The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-14 00:00:00

THE /400TCH REFORM BILL.

As far as the borough and county franchisee are
concerned, the Times thinks no dissatisfaction is likely to
be felt in Scotland ; but the part of the bill dealing with
the redistribution of seats is open to much criticism. It
was confessed last night that the additional members to
be given to Scotland will be also additional members of the
House of Commons, and, though no successful opposition
may be raised to this course, ➢lr. Gladstone was justified
in insisting on its necessity being established. Though
there is no magic in 658, that number ought not to be
increased without premediWion. The proposal to grant ad-
ditional members by the process of subdividing counties, also,
ought not to he sanctioned except upon mature consideration,
and still more open to objection is the proposal to
strengthen the existing groups of lowland boroughs by
adding to them towns not now directly represented. It is
plain that this system of strengthening boroughs is very
like a plan of weakening counties. These questions, how-
ever, are not sufficient to affect materially the good im-
pression with which the Scotch Reform Bill has been re-
ceived.

In a second leader the Tones ridicules the antagonism of
the liberal party out of doors to the English bill. The
cream of its argument is that if a man will not pay the
cost for the possession of the franchise, he most be at
somebody's mercy or disposal ; and it is quite as well he
should be.

Noticing the puerile vituperation and petulance which
characterised Mr. Disraeli's prelude last evening, and
observing that the use of such railing as designating men
as " obsolete incendiaries " and " spouters of state sedi-
tion " is specially unbecoming in the representative of •
government which quails before Mr. Beales, the Daily
News proceeds to his theme, remarking that the
Scotch proposal is, save in the lower figure selected,
substantially identical with the amendment which Mr.
Gladstone proposed in the English Reform Bill this session.
So liberal a measure as this will no doubt secure the end
for which it was framed. Many of the Scotch borough
members are taken captive by it. They will give Mr.
Disraeli rarer blanche with the English bill, in order to
save the Scotch bill. The device of the government is not
without cleverness. But it will fall into its own trap.
For the liberal measure of enfranchisement granted in one
pert of the kingdom cannot long be withheld from the
other. In its borough franchise and in the enfranchise-
ment of the Scotch universities the bill is satisfactory, but
in its other points it is radically unfair, and framed to
secure the aggrandisement of the county represent►tion,
and the increase of landlord domination in the counties.
The Poet thinks it was indiscreet in Mr. Disraeli to
allude as he did to the speeches at Carlton-house-terrace
on Saturday, and regards ea in even worse taste his mis-
quotation of Pope's celebrated lines on Addison, and their
application to Mr. Gladstone. As to the Scotch bill, the
extensive changes which it effects will give rise to ac in-
vidious comparison between the political conditions of the
people of the two countries which certainly will not tend
to diminish that agitation which Mr. Disraeli so much
deprecates.
The government journals, the Herald and Standard, re-
joice over the character of the bill, and the manner in
which it was received by the house.
The Star, congratulating the Scotch boroughs on the
offer of household suffrage which has been made to them,
condoles once more with the inhabitants of the English
boroughs that they are not considered by the ministry so
worthy to be entrusted with the franchise as their Scottish
brethren. But the Scotch adviser of the ministry is not
less astute than Mr. Disraeli himself. The two university
members are as certain to be conservatives as the members
for Oxford ; two conservative members are rendered
certain for Ayrshire ; two obtained for Lanark ; Renfrew
and Dumbarton are rendered secure, end an additional
conservative is provided for Aberdeenshire. This is a pretty
good result to be obtained from such an unpromising
country for conservative principles as Scotland.
In the sister kingdom, says the Telegraph, Mr. Disraeli
had a very simple problem to solve. He could expect to
gain votes in Scotland by none of the political juggleries
at his command. But what is thus given to the country
which has no compound householders can no longer be re-
fused to England, and refonn can be " eettled " only when
household suffrage shall be made the uniform basis for the
franchise of the British Islands.