The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-29 00:00:00

THE LORDS AND THE REFORM BILL.

The amendments of which Lord Grey and Lord
Cairns have given notice appear to the Times everything
that is required to make the redistribution clauses of the
reform bill worthy to be coupled with the disuses of en-
franchisement. By proposing that the limit to the popu-
lation of boroughs which shall lose one of their two
members shall be extended from 10,000 to 12,000,
twelve seats would be obtsined, and none of the boroughs
affected have such a reputation as should prevent their
losing a member apiece. Lord Cairns will move that in
contested elections for three-cornered constituencies no
voter should give more than two votes; and if this propo-
sition be adopted, a minority of a third will secure one of
three members. This amendment, coming after Lord
Grey's proposition, obviates, in the opinion of the Times,
the grave difficulty which has hitherto embarrassed
all attempts to design a comprehensive scheme of
redistribution. Lord Grey will also ask to group
together some of the smallest boroughs, and so
acquire still more seats for distribution ; but even
supposing this is not adopted, he would have ten
seats to dispose of besides the two allotted by him to the
Inns of Court, and would thus be able to add a third
member to the ten additional constituencies. If we add
these to the four already created by the bill and the seven
previously in existence, we shall have twenty-one three-
cornered constituencies, in each of which the form of re-
presenting minorities proposed by Lord Cairns could be
introduced.

Observing that some of the amendments claim a place
among the most extravagant imbecilities of politics, Lord
Denman in particular again doing his beet to show
the wisdom of the proposal for conferring peerages
for life only upon distinguished lawyers, the Daily News
proceeds to remark that many of the other proposals,
variously devised on different pretences, have the one
purpose of restricting the suffrage. Lord Grey is to at-
tempt to undo the great victory of the liberal party in
the House of Commons, and reverse the concession which
has made the present bill worth having, by omitting the
7th clause, and so bringing back the practice of compound-
ing, while retaining the words of the :ird clause, which
make personal rating and the personal payment of rates
the condition of the franchise. The Dairy News trusts
that the wisdom of the Peers will abstain from raising
again these and other old controversies in the Commons.
Lord Halifax's amendment, which stops the way, would
endanger the bill if it were carried, while the failure to
carry it would weaken the opposition. It is to be hoped,
therefore, his lordship will withdraw it without speech or
debate.

The Standanl says the country will to-night h►ve another
opportunity of guaging the worth of whig sincerity and whig
pledges in the cause of reform. It was by "an abstract
resolution" that the conservative bill of 1859 was rejected,
and Lord Halifax, skilled in the wording of party motions
for catching votes, has furbished up a similar instrument
for a similar purpose in the present instance.
The Telegraph continues to insist there is neither time
nor reason, in point of fact, for long debates. Their lord-
ships have just margin enough for the useful and patriotic
function of accepting, without delay or timidity, that which
the country has accepted. Nothing that they can induce
the lower house to adopt can be worth so much to their
own house as the distinction of having aided, instead of
having opposed, the desire of the nation ; and we look to
them with confidence for this proof that they prefer the
large security of popular applause to the petty safeguards
of meddling amendments.

The fact that Lord Halifax concludes the tale of amend-
ments with a most objectionable proposition—to deprive
freeholders in boroughs of theircounty votes—entirely con-
firms the impression the Star h►d received of his lordship's
present attitude. It is one of the points for which, as a
liberal peer, Lord Halifax ought to have been most ready
to fight. On the whole, the Star is bound to state that,
in its judgment, the Lords will give the best proof of their
good sense, and the best earnest of future practical wisdom,
if they burn their notice paper and pass the bill.