The Express.
London, England, 1860-01-23 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, JAN. 23.

Tin thief interest and oecinpation of the Par-
liamentary Session that opens tomorrow will un-
doubtedly be the Government Reform Bill. Foreign
Affairs, and especially our Madam with France and
Italy, will of course give rise to animated discus.
sion, for since the great war no year has been more
eventful in European history than the use just
closed. But after all, these discussions will soupy
only a secondary place, for the dangers and dHlicul-
ties which surrounded the Italian question at the
close of last ssseioo are now all bat removed. By the
prudence and firmness of their =it'd action during
the reams the States of Central Italy have
made themselves comparatively independent of
diplomacy. Their rightful claims to brie
?soden°, are recognised by England and Front,
powers which are now united in • liberal fonds&
policy; the Congress is indefinitely postposed,
and the problems its cumbrous machinery VOW
designed to solve will probably be settled in • mash
simpler way. This happy result may be fairly attri-
buted to the firm yet frank and conciliatory action
of our own Government.. The liberal and eoesisteut
policy announced io Parliament by the noble !Tomos
Stomata, and repeated daring the recess at Aber-
deem, has been taithfaily adhered to, and the Go.
vernment need therefore fear no hostile inquiry late
the 000ne it has pursued towards France and Italy.
The way is thus fortunately cleared foe dialog
at once with the great question of he.. hwidefiss.
By common consent the Reform question is to lis
not only discussed but settled this session. Of mere
diacassioe, indeed, we have had almost enough,
and it is high time that the Royal sorsiarit, which
has in often been repeated, from the throne,
should be embodied in something mare substestial
then • draft bill and a desultory debate. The Re-
form Bill to be submitted to Parliament is a few days
will be the fifth laid on the table of the Hems within
about twice u many years. This bag daisy Ms
not, however, been wholly melees; nee need were-
gret it if, after all, we get • really good bill. During
these years the Reform question has steadily advanced
through many difficulties, and escaped many dangers.
Foremost amongst these may be reckoned the
caprice of its professed friends and the patronage of
its open foes. Never, perhaps, was a simple question
such as the extension of the franchise Se perplexed
by fancy schemes and crotchety saggestises. A
chorus of reactionary critics clam/owed for • settle-
ment of the question on " philceophioal " principles.
What these really were it was very diffi-
cult to dunover, except that at bottom they
all seemed to resolve themselves into the
Irishman's three r'e, "reading, writing, teed arith.
merle." One set of inquirers betook themselves to
the spelling-book, while others resorted to the rich
tiplicatioo-table foe their principles. Reeding MN
coosidered by many a sufficiently philmeglds Met et
fitness for the suffrage ; others looked with kindly
eye on pot-hoots end hangers, boldiag that writing
ought to be included es an essential ren-
dition of political enfranchisement. A third
party took • more arithmetical view of the
subject, attempting to manipulate on new principles
the vote es well as the voter. They were for 'multi-
plying the votes according to different degrees of com-
poses in the individual elector, se dividing them as-
cending to the extent of the chile to which be belonged.
These eretaliets have all had their day, and are now
pretty wall exploded. This is one great good of
the delay that bse occurred. It has afforded time
fur the healthy action of the popular mind on this
great question of popular right. Reformers of