The Express.
London, England, 1859-03-03 00:00:00

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Tax main feature of the Iliaistiwial plan of Par-
liamentary Reform, sad that is which its authors
chiefly rely as its popular resammadatios, is the
rates:mop of the covet, franchise to soapier, Of tea
pounds a year. Upwards of two baadred themead
person will, it is estimated, be thus added to the
electoral roll; a groat ermeenies will thereby be
made to the industrious domes; and the ansti-
tat raise of onaties will be thereby pined, ae be as
the stria/11i of mere members 444 prase them,
beyond the reach of iadivklusistiention. AU this is
seeming 14 very well; sad the Cabinet of Lewd Dane,
having sot only introduced seek a scheme, bat an-
asesesd their determination, regardless of con-
mqueseer, to press for its adoption by the
present Parliament, and if sootssary to ask the
(minion of another, have so feu gene of their
prsdessmors Ia Sloe, who nese attempted seriously
to carry the 101. extension of the aunty franchise
themselves, and who repeatedly thwarted Mr. Loewe
Itno's efforts to carry it. As we have certainly
sever viewed the question In a party light, sad have
always been ready to accept frankly, say gratefully,
say bond iWe concessions to popular principle
whsnoesoever they came, we mean bat express our
regret that so good an opportunity as the present
should have been misused ; and that wises Ministers
bad made up their minds to do the right thing se
regards the county franchise, they should have sought
to qualify the gift by conditions certain to be regarded
as depriving it of much of its value.
The proposal to withdraw the rotas of fresholdms
in towns from the counties bus so logical elation to
the extension of the county !mashies, while it would
be accomplished at the expensed the bodies thus de-
prived of whet is in many cases an essential element
of health and vitality. It appears by a Parliamen-
tary return, ordered last session, that above as. has-
died thousand individuals are entitled to vote at'
sections for knights of the shire out of freehold
property situated within the boandaries of Perlis&
mentary boroughs. The town oteetituencies would
be increased, not to the whole bat to a con-
siderable extent, by the change suggested;
bat the counties would loss the attire number,
without receiving any moral or social equivalent in
lien thereof. The Ten Pounds occupiers whom it is
proposed to enfranchise are capable, indeed, of acting
a most useful part, if upon their initiation into the
active duties of citizenship they are placed beyond
the reach of oligarchic intimidation. While, how-
ever, they us liable to the social pressure from abash
it cannot be fairly contended that, whatever be their
use as a new constituent element, they are likely to
afford any effectual substitute for the peculiarly Is-
dependent class of voters resident is considerable
towns. Twice as numerous they may be ; bat
one•half or one-fourth as independent In spirit, or as
instinctively ready to vote according to the
dictates of their own minds, or in sym-
pathy with the intelligent public opinion of
the day, we fear they will hardly prove. If
protected from the Waft by an honest law of
ballot, and never demoralised by compliance with
the officious interfereacie or insolent dictation of
those who call themselves their betters, it is indeed
quite possible that the ten pounds county elesraws
might become as sound and steadfast assertme of
popular right as their brethren the ten panda seen-
pien in towns. Bat should the Bill now before
Parliament ever become law, so fair chance will be
afforded them of acquiring habits of electoral self-
reliance. Not only is there no provision for
the protection of the voter against secret and fur-
tive intimidation, but provision is made, under
the semblance of enabling every man to vote
by post, to place the humble elector effectually
under the thumb of his landlord, kis customer, or
his employer. The system of Voting Papers Is to
be what is called optionally enacted; that is te say,
every man who is sturdy enough to ride or walk to
the poll may still is audible voice pronounce the
candidate be prefers; but permission is given to all
who choose to send their vote in writing through
the post-office to the sheriff or his deputy. We all
know what such permission means. Every man who
is dependent on the will of another more powerful
than he, will be liable to be asked privately to MI
up the voting paper se the bailiff, or the lawyer, et
the collector may suggest. To the poor mss there
will not even present itself the admonitory tepees&
of his utrighboars and equals, foe the request
will be made without witnesses, and the
pledge of his subeervlesey will be signed, sealed,
and seat without notice or observation. It was •
bitter irony to talk of such a scheme as Wag
optimist In practice it will soon be made compul-
sory. The straggling farmer, shopkeeper, or school-
muter, who refuses to till up his voting pope so
the squire, or the parrots, or the lawyer wishes, will
soon be mad* to hope the difference for his esta-
tamaey. Even with the preset system of pensaat
voting riro roe* there would be little check enough
spots aristocratic pressure. if polling places are to be
multiplied as the Bill provides, so that no more than
two hundred individual, shall rote at any one place
Bat, bad as it may be, the existing method is
inoomparably more favourable to the growth
of habits of political independence than the
besambing system which Ministers have adopted
on the tommaseadation of Lord SU it71144011a.

Well might a isootempurary who has uodertakamto
defend the Goverecoent !fill as a whole declare that
the votimpreper system, far from being half-way
to the Ballot, was jest eo much la the "mite dire►
Loa. Whatever be its &swims*. or &hem, the
Ballet, at Wet, le impartial, while title new 'levies of
Toryism is la its rely Oa sed mews destructive of