The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-20 00:00:00

MISCELLANZOIIB TOPIC..

The Times sees in the postponement of the meeting of
the opposition till Tuesday next fresh proof of the mode-
ration of the liberal leaders, but if the government is wise
they will take care not to misunderstand it, for the object

. _
for whisk the housn Maus protests tins government 3uakes
it incinsbent upon,* goversusent lobe precise and busi-
nesslike in its proved', end lockfrolto to sem •• i • dis-
conmgernent to discussion 41744 mend' theoreti-
cal,—such ns would be occasioned Mr. Mill's resolu-
tion respecting minorities, which is sufficient of itself
to occupy as much time as the thirteen resolutions
of the government put together. Let Mr. Mill lend
the weight of his authority to secure what can be
done in the time and with the means at our dis-
posal, rather than afford an opportunity for the concealed
opponents of reform totlissipate the rest of the session in
the investigation of Utopian theories and in WM19,910E111
which must be fruitless.

Is it altogether improbable, sake the Poe', that, even up
to this moment, the Cabinet may not have quite decided
what they intend to propose, and that the real reason
why the Chancellor of the Exchequer seems determined
to extend the Asian mystery to the politics of this country
is that he is not yet quite in the position to declare what
the elucidation of that mystery will be? We have heanl
of a budget completely altered during the journey from
Downing-street to the Palace at Westminster on the even-
ing of its statement, and Mr. Disraeli is clever enough to
be able to speak at a moment's notice equally well on any
proposal of reform.
The Tama sees in the meals of the Hungarians in
their new arrangement with Austria a step which is
not only calculated to embolden the extreme liberals of
that vain and restless nation, but also greatly, and not
perhaps unreasonably, to irritate the tribes of the Parke
Annexe., which will look upon themselves as deprived of
sufficient guarantees for their local liberties. On the
other hand, in the Cis-Leithan division the discontent
arising among the Germans from the loss of that supre-
macy they have so long enjoyed in the ancient empire will
be as deep, if not as loud, as the outcry of Czechs and
Poles, who look upon themselves as entitled to the same
privileges as have been granted to the Magyars. Never-
theless, beret though the Austrian government is with ins-
precedented difficulties, the Times would not consider the
position desperate if it could detect the least symptom of
firmness in the conduct of the Emperor's advisers. The
Emperor Francis Joseph is certainly animated with the
best intentions. Let him only not show himself utterly
helpless, and the soundest part of his people will be sure
to help him.
We read in the Star :—" Report has it that the govern-
ment have resolved upon offering a 61. rating franchise in
boroughs, should the principle of plural voting be rejected
—which, in any case, it is quite certain to be. If the
plural voting proposal were adopted, then it is said that
ministers would be prepared to give household suf-
frage—under the circumstances an easy and valueless gift.
A rating suffrage of Gt. would be about equivalent to an
8/. rental franchise, and of course absolutely unacceptable
so far as the liberal party are concerned."

QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS IN PARLIAMENT

RESPECTING REFORM.

The following questions and motions pertaining
to reform are now on the order-book of the House of
Commons :

Mr. Borman, to-morrow, to ask the President of the
Poorlaw Board whether he can furnish the house with
any explanation in detail of the discrepancy between the
electoral return presented by command last session and
the electoral return, No. 494, of last session, just delivered.
Mr. Darby Griffith, on Friday, to ask the Chancellor of
the Exchequer " whether the government really mean to
ask the house to oome to a conclusion in favour of the
reduction of the qualification for the elective franchise,
without at the same time affording a clear indication of
what that reduction is intended to be."

Mr. H. Baillie, in the place of Resolution No. 5, to
move the following resolution :—" It being desirable that
the electoral privileges of all her Majesty's subjects
should be placed upon an equal footing, no elector for a
county or borough should be allowed to vote for more than
one candidate at any election."
Mr. J. S. Mill, in committee on the act 2 and 3 Will.
IV., to move :—" That, in order to secure to the utmost
extent possible the real and equal representation of every
elector, it is expedient that any electors, amounting to •
certain number, should have the power of voluntarily
combining with one another to elect • representative."

THE REFORM AGITATION GUARANTEE FUND
OF 40,000.

It was announced at the meeting of the National
Reform Union, held last night, at Manchester, with
respect to the proposed guarantee fund of 50,000/., that
circulars inviting subscriptions were only issued last
Thursday, and that the response in subscriptions already
amounted to the sum of 10,869/. The subscription list
was read amidst great cheering. It includes the follow-
ing :-Hugh Mason, 1,000/. ; Robert Platt, 1,000/. ;
T. Thomason, 1,000/. ; Samuel Morley, 1,000/. ; James
King, 1,000/. ; Sir Menah Armitage, 5001. ; R. N.
Philips, Esq., M.P., 500/. ; F. Steiner, 500/. ; James
Chadwick, 500/. ; John Rylands, 500/. ; George Crosfield,
250/.; James Sidebottom, 2501. ; Benj. Whitworth, M.P.,
250/. ; T. C. Ryley, 2501.; H. Ashworth, 200/. ; Jno. Cros.
field, 1501.; R. D. Roden, 1001.; Jos. Spencer and Co.,
100/.; Samuel Pope, 100€.; D. Sandwith, of Kars, 1001.;
Colin Mather, 100/4 Joseph Fenton, 1001.; C. 0., IOW.;
Morland Crosfield, 1001.; Samuel Adams, 50/.; James
Rosa, 50/.; Robert Greeley, 501.; Abraham Howarth, 501.;
James Mills, 501.; Charles Cheetham, 50/.; Henry Ather-
ton, 50/4 Robert Smalley, 5014 J. Porritt, sen., 60/.;
S. T. Hobson, 501.; E. Walmsley, 50/4 John Kay, 40/.;
I Mark Price, 201. ; J. D. Morton, 20/. ; J. E. Davis, 20/.;
and a great number of other subscriptions ranging from
25/. down to 1/. and under.