The Express.
London, England, 1866-06-02 00:00:00

THE REFORM BILL AND THE

Mr. Lowe's speech is highly lauded in two of the leading
articles in the Times for its resolute tone, cogent argument,
and splendour of illustration. The reluctance, nay, the
determinate refusal of the House of Commons to accept the
scheme, appears to the Tiara to be manifest ; and it hopes
that the rumour is true that the government will with-
draw their bills if they obtain • majority on Captain
Hayter'smation. Mr. Gladstone hasdeclaredthatthe session
shall not be lost, and it will not be last if we recognise
the truth that it is impossible for any government to pass
a Reform Bill without the aasistance of the opposition,
and impossible to find any opposition so full of self-
sacrifice as to assist a government in passing it. We must
have recourse to some new method of action. Withdraw
the question in the first instance from parliament ; let the
nation seek the assistance of such a dispaaaionate tribunal
as • well-chosen commission would supply, and in the
report and recommendations made, after mature con-
sideration of electoral qualifications, redistribution, modes
of voting, the prevention of bribery, and, in short, of all
the branches of reform, we may find the solution of this
irrepressible question.
If the conduct of her Majesty's ministers hes not been
altogether prudent, their fault, the Daily News says, is not
in having acted in the spirit of faction, but in thinking
too much of their opponents and in believing the protes-
tations of the conservatives that they would give • mode-
rate measure fair consideration, and thus through a gene-
rous confidence and simplicity putting the materials of
obstruction into the hands of implacable enemies.
One consolation remains. The experiment of compromise
having been tried and having failed, will not, we trust,
be repeated. A liberal ministry will not be likely to fall
again into the errors of excessive moderation. The morality
of the party tactics may be judged from the speech of Sir
H. Cairns last night, who attempted to terrify the House
with the results of passing the amalgamation bills, although
he was one of the strongest advocates of the association of
the two measures. But whatever the tactical mistakes of
ministers, these bills are still worth fighting for ; and an
earnest struggle will bring certain victory, either now or
later. There is ground of hope in either issue.
The Post finds a chief cause for the unpopularity of the
bills to lie in the tone of defiance assumed by Mr. Glad-
stone. This demeanour leads our contemporary once more
to conjure up the figure of " that great minister " whom
Mr. Gladstone succeeded. It seems but yesterday, says
the Post with its usual pathos, we saw that kind and
genial countenance, and listened to those plain and simple
words of political wisdom more powerful than any efforts
of eloquence. We smiled at the wit which loved "to play,
not wound ;" and we cheered the generous sentiment, and
sympathised with each cordial and frank appeal. Quanta
inutatus / there is now nothing of the kind. The gentle
voice is heard no more, &c.
If in the division of Monday the government have not a
majority sufficient to settle the question, or if in committee
the obstructions touch any vital point of the bill, then the
Telegraph insists no compromise of any kind must be ad-
mitted. The present parliament will be convicted of mis-
representing England ; it will be shown that the tory
journals were right when they told us that its majority
was not a liberal majority, but • Cambridge House
majority ; and it will remain for the cabinet to step aside
and let the flouted and insulted Lancashire spinners and
the patient artisans of England arrange a " mature" reform
with such " equitable" reform as Mr. Disraeli and Sir John
Pekington.