The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-04 00:00:00

ARE WE TO HAVE A REFORM BILL

The most notable contribution which appears
in the Times to-day is a letter under the above heading, and
which bears the well-known signature of "H." The letter
is of considerable length, but its purport may be taken
as follows :—By common consent it is agreed that
reform is the imminent question of politics. The
conservatives, who last year, could have exorcised the
ghost by supporting a motion for a suffrage of $l. in the
boroughs, and 201. in the counties, preferred to turn out
the government instead, and the time is come when they
must leave office or keep office either as the
authors or as the enemies of reform. If as authors
their bill must be a more extensive one than that of their
predecessors. The compromise must be in a radical
direction. If they pretend that more time is wanted, the
fatal reply will be given that they eight years ago pro-
pounded a measure for which the approval of parliament
was claimed. They count, it is said, upon the disinclina-
tion of the house to reform, and acknowledging this to
exist, " H." submits considerations of moment, showing
why this would be a dangerous course. He quotes a
recent remark of Mr. Lowe to prove that the House of
Commons has been widely discredited, and he proceeds
to point out that there are many people of great authority
over the popular mind who accuse it of having dealt disin-
genuously and insincerely. "It cannot be denied," said
one, who is by no means an ardent reformer, the other
day, "that the House of Commons prerarieMes on reform;"
and if this be true, it would not be surprising were it begin-
ning to lose the respect and confidence of the country. If
the constituencies are believed to be lukewarm, why not '
meet reform by a distinct negative, and take issue on the
question! If the old game of procrastination and sub-
terfuge should now be tried, and the house be invited
again to take refuge in some of those Groavenor-Elcho-
Dunkellin amendments—which simply mean that while
the house is ready to consider reform, it is resolved to do all
in its power to defeat it—from that moment the question
will be finally taken out of the hands of the house and
will be settled elsewhere. Already the indecision of last
session has inaugurated a democratic agitation, but the in-
sincerity of this session would consummate • democratic
revolution. These are no baseless menaces or idle appre-
hensions ; they are what the past political history of this
country teaches in every page. Unhappily, no great ques-
tion the justice and beneficence of which is now univer-
sally admitted has ever yet been carried by the mere force
of argument and reason in the House of Commons. Has the
House of Commons become wiser, or are the people less
strong than they have proved themselves in the last fifty
years! It is all very well to denounce agitation and in-
timidation, but before persons who desire the triumph of
a cause will be induced to desist from recourse to them
it must first be proved that it is possible—which it has
never yet been—to carry • measure without then,. From
the moment it is apparent that the house is trifling with
reform the battle will be not between parties in the
house but between the people and the house itself. Al-
ready it is a somewhat significant and ominous symptom
that the exact measure of • politician's popularity
I with the people may be almost guaged by his
unpopularity with the House of Commons and rice rerso.
" I desire above all things," writes " H.," in conclusion,
" that the credit and influence of the House of Commons
should be sustained in the country. But in order to this
lam sure that the first step must be without delay to
convince the country that the House of Commons is acting
straightforwardly and in good faith about reform."
What • pilot for the state ! exclaims the Daily News, in
reviewing Mr. Horsman's late address. He sees clearly
enough the threatening storms and the breakers ahead,
but he does not even yet see his way to safety. He warned
the country in 1859 that delay in settling the reform ques-
tion was dangerous, and he is not quite sure in 1867 that
delay is not the only practicable policy now. At least on
no account must • government that does not see its way
to a reform bill be forced to make way for a government
that does see its way. Nothing like • blind pilot in a
storm.

The Telegraph continues to affirm that the ministers
will propose to the Rouse of Commons, so soon as business
begins, an inquiry into the boundaries of the parlia-
mentary districts, and at the same time they will attempt
to make arrangements for an autumnal session, to which
the mistested and embarrassing subject of a reform bill is
to be amicably deferred.