The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-04 00:00:00

VIZ WORM QTT4TION A.VD TICE QOTIRMMENT.

The ministerial crisis, says the Dag News, has
conic at last. After the cabinet women on Saturhy the
Earl of Carnarvon, General Peel, and Lord Cranborne—
three Secretaries of State—resigned their offices. This
result will surprise none save those who have limited their
range of observation to the assurances of the ministerial
organs that perfect harmony reigned within the cabinet.
The emergency brought the long-smothered difference
in opinion to an ontbreak. The majority of the party
urged that they should not abdicate the position of sharing
in the national policy by refusing to entertain any nettle-
silent which the nation would accept. The minority
were renolnte to hold by their own judgment of what was
best for the nation, indifferent whether the nation
would have it or not. Then the question came to be,
whether Lord Derby, whose sympathies were with the
majority, could hope to be strong enough to attempt to
ca►ry on the government after a defection so serious. The
question has been resolved in the affirmative. And far
from triumphing over the dissensions and the now con-
fessed weakness of its late opponents, the Dail!, News re-
cognises in the course at last adopted by both sections
reason for viewing them with more respect than any other
course could have inspired. Both have, in a momentous
crisis, risen superior to the considerations of mere party.
The one have inflexibly preferred mina* to power ; the
others have surrendered prepoaseuions and prejudices in
order that they might still servo ensue public good. So
great a sacrifice must, in the opinion of the Dail!! Noes,
be fruitful in results, and it credits Lord Derby
in advance with a reform measure which will
secure him the support of the great bulk of, the real
liberals not only in the house but in the nation. In such
a case the duty of the liberal party is clear—it must
offer no obstruction to the consummation for which it
has wrought. The question has advanced in the country
far beyond the position of a 61. rental assumed by the
liberals last year. No one now pretends to find a stop-
ping point in any standard of rental qualification. It
has been becoming clearer for the last twelve months
that the only broad line of demarcation that the public
admits is that of household suffrage, and it is time to
consider seriously whether the rut of true wisdom is
not to make that concession at once, and so put an end
to all agitation on the subject.
In the opinion of the Times the gain to the nation in
possessing a united Cabinet instead of one distracted
by discontent opinions cannot be overstated. The set-
tlement of the gnat question of the day, which
with divided counsels was impossible, may now be
made a matter of reasonable certainty. The Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer will no longer be 'educed to
the sorry plight of having to speak and yet hiving
nothing to say. The government need no longer halt and
hesitate, and at length put forth a scheme satisfying
nobody, and productive of nothing but increased irrita-
tion. They have a great opportunity, and the retire-
ment of the malcontent members of the Cabinet is an
earnest that those who remain are bent on making the
most of it. The nation expects a good reform bill.
The bill inn.' be lame and full ; it must enfranchise
freely ; it must satisfy the just ambition of the classes
now excluded from the franchise, but qualified to ware in
the government of the nation. At the same time it must
maintain the essential character of the House of Com-
mons unaltered, improving, not destrojlng it, making it
more truly a picture in little of all the interests and
opinions of the people. In another article on the same
subject the Times uses the following language : " It is for
us to extend our representative system so far as it falls
short of the exigencies of our own time, and so further-
It will be for them, and them only, to provide for the exi-
gencies of their own. In the perception of this principle
lies the secret of truly conservative statesmanship ; upon
its due application at the present juncture depends the
influence for years to come of the conservative party."

The Standard views the retirement from the Cabinet of
three of its members, at • juncture like the ?resent,
with feelings of regret, and almost of dismay, for it
shakes the confidence of the conservatives, and immensely
increases the probability of a failure. The debating
strength of the ministry, the Standard adds, is terribly
reduced by the loss of these men ; its authority and credit
are scarcely less impaired by the fact that they have pro.
nounccd against the views of their colleagues. Conclud-
ing its comments, the Standard informs its readers
that Mr. Disraeli has now resolves' to fall back on some-
thing like his original proposition,—on a measure the basis
of which will be a household rating franchise in borough.,
coupled with • condition bestowing a second vote upon the
higher class, perhaps on those rated householders who are
also payers of direct taxes. The Standard is in favour of
a 15f. rating in the counties, and doubts whether any
borough with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants ought to
retain • second member. It also urges that the cumu-
lative vote ought at any rate to be introduced in the
largest towns, giving them at the same time • third
member.

According to the Iltrabl it would be a great mistake to
suppose that the ea-miuibters have resigned because they
objected to • liberal measure of reform. They simply
resigned because in their opinion the government bill does
not supply the necessary checks and balances in the adop.
Lion of household suffrage.
As the Pad puts it, the torics have resigned. Those
who retain office can hardly be called conservatives, since
they evidently design to class themselves u liberals, and
are ready to bring in a refoim bill more advanced in every
particular than that proposed by the government of Lord
Russell. The Post is informed that Mr. Disraeli will
announce to-day further change in his intentions and
move an adjournment till neat Monday, and suggests it is
time that the forbearance of the liberals should come to
an end.

The conservatives having raised the flag of hounehold
suffrage, no statesman claiming to belong to the liberal
party, the Telegraph emphatically say., can ever take it
down, but the words must be liberally interpreted,—giving
a vote to compound householders as well as to lodging-house
keepers. The measure must be deformed by no fancy
restrictions, but Mr. Disraeli may be assured he has before
him a clear stage and fair play.
The fact is obvious, according to the Star, that it is now
within Mr. Disraeli's power to carry • Reform Bill, but
it finds it hard to believe that he is the man to rise to
the dignity of the situation. However, between •
thoroughly liberal bill and ignominious failure there is
now no choice.