The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-27 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 27.

TO-NIOHT, if agreements are to stand good, we
shall see the end of the Reform debate. May the

... _
hope be fulfilled! Seven nights, or fifty hours,
have already been consumed in tiresome speeches
on a question about which everybody had made up
his mind before the talk began—a question

on which everything relevant might have been said
on both sides in seven hours, and as to which
nobody will be the wiser when the last speaker
has sat down. Happily, when the. Bill has been
read a second time the excuse for incontinent

talking will fall away of itself, and it will be the
fault of the Government if the advance of the

measure through its further stages is obstructed.
The worst feature in the prospect has been intro-
duoed by Mr. GLADSTONE'S promise to complicate
the question by bringing in a Bill on the Re-
distribution of Seats. Why he should have al-

lowed the simple issue raised by the Fran•

chive Bill to be embarrassed by entanglement
with another wholly distinct from it is more than
we can explain. No one knew better than he that
the demand for a Redistribution Bill came only
from those who wanted an excuse for opposing Re-
form in every shape ; and that he should imagine

that excuses would fail them if he took this single
one out of their hands is what we cannot believe.

The promise having been given must of course be
fulfilled, but we trust it will prove Mr. GLAD-

BToYes last concession to the enemies of Reform,

Nothing can be simpler than the question on
which the House of Commons will be called to vote
to-night. We all understand the meaning of the
Bill, and know by heart the objections of its ad-
versaries and the arguments of its defenders. No
juggling of phrases, no artfully constructed resolu-
tions, can blind the public to the real issue. The
House of Commons will declare to-night whether it
is ready to trust the people for ever within
the constitution, or whether its gates are
to be defended against them as against enemies.
We have heard from Mr. Lowe that representa-
tive government is of no value in itself, but only
as a means to an end ; and his now allies have
frequently told us that no personal fitness will be
held, now or hereafter, to qualify the members of

the most numerous classes of the community
to vote for Members of Parliament. All
the arguments by which the exclusive legisla-
tive privileges of the landed and other interests
were defended in 1832 have been furbished up
and brought out for the use of those members of the
middle classes who would like to form part of an
oligarchy compacted by jealousy of their excluded
countrymen. But the real middle classes of the
country laugh at such offers. They would as
soon think of going about in helmets, cuirasses,
and greaves, as take up with the worn-out maxims
of ELDON and WETHERELL. They do not want to
admit the unqualified to the poll-booth ; but, on
the other hand, they do not wish to see England
divided into two nations in the name of a theory
which would deliberately exclude intelligence and
moral worth, still less would they do so in obedi-
ence to the dictates of pusillanimous mistrust.
The opponents of this Bill would cut up English
society into classes and teach them that some are

the natural enemies of others. If the fate of this Bill
depended on the constituencies which most truly
represent the intelligent, active middle classes of
this country, it would be passed almost unani-
mously ; and instead of taking seven nights to
discuss, would have been carried in as many hours.
We trust to be able to announce the decision of
the House to-morrow morning. The country will
be glad to know who is prepared to refuse the
just claims of the people as embodied in the very
moderate measure proposed by the Government.
No real Reformer will be found voting against this I
Bill. Those who make the absence of a re-dis-
tribution bill an excuse for voting against this
Franchise Bill, show by that very act that they are
substantially against the proposed reduction of
the franchise. Honest men may differ as to the
comparative eligibility of different forms of
procedure, but they will not allow preferences
as to form to override their regard for the
substance. We shall all be the better, some of
as let us hope will be the truer, for the ex-
pected division. The atmosphere of the House
of Commons has for a long time been getting
thick and stifling. To some eyes it is
no longer a medium of clear vision ; if the
shock which is to purify it is to come, it can
hardly come too soon. Some of the dwellers
in that region seem to be losing the capacity to
believe in political honour, for during the last
few days we have seen even the emphatic declara-
tion of Earl Russett that the Government will
stand or fall by their Bill quietly thrust aside, in
order that the assertion may be made that, come
what may, the country will continue to enjoy the ser-
vices of Ministers. It would be interesting to know
where these men learned that Mr. Otanwroxis was
a tool to be used by them at pleasure, or that his
great administrative ability could be commanded
at any time to give prestige to a set of men who

