The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-25 00:00:00

THE PROGRESS OP THE REFORM BILL.

The revised list of boundary commissioners read by Mr.
Disraeli to the house last night is a better one, the Doily
News says, than the old—parties and interests being more
equally represented on it. It may he doubted perhaps
whether one Yorkshire manufacturer and radical like Sir
F. Crossley is a sufficient counterpoise to so many southern
squires and lords, whig and tory ; but there is no question
that the five gentlemen referred to will perform the work
entrusted to them with diligence, ability, and a disposition
to raise themselves above considerations of party, class, or
interest. It might possibly have been better to have com-
posed the conunission of eminent members of the Civil
Service.

Referrieg to the rebellion last night of ministerialista
against the ministry, the Times tells the members of the
government that though they may feel distressed at having
been deserted by their supporters, they may enjoy the
consolation of feeling that they alone were consistent in
rejecting the inroads of urban voters into the counties and
of academic residents into the borough registers of Oxford
and Cambridge. Borough leaseholders failed to make out
a claim to be enrolled as county voters, because their
sympathies and associations were of a totally diverse
character ; and in the same way the graduates and under-
gradu►tes resident at Oxford and Cambridge are excluded
from participating in the parliamentary elections of those
boroughs, because they lead a life wholly apart from the
municipalities in which they reside. For Mr. Hardeutle's
proposal to disfranchise the freemen of the future the Times
thinks there was no justification. Our contemporary
notices also, without confirming it, the rumour that the
government has decided to confer a member each upon
Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham, and to yield the
additional representative to Sheffield, Leeds, and Bristol
which Mr. Laing had recommended. It is time that the
uncertainty should be dispelled, and also that the country
at large should be informed by what process that " con-
siderable increase in the number of Scotch representatives"
promised yesterday to Lord Provosts and Scotch mem-
bers in Downing-street is to be obtained.

The Star attributes the success of the government, in
denying to oopyholders the same right as the feeeholders
enjoy in boroughs, to unprincipled assistance from the
liberal side. By another division the house retained the
means of making an unlimited number of faggot votes in
boroughs, by what Mr. M'Laren calls the " cowshed (ran.
chiac." It is thus that the ministerial party hope to
counterbalance, by the favourite expedients of corrup-
tion, the popular operation of their bill. The only con-
solation is, that every defect of this wilful kind is a germ
of future changes.

Mr. Gladstone, the TelegrapA says, put the very im-
portant question of the rights of copyholders in a light as
clear as vigorous language could render it, but the present
house can pass, it seems, to nothing better than • pro-
visional reform bill; and Mr. Disraeli had one more of his
narrow victories on tins field.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF
CRUELTY ro ANIMAL4.—A deputation of noblemen and
gentlemen waited by appointment upon the Duke of Rich-
mond at the Board of Trade, yestenlay, to present a me-
morial from the society in favour of some legislative re-
medy for the ill-treatment of animals in transit upon steam
vessels, railways, &c. His Grace, in reply, capers ml his
fear that from the state of public business it was hopeless
to think of legislating on the subject in the present ses-
sion, even if he saw his way quite clear. But the question
was beset with difficulties more than ap at first
sight. The railway companies might be ed on to feed
and water the cattle, but any step in that direction would
necessitate very grave consideration". He was fully alive
to the great importance of the matter, which he would
earnestly consider. The matter had been before the late
government, and had been already under his own natio°.
He would probably have to ask thu secretary to the society
for some statistical information.