The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 2,, 1867.

ordinary cases, of 20,000 inhabitants, do we come
to a class of towns in which real intelligence,
coupled with real independence, is •to be met
with. And that figure is not too high to be fixed
as the lowest carrying right to a separate member,
for an (stud apportionment would give a popula-
tion of 40,000 to each constituency.
But it is not necessary rigidly to disfranchise
all the small boroughs in order to establish a rea-
sonable system. The idea of groupiTr, is a very-
good one, and it has been penal to cork well
in both Wales and Scotland. It makes a great
impediment to bribery, for the result of the poll
cannot be known till the returns from all the
boroughs come in. The telel,fraph might, indeed,
I this advantage ; but, if it did, it would be
easy to prohibit its employment for this pm,
pose between grouped boroughs. And the
method is no less a great obstruction to local
jobbery, for the jobs of each town will be dis-
countenanced by all the others. The result is
proved, where the plan has been tried, to ho that
great independence of lord influence is established,
one influence neutnilising the other, and a
tendency is engendered to seek for the best Mein-
here, though nut connected with the locality. But
then the system must be worked fairly. The
blunder of the late Government was that it ap-
plied the grouping to only such towns as are
already represented. Hence there were numbers
throughout the country, entitled by population to
florin part of a group, which were left out, and
an opening was afforded for damaging cliti-
eism on the anomalies. But there ia no
reason for instituting new anomalies when
we are refunning an old system. The
right course is tho simplest, to group together
all towns, whether represented boroughs or not,
that are above a certain limit of population. We
do not profess to fix the limit, which is matter of
administrative detail. Whether 5,000 or 8,000
were taken, it would at least be above the limit of
many of the present constituencies, and we should
sufficiently recognize the claims of prescription by
permitting them, in virtue of their ancient privi-
leges, to sitrvive as members of a group, though
below the regular standard. But beyond this
leniency it is impossible that we should go. Mr.
DINRAELI'S idea, that there is something sacred in
the privileges of a represented borough which
makes it sacrilege to disfranchise it, is contrary to
the constitution and to common sense. To grant
representation is to impose a responsibility, not to
confer a favour, still less a right of making
money. So long as it could be nmintained that
the small boroughs subserved purposes which the
large ones did not answer, there was reason for
retaining them. Rut nobody now maintains that
as a rule they send better members to Parliament
than those returned by large constituencies. And
when the reason for exceptional privileges dis-
appears, the law which grants them should cease
also.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

The relation of the ministry to reform continues
to be the burden of newspaper discussion. Perhaps the
most remarkable article of to-day Is one in the Standard.
The ministry in this are entreated to reconsider their
course; abandon their present measure ; and proceed at
once to household suffrage. It seems, however, that there
should be conditions ; the householder should be rated ; the
franchise should not be a merely toneruental one, and quail-
fictions may be added calculated to enfranchise all the
very numermis class of educated and respectable men who
are not householders. Possessing this, the respectable
working men of the country would consent to a fair re-
adjustment of the boundaries and fair consideration for
the claims of the counties. They would agree, in all
probability, to one member for every constituency under
10,000, and give a majority of seat' thus obtained to the
counties. The only fault would be that such a measure
might possibly give to enfranchised artisans en excessive
share of power over the larger boroughs, but this might
be perfectly compenaated by the cumulative vote, which
might essay be attached to such • bill. Any smaller
scheme than this will probably end in immediate defeat
and disaster, and will certainly issue at last in bringing
upon us all the perils, without one of the restraints and
safeguards of the larger.
The Testes thinks independent members of the con-
servative party may be pardoned if they resent the show
of vacillation and distracted opinion which the government
has exhibited. The cabinet was wise in attempting
reform, but there its wisdom ceased. There is yet time,
however, for the progressive section of the cabinet, if thiy
are resolute men. One thing is certain, that the ineffectual
compromise sketched out by Mr. Disraeli at the beginning
of the week cannot be accepted. We must have, and we
caa have, a bill which will put the franchise on a staple
foundation, and distribute the seats of members in a way
to give promise of permanent settlement.
The Daily News observes that the attempt to legislate
on reform has destroyed the unity of the oonservative
party. The majority are wisely disposed to place in Lord
Derby's hands full power to make such concessions to
public opinion as he may think best, but the minority,
represented in the cabinet by two of its most obstinate
and headstrong members, is dogged and sullen. Lord
Derby now knows what it is to have a " Cave " formed
within his party ; but Mr. Gladstone and the liberals will
not yield to the temptation to turn these circumstances to
mere party account. Indeed, an agreement between the
premier and the liberal leaders ought to be possible. The
main body of Lord Derby's followers, aided by that of the
liberal party, might carry by enormous majorities a bill
framed on the basis of a U. occupation rating franchise in
boroughs and a 10/. occupation rating in counties. If
some such arrangement be not practicable then the go-
vernment is doomed.