~~

had distinguished themselves by jistAiriiky ork '
to which he had pledged his high character. We
are not prepared to see the public pay too high
a price even for so desirable an object as the
n3storation of the virtue of those who can think
thus : but an accident that should revive among
any class of poWciaqs the oonception of upright-
ness and sincerity would not 'be *without its
compensations.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

MR. LOWE'S SPEECH.
The speech delivered last night by Mr. Lowe is
either for its oratorical merits or for its arguments the
theme of almost unbroken eulogy in the columns of the
morning journals. The riIIICS describes it as the oompls
meet of Lord Stanley's speech: each is of the highest
order, and together they are irresistible. Everyone who
reach it can observe the graces of its style, but the
speech should be studied for the rarer virtue of close and
continuous reasoning. Column by column his forces
were marshalled, one position after another of the
enemy was attacked and taken, until, in the
grand charge at the close, the whole line bore down
upon the already discomfited antagonist, and the
field was cleared by the victor. It may fairly be
presumed that the entire government scheme would make
working men a majority of the borough voters, and we
see, from the experience of France, the United States, our
Australian colonise, and the ideas of trades unions at home,
what is the nature of the democracy so introduced.
Everywhere there is a tyranny of a numerical majority
finding expression in false theories of trade, in false
theories of wages, in a war against individual excellence.
To accept the government bill after leaving received such
glosses upon its meaning from the very authors of the
measure would be to take the leap knowing that the dark.
nese we cannot pierce hides a gulf of the depth of which
we know only too much.
The Daily New lays the speech is one which, long
after the occasion has been forgotten and the orator has
become the shadow of a name, will be read and read again,
and studied for the masterly disposition of the attack, the
brilliant rapidity of its movements, its skilful feints of
argument and sudden flashes of illustration, its constant
incisive terseness, its occasional felicities, its dexter-
. . _

ous descents of thought and language, and its soaring
flights of heroic cynicism,. Mr. Lowe's chief distinction is
an utter oontempt of the fashionable hypocrisies of the
house ; and the bitterness of his abhorrence is greatly pre-
ferable to the nauseating dates of aristocratic sympathy
for men who are excluded from political rights as a dan-
gerous class. Far sounder and wholesome is hie way of
thinking and speaking thanLeed Elcho's sympathy,or even
than Sir Bulwer Lytton's affection ; and how much better
than the cant about a " comprehensive " Reform Bill ! In
the 'hat analysis no doubt Mr. Lowe's theory of Eng-
lish society is not unlike the theory so long held
by the chivalry of the Southern States of America
about their privileges and their duties. Nearly
half his speech was a partisan attack upon the go-
vernment bill, and the cynical trifling with which he
treated the quotations from Mr. Mill and the remark of
Mr. Gladstone as to the clams who were to be admitted to
the suffrage, was not quite worthy of Mr. Lowe or of the
assembly, though both this and the bits of his ex-
perience of the varieties of democracy are harm-
less enough, and even amusing, when we come
to trace them to his personal experiences of
colonial politics and to his recollection' of Kidder-
minster. Of Lord Palmerston Mr. Lowe speaks as if the
disappearance from this mortal scene of an airy and gallant
old gentleman of 80 had sounded the knell of the British
Constitution. Unless we can find another old gentleman
of the same calibre and unconcern, the British Constitu-
tion, which a famous orator has just been celebrating
in splendid language for an hour and more as the
mystery and marvel of the world, will fall to pieces.
And yet this British Constitution, on Mr. Lowe's
own showing, dates from 1832, and is the political offspring
of Lord Russell, to whom, you so emphatically tell us'
you " owe no allegiance !" Imagine, if you can, some
simple-minded stranger, who had never visited England
before,and knew nothing of English politics, listening to all
these alarming prophecies and fearful warnings, and to the
terrors of that oracular and awful peroration—who could
persuade him that the meaning of it all was that the re-
spectable gentlemen on the first bench to the right of the
Speaker were proposing to allow 71. householders in

