The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-03 00:00:00

AM ',ISRAELI'S PROGRILSH.

With Mr. Disraeli, says the Daily News, to be fore-
warned is to be forearmed, and the hint of danger given
by the division on Mr. lioridall's amendment has been suffi-
cient to stay his steps. His language yesterday afternoon
was apologetic and penitent. Fe had abandoned, he
says in his defence, what he still believes to be a sound
principle for the sake of a few votes, and he will never
offend in the same way any more. With • virtue kindled
into new ardour by the consciousness of a fault to be re-
paired, Mr. Disraeli yesterday resisted, and successfully
resisted, the extension to Sheffield and Bristol of the
privilege of additional representation granted to Liver-
pool, Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds. The
two disappointed borough■ need not be incon-
solable. Their turn will come, and that speedily.
Mr. Ayrtou, who attributed, yesterday, to eminent liberals
• disposition to obstruct the bill of the government, will
probably, if his head has not been turned by Mr. Disraeli's
artful compliments, see on reflection that the lino which
he and men of his own political standing may adopt with-
out censure is not open to statesmen of higher position in
the liberal party. Mr. Gladstone and others who repre-
sent liberal principles and the liberal policy in permanence,
are doing as much as Mr. Ayrton for the Reform Bill,
though less perhaps for Mr. Disraeli ; but they are m, re
careful, as they are bound to be, than he is, not to sacri-
fice even to the Reform Bill those general principles and
aims of which it is but a partial, temporary, anti imperfect
realisation.

The Tires hopes that before to-morrow evening the
ministry will have recognised the wisdom of amending the
boundaries of boroughs which have been extended beyond
their proper limits, both on its own account and as •
means of obtaining the seats they want. Some seven
boroughs, included within the intent of the resolution
providing that boroughs with less than 10,000 inhabitants
and returning two members, shall lose one of them, have
managed to escape its action. East Retford, Crickladc,
Aylesbury, and their fellows are country districts sur-
rounding small towns, and they thus show • population
exceeding 10,000, though the really urban inhabitants are
not unfrequently less than • third of that number. The
limits of these factitious boroughs should be retracted to
their natural borders, and each of them would then come
within the letter, as they come already within the spirit,
of the amendment depriving the smallest boroughs of one
of their two members.

The Star has no doubt whatever that if the present in-
tentions of the government are persevered in there will
soon be opportunities of redressing any imperfections left
in our electoral system by the present bill. The absurdity
of the redistribution scheme becomes daily more manifest.
Even the addition of members to the four great boroughs
has rendered it more conspicuous than ever, now it is
known that what they gain other boroughs, and those
not small ones, are to lose. General Peel intends to
vote against the bill on its third reading. Reformers
would be bound to do the mine, but that the new consti-
tuencies may be relied on speedily to sweep meaty the wil-
fully faulty re-arrangement of Nests upon which the go-
vernment and the house appear to have weakly resolved.