The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-10 00:00:00

TIM PAM ANSBION AND !MUNN PRO PICA.

In an article on the session which expires to-day and
the future prospects of reform, the Daily News remarks
that the most faithful liberal, who has to tell his consti-
tuents of diligent attendance and honest votes, can only
look back with personal satisfaction, mixed with party
and patriotic disgust. A House of Commons that last
year received the confident* of the nation, has over-
thrown a ministry which represented and embodied that
national confidence, and km left in office a ministry in
which it does not itself believe, which nobody trusts, and
which can only waste the recess in preparing measures
which will neverbe passed, and maturing a policy which will
never be carried out. As s counsel of peace the Daily News
would advise the inhabitants of the Cave not to attempt
I any explanation to their constituencies. They had better
pass the recess in quiet humiliation, and determine to do
better for the future by recantation and repentance. The
days of Palmerstonian latitudinarianism and indifference
are past. When political interest awakens and principles
revive, party distinctions necessarily reappear, and politi-
cal latitudinarianism finds its vocation gone. This is the
painful discovery that the Palmerstonian liberals have to
make during the present recess. The question for them is
whether they will come up with the program of opinion or
lag irretrievably behind. On their choice their personal
future depends, not the future of the liberal party. The
whole movement of opinion is in the liberal direction. I
An abortive session—such by general consent, says the
Telegraph, is the judgment pronounced upon that which
closes to-day, and "an abortive session," involves a
great wrong and a great national calamity. It implies, in
the first pleas, that 658 representatives, elected with in-
finite trouble from all parts of the United Kingdom, have
failed to do the work for which they were chosen. It
implies that a great many noblemen and gentlemen have
been spending their time at Westminster for the last six
months to little or no profit, and that their labour has
been almost entirely wasted. Worst of all, it implies that
all those grievances which the legislature of 1866 ought to
have remedied must remain unredressed for another year
at least ; that the long-expected, long-deferred amend-
' anent of injurious laws is again postponed ; and that another
twelvemonth's life is given to old and oppreasive abuser.
It is fortunate, in the opinion of the Star, for the
country that so intelligent, orderly, and reasonable a body
as the Reform League represents at • crisis like the pre-
sent the more extreme views of organised popular opinion.
The cause of order is safe in such hands. But it must not
be expected that when the members of the League
raise their voices they will ask for no better
terms than those of the compromise which they
only accepted on consideration of its being cordially
adopted, and which has been so scornfully flung aside.
Let members of parliament—let the members of the tiny
government especially--consider well the prospects of the
coming months. Let them observe how disappointment
has already increased the nature of the demand for reform.
Let them think what the strength of that demand may
become under another session of tory rule and another
refusal of the working man's fair and honest claim.
The agitation and disturbance which are promoted fee.
Mouldy by a clique go to show rather that reform is not
generally desired. Still, says the Pose, if claims which have
been admitted in point of principle are renewed, as they
most likely will be, there can be no reason why they should
mot be settled by an administration which could at least
consider them independently and in the interest of the
whole community. Besides proceeding with ample know-
ledge and due deliberation as to what may be called the
theory of reform, it is necessary to consult and be guided
by public opinion, which has been rather roughly in-
structed of late.

The space usually devoted to leading articles is, in the
eolueen• et the Tian and Herald, entirely occupied with a
review et the emedoe.