boroughs to vote at elections?
The Post says that the speech was doubtless able and
argumentative, and at times eloquent, but still it was only
the repetition of a thrice-told tale, and was comparatively
a failure. It was, unlike that of Mr. Bright, relieved by
a slight tinge of personality, and an occasional sally pre-
vented the audience from giving way under the pressure
of arguments which were intended to persuade no one.
The remainder of the debate last evening did not reach
the level of mediocrity. .

No speech during the whole debate, in the opinion of
the Herald, has been so damaging to the government, and
the vehement cheering of the opposition bore witness to
their keen appreciation of the cutting taunts and telling
sarcasms with which he avenged the many perversions of
fact and truth, the unfair quotations and unjust imputa-
tions, wherewith he had been assailed. He showed that
the liberal members who are acting with him owe no alle-
giance to Lord Russell. For ten years past Lord Pal-
merston had been their chief ; and they have never trans-
ferred their allegiance to his successor. The issue of the
division may be doubtful, the fate of the ministry has
long since been sealed.
The Telegraph observes that in Mr. Lowe's speech one
may read tory feelings simultaneously at their best
and at their worst—at their best for argument, at
their worst for bigotry and unpractical, stag-
nating, bitter, impossible policy. We can understand
the yells of surprise and pleasure with which the
conservatives last night learned how many new and
clever things could be said for them ; but if their wit could
go as far as their gratitude, they would shrink in anger
from the brilliant advocate, who not only asserts, but
proves, that those who oppose the bill oppose reform alto-
gether, and deride the notion of admitting any working
man within the pale of the constitution who can be kept
out. To this complexion, the debate comes from first to
last ; and by far the &cutest speaker against the measure
could not or would not avoid assisting the government, by
showing that it is a question between their bill and no bill,
between their offer and no reform, no political progress at
all.

The Star quotes Mr. Childers' statements to show that
Mr. Lowe in Australia was the earnest advocate of the
suffrage principles of Hume and Cobden. The majority
of the Howe of Commons were described by him as blind,
ignorant, besotted, and stupid for adhering to the anti-
quated wisdom of their ancestors. He told the Austra-
lians that the army establishment was kept up to secure
berths to the sons and dependents of noblemen, and he ad-
' vised them, if they wanted justice, to let the Colonial.
°Moe know continually that they had their eyes on the ex-
ample of America, and were prepared to follow it.
Such was Mr. Lowe once ; a politician compared with
whom " the hon. member for Birmingham" him-
self must pale his ineffectual radicalism. He is
now the recognised bravo of toryism in the struggle
against the people. Before he arrived at the period of his
peroration he had repudiated every principle upon which
English liberty is founded; be had insulted every colleague
with whom he once was only too proud to act ; he had
repeated in substantially stronger terms every calumny
against the people which, in moments less inspiring and
under influences leas encouraging, he but lately endea-
voured to retract. His arguments, if they mean anything,
mean that a Venetian oligarchy is the only good govern-
ment.

