The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-04 00:00:00

MISR IMAM AT lAN DOS AMAMI

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LONDON, PRIDAY, MAY 4.

Tee long debate, which has resulted in the
second reading of the Reform Bill without a
division, has at all events accomplished or
good object. It has proved conclusively whet
many sincere liberals were disposed to doubt, em,
necessity of a reformed House et Commons.
longer the discussion lasted the now drikis tid
the opposition between the violin of the ISSika,
and the conduct of its asommed representatives
appear. Half the members who have risen to
discredit • 6/. franchise gained their seats
in Parliament by pledging themselves on the
hustings to that very measure. But the dis-
cussion has not simply proved how imperfectly
the wishes and hopes of the people are represented
in St. Stephen's. It has accomplished another
equally important object. It has unmasked the
Opposition and revealed them in their true
character as the sworn foes of real reform. Night
after night their affected liberalism has been more
and more forgotten, their tone has become bolder,
till at length they have not scrupled to express in
unambiguous terms the contempt and aversion
they cherish towards the classes they once flat-
tered with a promise of enfranchisement. The
speakers on the Liberal side of the House, who
may not altogether approve of the Government
Bill, still treat the subject of Reform as one of
urgent practical importance, and talk like
men in earnest. But this cannot be said of
the gentlemen on the Opposition benches.
Both their arguments and their behaviour
prove that so far from being in earnest, their only
object is to get rid of the subject altogether, by
any means, fair or foul, decent or indecent. Their
seal to accomplish this great object has in fact
altogether outrun their prudence and discretion.
The courtesy and respect which an important mea-
sure usually receives from both sides of the House
has been forgotten, the behaviour of the Opposi-
tion during the debate having displayed from
the first a singular mixture of levity,
rowdyism and cowardice. Not daring to offer
any direct and straightforward opposition to
the measure, they have resorted to the un-
dignified expedient of trying to burke and
hustle it in its passage through the House. Last
night, for example, the miserable dodge of
a count-out was resorted to for the third
time, and the Tory member who was speaking
at the time applauded the policy of his friends,
and only regretted it was not snoceedul. This is
not the way the battles of the constitution used to
be fought by the " gentlemen of Ringisnd" in old
days. If they lacked liberal sympathies and pro-
found views, they never showed any want of eon-
mon spirit, common honesty, and ordinary course.
If they hated a measure they said so plainly
enough, and opposed it with all their
might and main. But their modern re-
presentatives, instead of venturing on a stand-
up fight, vent their malice and try to pin their
ends by covert insults. They treat the popular
claims as • mean-spirited grandee might treat a
poor relation or a dun. Not having the spirit to
kick the obnoxious visitor down stairs, they strive
by marked discourtesy and neglect, by studied
insults of every kind, to induce hint to retire. The
honourable and right honourable gentlemen on the
Opposition benches are already rubbing their heads
with glee, and indulging in scarcely suppremed
exclamations of delight in the hope that this
chivalrous policy may yet succeed, and that after
a few more insults this troublesome measure may
be induced I. go sod leave them in peace. Their
exultation is premature, as Mr. GLA DwroNt gave
them to understand hut night, and in giving

way to it they are supplying the most po;erfui Mr. Scholefield intends to ask the President of the
and effective argument in favour of Reform that Board of nada en Monday when he intends to iatrodeses
could I...saltily be urged. the promised lei on trade mitt..
The Mimic:), Loudonderry, and county of Clara
Mr. GlirskillY made an able speech, which is
open to only one objection, that it had nothing to i commitNossosen on the 4th of June next.
The forms& mays :—"The petition to
do with the question before the Home. This,
however, is true of so many speectlase in this debate, i the
the Queer: r7eitlar theleliListradd,eihasted beentt preeented,..anad
that it is perhaps scarcely fair to urge it against ' the beet productions of the trade should be forthwith
one in particular. But Mr. Classmay's argu- mut up for her Ifsiesty'a inspection, previous to the
ments are pre-eminently far-fetched, hypotheti- east drswiscroo-n. The matter having been trans/amid
cal, and away from one point. The honour- trem the original promoters of tie petition to the Chamber
able gentleman hail just returned from a visit of Commerce, a meets; ha. been held by that body this
to America, where he appears to have made week, to take the matter into consideration. It was derided
that the Nati .r abould be left to • special committee,
some discoveries so surprising alj
events, if not to the world in general, that he must
to himself alt conriating of limas. Vickery, Birkin, Bradbury, Heymann,
and Monett, who rest oa Tuesday morning last, and
detail then, at once to the House on his return. decided to invite about a dozen of the principal makers of
In the first place he discovered that the workingof the trade."
the American constitution is by no means perfect. I The Very Rev. Dean Gamier " read himself in"
This seems to have been so great and painful a at the Lincoln Cathedral on Buaday last, the Riyhop preach.
surprise that he was at once converted from Liberal- ing in the morniag. At the termination of the evening
ism into decided, not to say extreme, Conservatism. service the following declaration was made by the data
" I, Dean of this cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin
This is somewhat surprising, and certainly indicates
a refreshingly simple and impressible state of mind.
If he had really wanted to point an argument anillrlY' of
Lipmaa.t, to alld° and everything InColll4!feilPesdedassent
merited in sad by the book intituled the Book of Coe:-
against democratic institutions he might have mos Prayer, and administration of the sacraments and
obtained all the facts he detailed to the House, other rites sod ceremonies of the Church, according to the
and far more damaging owe, without crow Use of the ('sited Church of garland sod Ireland, together
ing the Atlantic. In the second place, Mr. with the Psalter or Psalms of David, appointed ea they
lar..onv has recently discovered that a are to be akin' or mid in churches, mad the form or manner
French writer called DI TOCQVIVILLZ wrote of making' ortlainin;, and consecrating Bishops, Priests, and
deacons."