The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-03 00:00:00

LYCZU Y.

Tata Evamtad, BAMI34;;AINO. Mr. Prke sad Mira
Kate Bishop.—TlEß DUKE*3 Morro. 111 r. Vedder, Mears.
eatery, Walt Womb: dtc. Mimeo lileirorthy, Grattan, and Car-
lotta Lectercy.—A Urand Ballet. M. Espinosa tt Ydfe. Sophie.

MAND.
Tan Emus.. SWEETIIIKARTS AND WIVIS. Mr. Bel-
ford. —PYOMA LIOV. OK, THE STATUE VA IR. Marra Chorus,
James, Ae : Mesdames A. nmanbrwomah, Kaynham. Harland,
Johnstone, Molt, & Newton.—And THE VIIENCU

HOLBORN

Tim EVIII2IO, MY Tiiiisll4l.ii. Mr. Debeere; Wiese
/Dots and Lennon.—And FLYING SCUD. Morn. Neville, Bel-
mar% Blake, YoUaire, • Mesdames F. Joespluk C. Mandel;
Barb loot., /Was, London. Raymond. de.

BRITANNIA.

Tot.; Ertmiwo, THE. TIFESIONAL Moors. Reynolds,
Howe, Sc.; Mundane Coveney.—CßED.RY AND FAIR. scrAit.
Ale•drs. Millwood, Leslie, Elton, Ac. ; 4n S. Lane and Mimes
Edwin, Booth, and Macsrthy.—And THE DREAM OF AILEEN.

NIGH WATRIL AT LONDON BRIDGE
Two DAT —Macon(, lh. 40......Aftern00e, lb. 2C4s.
To-Mouor—Naralag, 11 402.......Afterw00n, 2h. iiii..

LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY 3.

WE doubt whether those who are most soli-
citous for the progress of Parliamentary Reform
will be the most thankful to the Reform League
for raising the question of the right of meeting in
Hyde-park at this particular juncture. After
reading the published reports of the meetings of
the League, we must confess ourselves unable to
understand what the meeting on Monday next is
called for, what question it is to determine, and
why it is important that any resolution that may
be taken should be passed within that particular
enclosure. If it is merely sought to collect a
great undeliberative assembly as a " demonstra-
" tion," then we believe most reformers will be
of opinion that such a proceeding is unnecessary.
There was a time when it was worth while to bring
together large numbers of people without a
hope of organizing them for deliberation.
When the desire of the unrepresented claasea for
the franchise was doubted or denied, it was better
that the residents of the West-end should sustain
some real inconvenience than that the Legislature
and our governing classes generally should remain
ignorant of the profound feeling of the mass of
their countrymen. But surely that time is past.
No one now doubts that the working classes desire,
expect, require enfranchisement. Even General
PEEL is convinced of the fact, and the Government
recognise the demand of the people when
they seek to discharge it by payment in counter-
feit coin. A meeting too large to deliberate could
do nothing for Reform under present circum-
stances. The Reform League, as we all know,
believes in Manhood Suffrage ; but how would
the gathering of five thousand supporters of
this claim help any party in Parliament at the
present crisis Y We are utterly unable to see
either why the original resolution to meet in the
Park was adopted, or why, having been adopted,
it should now be persisted in.

A great deal Las been written for and against
the right of the people to go into the Park, and
on each aide some very extreme judgments have
been pronounced. It has been said that the Parks
are the property of the Crown, just as much as
the private grounds at Osborne and Balmoral.
In fact, however, while those royal residences are
the private property of the royal family, the Parks
are public property, maintained by money levied
on the whole body of the people, and subject to
public legislation. Mr. WALPOLE last night gave
notice of a bill which ho intends to introduce
for regulating the use of the Parks—a proceed-
ing which is only intelligible on the ground
of the public character of the property.
It is unwise, to put it mildly, on the part of
Ministers of the Crown to thrust forward the per-
son of the QUEEN when they have any unpleasant
conununication to make. Mr. WaLrotx, in
the curious notification he has just issued,
is guilty of this want of consideration for the
Qom/ when he speaks of "the object for which
" Her MAJESTY has been pleased to open the Park
" for the general enjoyment of her people." There
was not the least necessity for introducing her
Ms.; nrv's name in such a connexion. There is,
moreover, something very un-English in describing
the Hyde-park meeting as one of a number of
things which are " not permitted." We do not li
live under a regime of permissions. We are ac-
customed from our birth to think that we are at
liberty to do that which the law has not pro-
hibited for some public and sufficient reason. Mr.
WstroLs appears not to be altogether certain of
his authority to forbid meetings in the Park, or he
would not think it necessary to legislate on the
subject. It is a pity he did not take this course
earlier. The intense, and otherwise unaccount-
able, desire of some persons to meet in the Park,
proceeds in a great degree from the belief that
the Government is acting arbitrarily in its prohi-
bition ; that Mr. DISRAELI is jealous of the great
and unmistakeable manifestations of the working-
class feeling on the subject of Reform, against
which ho can only set those grotesque provincial
deputations which he invites to Downing-street ;
and that if working men were only ready to as-
semble in imposing numbers to support the Go-
vernment, the soil even of Hyde-park would not
be deemed too sacred for their meeting.
In an official announcement such as that just
issued by the Goveniment, something more than a
vague warning and admonition might have been
expected lf the Government intend to prevent
the holding of a meeting they should state that
intenti for the guidance of those who might
wish to be present at a peaceful gathering, but
have no desire to come into collision with au-
thority. It is to be feared that unless some higher
window than has yet been exhibited comes to our
aid, next Monday will witness a riot. The vaga-
-I■"uls who abound in London would not go into
the next street to attend an unopposed Reform
nicotine, much less march from the East-end and
" over the water" to Hyde-park ; but they would
r. many Indus to a row such as Messrs.