a supposition. The opponent _ the -_ Jy not
give way, and will be uninfluenced by any slequence that
Mr. Gladstone may exert to-night. Before 24 hours have
passed, the government, the Times anticipates, will have
received a lesson which will save the country for many
years to come from ministerial caprice in the cabinet and
ministerial dictation in parliament.
According to the Post, the ministry count upon a majo-
rity of 12, and anything over 10 will be considered so re-
spectable that they will proceed with their bill until they
are overthrown; as it is certain they will be, either in com-
mittee or on the Itedistribetion Bill. If, on the other
hand, they are absolutely defeated, the only possible
*muse they can take is to resign at once. But there is a
third event, which seems the most probable of aU, and
which is, that they should obtain a ®all majority over
their opponents. This will render their position a most
difficult one ; and, looking to the constitution of
the cabinet, it is probable that its members
would not agree among themselves as to the
propriety of any possible way out of the difficulty.
The Post thinks that a fresh cabinet, including in its ranks
such men as Lord Clarendon, with the rest of themederste
liberals of the present cabinet, Lord Stanley, Mr. Lowe,
Lord /Mho, and possibly Mr. Laing, would hays every
chance of commanding the confidence of parliament.
The Herald also contends that the time has mom for
the reconstruction apolitical parties, and the constitutional
liberals should unite with the conservatives.

The Tdegraph presses upon the minds of liberal members
that the result of the bill's rejection must be a further
postponement of reform. There are false liberals who
justify their defection on the pretext of solicitude for a
larger sad more complete measure. We dare these rene-
gades again to meet their indignant constituents. We dare
them to repeat on the hustings the insolent and palpable
falsehood which thinly disguise* the most outrageous poli-
tical treachery of modern times.

JS TOPICS.

The Daily News remarks that at present the evidence
against the prisoner William Smith in the Cannon-street
murder is somewhat loose, and it will have to
be carried much further if a conviction is to take
place. The decision of the coroner that the
prisoner should not be represented by a legal adviser,
was strange and unjustifiable. The worst that could have
happened, had the request been complied with, is that
some of the evidence which now seems to have a certain
value, might then have seemed not worth so much. Mr.
Serjeant Payne's reference to the Mansion-house was quite
irrelevant, for it would have been small consolation to the
. .

prisoner that his solicitor's cross-examination of the wit-
nesses there had convinced the magistrates that Smith was
groundlessly accused, if, through the coroner shutting out
the same means of enlightenment, he had been committed
for trial for murder. _

The Times 170614 together certain movements of trades
unions to show that one of these bodies has a strong and
even restless affinity for another, so that a combination of
dissimilar trades is the most natural thing possible. Con-
trary to Mr. Forster's opinion, the Times believes that
these unions can be readily enough turned towards politics.
The Herald denounces the immorality, wickedness,
and cowardice of Italy in coveting Austrian territory, and
so threatening us with a war which, should it ones break
out, will be no question of Schleswig-Holstein or Silesia,
but will convulse the whole of Central Europe from the
Adriatic to the Eider.

The Times, while admiring the calm attitude of Presi-
dent Johnson, seems to doubt whether he thoroughly tic-
derstands the nature and intensity of Northern sentiment,
and whether a little conciliation on his aide might not
have been more politic. Meanwhile, it is greatly to his
credit, and that of Mr. Seward, that no countenance has
been given by them to any agitation against this country,
and there is no fear that the good understanding will be
disturbed either by Fenianism or the North American
fisheries. It ought never to be forgotten that hostility to
England was the watchword of Southern rather than of
Northern politicians before the civil war. Whatever the
faults of the republicans, it was no part of their pro-
gramme, and the republicans will, for a long time to come,
maintain their ascendancy in the national councils.

Wht Court.

OSBORNE, Aran. 2G.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Helena,
Prince Leopold, and Prince Christian of Schleswig-Hol-
stein, went out in the grounds yesterday morning, and
drove in the afternoon, accompanied by Princess Louise
and Prince Arthur.

The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke and
Duchess of Wellington arrived at Osborne yesterday, and
bad the honour of dining with the Queen and royal family.
The Dean of Windsor and the Ron. Mrs. Wellesley had
also the honour of being invited.
' -

Major-General Francis Seymour, C. 8., arrived yes-
terday.

