the influence of the conservative party, and
to this result is added the enfranchisement of such
boroughs as are open to conservative "influences," and
the denuding of the disturbing liberal element in the
otherwise conservative charactov of the counties. Having
obtained on a moderate estimate half the nineteen borough
seats, and having ventured to suggest that the Univer-
sity of Durham be coupled to London, Mr. Disraeli
dole his best to obtain all the new county sesta also.
The scheme is flagrantly ba•l. Everywhere the Times
diacoverd in it contrivances which can have no other end
than to ammo a fleeting addition of party strength. The
House of Commons must accept the duty cast upon it, and
make the second part of the Reform Bill as completely
, its own as the first.

The St n.dard allows that it is on the redistribution por-
tion of the Reform Bill that the peculiarly conservative
character of the measure chiefly depends. The rule of
liberalism has always been the rule of a minority, and it is
high time that the balance should be readjusted.
The Daily News returns to the subject of the House of
Lords, apropos of • defence of his order which has just
been written by " A Peer." The house is not a varied
assembly, but an aggregation of country gentlemen selected
somewhat at random by the accident of birth ; and while
this is the case it cannot sustain a larger part than it now
fills in the business of the nation. The fault found with
it is that it does nr t discharge the subordinate
ofilces which alone are left to it with success.
The system of life peerages which Lord Palmerston un-
sateeessfully attempted to introduce on a small sc►le and
for • particular purpose, is recommended by various con-
siderations. But its disadvantages would far exceed the
gain to be expected from it, if it were so admiminis-
tered as to weaken the intellectual and moral charac-
ter and weight of the House of Common', by drafting
any considerable proportion of the foremost men
of the nation into a chamber of hereditary or nominated
peers. Possibly, however, l.y he exercise of a proper dis-
crimination, the Upper Chamber might be strengthened
for its secondary duties without weakening the lower for
its graver and more responsible functions.

Commenting on the revelations before the Sheffield
Commission, the Times concludes that no hypothesis is
more probable than that the fellows are really telling the
substantial truth, from whatever reasons, and that Shef-
field possesses, among its other institutions, an office, with
books, lists, and subscriptions, where any fellow can upon
application get gunpowder, or money to buy it, to blow op
his neighbour's house or his head off his shoulders, or, at
least, bury his tools or make a trifle by their appropria-
tion and sale.

The Herald sympathises warmly with Major Anson in
his attempt last night to procure the cancelling of the peti-
tion respecting the Fenians ; hut it is angry with some
half score gentlemen on the conservative benches who in-
sisted upon a division. Mr. Vance and Mr. Trashy, the