The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-06 00:00:00

%COBH FOE THE SESSION.

The Times knows not whether to ascribe the
candour of Mr. Bright in proclaiming the reduction of the
suffrage qualification as an instalment to be followed up in
successive parliaments by the ballot, a redistribution of
seats, and a rearrangement of our electoral districts, to an
honest zeal, or a factions in lependence. The conserv►tives
see the point of the wedge in everything. But Mr. Bright
does not leave this to their nerves or their just suspicions.
He says plainly " this is the point of the wedge." He
spreads the net and promises certain destruction. The
measure apparently indicated by the hon. gentleman's reve-
lations would simply give us a constituent assembly, re-
turned for the reconstruction of parliament, unless, which
is not very probable, the two great parties in the legislature
could agree to a moderate reduction of the franchise, say to
201. and to 71. or 81., and mutually bind themselves to de-
fend that finality for • generation at least. If the franchise
is touched, the measure, to be final, must also deal with the
complaint of the unequal division of the notional con-
stituency. What we want is a moderate but comprehen-
sive measure, not a mere " beginning of the end."
It is because Mr. Bright, the Herald says, would have
the Reform Bill leased by hook or by crook, that he tells
the Premier he need not dissolve parliament, after a
Reform Bill, for "one or two sessions," thus practically
denying political action for a year or so to the 5,000,000 new
voters added to the ►utumn register. Such are the slips
even of democracy ; such is the " expe tient policy of
a man who professes to abhor expedients and compro-
mises, and to agitate upon the grand principle of pure
right.
The Telegraph says the mover of the resolution to re-
appoint the right honourable Mr. Denison, speaker of the
House of Commons, will be Mr. Monett, the member for
County Limerick, while Lord Grosvenor, the member for
Flintabire, will second the nomination. The address in
the Commons will be moved by Lord Frederick Cavendish,
who site among the new members f r West Yorkshire ;
and it will be seconded by Mr. Graham, who represents
Glasgow. The public will not fail to notice that while
those -whom we have named stand as symbols
of broadly different sections of the community—
and thus very faithfully reflect what may be
called the idiosyncrasies of the house—they also present,
upon the first proceedings of the session, a delegate from
each section of the United Kingdom. We have here the
manifest intention to foreshadow a sincere, just, and
liberal policy—one that will conciliate the feelings and re-
assure the hopes of every section of the country.
The Advertiser hes goad resume for believiog that the
Russell administration have finally determined on abandon-
ing the mixed system of education in Ireland, and believes
this will prove a serious matter to ministers.
The Star promisee Sir John Gray the ungrudging sup-
port of no inconsiderable or uninfinential portion of the
liberal party of England in his intention to bring the topic
of the Irish church before the new parliament. But while
Ireland is cared for, the question of English churzh rates
must not be forgotten. Lord Russell can now command a
good working majority, and this majority is pledged to vote for
the abolition of church rates. Whet is wanted is a judicious
leader for the abolition party. Under wise and loyal ma-
nagement, these rates will not outlive the printout parlia-
ment ; and long before its days are numbered, the best
friends of the Church of England will have reason to rejoice
that this vexed question no longer impairs her woefulness or
distract. the country.