A deputation from Over Darwin, consisting of Messrs.
R. S. Ashton, J. B. Deakin, James Wardley, and Joshua
Brown, had an interview with the Marquis of Hiirtington
yesterday, upon the subject of the Bill for the Redistribu-
tion of Seats.

A deputation from the General Assembly of the Presby.
tartan Church in Ireland, consisting of the Rev. Dr. Wil-
son, moderator ; the Rev. John Rogers, ex-moderator ;
accompanied by Lord Cremorne and the Hon. Captain
Dawson, had au interview with the Right Hon. the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, at his official residence in Down.
ing-street, yesterday.
Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office
to the Governors of Gibraltar, Malts, the Mauritius,
Ceylon, Hong Kong, Labuan, the Australian colonies, New
Zealand, the Cape of Good Hope, and Natal.

Ilia Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge
honoured the FAA and Countess of Clarendon by his oom-
pany at dinner, on Wednesday evening, at his lordship's
residence in Groevenor-cresoent. A select circle had the
honour to meet his royal highness.

His Excellency the Ambassador of France enter-
tained at dinner last evening at the residence of the Em-
bassy, Albert-gate House, the Marquis and Marchioness of
Downshire and Lady Alice Hill, his Excellency the Italian
Minister, the MarquisTamissier,Viscount and Viscountess
Holmeadale, Viscount Espeuiller, the Marquis Caumont
La Force, Count Maffei, Lady Frances Gordon and Miss
Gordon, Miss Stracey, kc. _ . _

The Countess Apponyi has issued cards for an
'miserably on Saturday next, at Chandos House.
. . .

- - -
Lady Diolesworth received about 200 visitors last
evening at Eaton-place. The company were entertained
with some private theatricals, the piece being A Christmas
Dinner, a comedy in one act. The parts were sustained by
Mr. Augustus Spalding, Mr. Charles Stephenson, Mr. J.
Palgrave Simpson, Miss Carlotta Norton, The Countess of
Charlemont, and Miss Dallas. Before the assembly her
ladyship received at dinner the Prince and Princess Ed-
ward of Saxe Weimar, the Austrian Ambassador and the
Countess Apponyi, the Duchess of Manchester, Maria
Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Earl and Countess of Lis-
towel, the Earl Cowper, the Earl of Charlemont, Frances
Countess Waldegrave and the Right lion. Chichester
Fortescue, M.P., the Earl Grosvenor, the Bishop of Oxford,
Mr. and Lady Mary Craven, Hon. Frederick Leveson Gower,
M.P., Mr. Gregory, M.P., Mr. Bernal Osborne, Dr. Quin,
kc. The party separated shortly after midnight.

The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress will
entertain the judges at the Mansion-house on Thursday,
May 10.

On Monday Mr. C. Fort/3*rue will bring forward
a bill to amend the Law of Landlord and Tenant in Ireland.

On Tuesday the majority of the English resi-
dents in Paris assembled in the Chapelle Marbeuf to wit-
ness the ceremony of confirmation by the Lord Bishop of
Bangor, attended by his chaplain and assisted by the Rev.
Edward Forbes, the Rev. J. Sergeant, the Rev. George
Gardiner, the Rev. K Gurney, the Rev. R. Delayante, the
Rev. Dr. Smythe (chaplain of St. Germain), and the Rev.
Glasott (ohaplain of Versailles). The church was
crowded at an early hour, not by English alone, but by
several foreign Roman catholic* anxious to witness the in.
teresting ceremony. By 2 o'clock above 60 young ladies
and 30 young men having taken the places reserved for
them next the altar, the usual morning service was read,
and the confirmation service, preceded by an address from
the bishop to the young candidates, after which prelimi-
naries the ceremony of the day commenced.

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• bound by an •• . • ob It- on, the t oon-
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h ceive Mr. Gladdene to be at liberty to • on the TT
budget uif nothing had happened ; but it is • • yon such
'0 a eunnoddtion. The opponents of the bill will certainly not
. mt..