The Post thinks the resignation of the ministry must
certainly occupy the immediate and anxious attention of
the cabinet. It is the only course open to them. The
liberals, reassuming office, will, in the opinion of the Post,
probably introduce a reform bill, with household suffrage
and payment of direct taxation as its main features, and
this, with a moderate measure for redistribution of seats,
will no doubt be carried in the present session. A disso-
lution in the autumn will only make them stronger, and
the party which has Mr. Gladstone at its head may look
forward to the future government of the country.
The Star also thinks "the conservative ministry is
reeling to its fall," and urges the reformers during the
next few weeks to press their advantage home.

iddc and household suffrage on the other. So bitter is
the dispute takt it eau hardly end without either the reap
nation ec the reconstruction of the government, mote
especially as a majority of the tory party—the squire
members, in fact- have informed Lord Darby that what-
ever bill he brings in he must stand or fall by it, and not
allow it to be :mended into a new measure. Mr. Disraeli's
answer on Thursday night, when asked to fix • day for his
bill, showed much indecision, and it is quite possible that
the bill. if introduced at all, will differ very considerably
from iNionday's programme. The detail of difficulties in
the cabinet is of course rarely known abroad, but the split
in the tory ranks is patent, and may be fatal. A ilia.
united cabinet is proposing a bad bill in the face of a
united opposition.

The Sat 'inlay Rcri, to describes the sketch of parlia-
mentary rekrm drawn by Mr. Disraeli in a variety of de-
preciatory terms. It is a poor trumpery faltering measure;
it is nothing but the bill of last session with a little colour-
able altenttions ; a few shillings more conservative,
but that is all. Yet it is a bill which inay
be modified and improved in committee, and if Mr.
Disr.teli is ultimately forced to accept, perhaps a 5/.
rating fruichise in boroughs, and a 101. or 12/. rating
franchise in counties, the result will be tolerably satisfac-
tory. To the fancy franchises in themselves, the Sa•,,nla,y
• ',lle sees little or no objection, but thinks it ought
to be fully discussed whether they should be accepted
in lieu of a lodger franchise. Our contemporary sees no
reason why the government should not adopt one mote
fancy fratichixe and take in 101. lodgers. The redistribu-
tion scheme is timid to excess. Mr. Disraeli himself
stated that the email borough seats might be reckoned at
nearly DA. More than 130 of these would remain exactly
as they are. However good the argument in favour of
small boroughs may be, it is impossible to suppose that
130 is their right proportion, or that the position
they hold is one which they can long retain.
It may be greatly doubted whether the t* lity
of the government is really conservative, and whether the
proposal of the last government to give twenty-six new
seats to counties and sixteen to English boroughs wits not
really a more conservative measure than that now pro-
posed. At present, if the government deals boldly with
small boroughs, it can ensure that a large proportion of
the transferral seats shall go to counties ; but it cannot
be sure of this if it leaves the number of small boroughs
excessive, and remits it to a reformed parliament to say
what shall be done with them.

The early intention of the Cabinet, says the Imperial
&eh r, was to propose household suffrage together with
plurality of votes, and the advantages attendant on this
bold method of dealing with the difficulties of reform were
sufficiently obvious to secure the approval of the more
clear-sighted and far-seeing of our statesmen. The Im-
perial Rerit to maintains that this project offers the best
means of avoiding the supremacy of numbers,and of carry-
ing into effect conservative views with reference to the
representation of capital and intelligence. The forth-
coming bill will probably fix the franchise at GI.
in boroughs, and at 1:i1. in the counties. It will be needs.
furry to adopt a system of cumulative votes, in order to pro.
vide fur the representation of minorities, if it is finally
decided to discard the principle of plurality. The pro-
'nulls to confer the franchise on those who pay direct
taxes and those who possess certain educational qualifi•
cations will reItIOVO the glaring anomaly that now prevails,
awl condemns by its action large classes of society,
thoroughly competent to give well-considered opinions on
public affairs, to exclusion front all share in political
power. Whilst fully conscious of the m►ny obstacles
that the Cabinet will have to encounter it relies upon final
victory. MI that is necessary is union in the ranks of the
party, loyalty to the leaders, and confidence in the ability
and the suocess of the statesmanship that has restored to
the conservative cause the power and position that once
seemed irretrievably lost. Those who, actuated by a
fatuous obstinacy, by a blind presumption, or by even less
worthy motives, disappointed aspirations, or personal
hostility, are tempted to desert their political colours, can
be safely left to the condemnation of public opinion.

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