The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-23 00:00:00

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

The resolve of the Opposition to read the govern-
ment Reform Bill a second time without a division, is em-
phatically endorsed by the Exastintr. The principle of
household suffrage willthua receive the unanimous sanction
of the House of Commons. In rectifying errors of detail
why not qualify the suffrage by the payment of a St. rent,
which, if accompanied by a 10/. lodger franchise, would
secure to 19 out of every2o men likely tomakea good use of
it a voice in the representation ? The present bill thus mo-
dified would virtually settle the controversy about the
franchise during our day ; and to throw away the chance
it affords of arriving at so desirable a result would be a
blunder not to be forgiven. As for minor matters, the
Examiner cannot help saying that we think their impor-
tance has been considerably exaggerated. With regard to
the distribution scheme the Examiner more than suspects
that by the time the other clauses are disposed of Mr.
Disraeli will be ready to strike out those relative to seats,
with a view to their reintroduction next year.
Of all the reform bills ever proposed, this one of the
Derby government seems to the Saturday &rime the
worst. It contains the worst principles ; it is the moat
slovenly framed ; it is the most chaotic and ill-
considered; but nevertheless it may be easily mended.
It is evident that a suffrage based on the personal
payment of rates and on the exclusive liability of the
landlord below a certain figure, throughout all boroughs,
would meet the present views of a very large portion of the
house. The new franchises are fair subjects of debate,

and the Dirty government, who proviascl a lodger fran-
chise in their bill of 1659, can easily put one in this. As
they have no reputation to lose in this matter of reform,
there is no reason why the ministry should not allow their
bill to be quietly moulded into sense. As soon as Mr.
Gladstone has explained the position of himself and his
potty, the more quickly he lets the bill get into committee
the better ; and in order to get into committee, and to
make the committee answer the practical object of ire
proving and passing the bill, he must make things out-
wardly as pleasant to the ministry as possible. If he goes
treading, as he has recently done, on the worms of
the Treasury bench they will turn, and then be will have
to take office; and, with the greatest difficulty, and after
a bitter tight, he will get a Reform Bill in no respect
better than that which he may get with perfect ease and
comfort this session, if he bridles his tongue and conceals
his contempt fur his opponents, and pockets his indigna-
tion at the worst portions of their proposal.

The bill seems to the Sixdotor so bad that it can only be
doctored in committee by a complete transformation.
By limiting the reduction of the franchise in boroughs
where there is no local or parliamentary compound act
in force, by extending it where there is, by expunging
at least two, if not three, of the fancy franchises,
by cutting away the irritating and inefficient dual
vote, by extending the redistribution scheme so far
AS to take one seat from each double-membered bo-
rough with a population under 10,000 or 12,000—it
might indeed be rendered tolerable; but so might most
bad things, by exchanging them for good. The govern-
ment have already changed their form of procedure once,
and the subatance of their proposal twice. If we make
them again alter the whole substance in every detail except
the county franchise, it will be a humiliation which even
they, long suffering as they are, could not accept. It
would be far better to throw it out and begin de novo
than enter on that process, for which even old women
rarely have sufficient time and patience, of tearing the
material before us into rags, and then patching it together
into a political counterpane that would after all be more
quaint and grotesque than either seemly or enduring.

Eke Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, MARCH 22.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Christian
and Princess Louise, drove out yesterday afternoon in a
carriage-and-four.

Prince Christian arrived at the Castle last evening from
the Continent, attended by Major-General Francis Sey-
mour, C. 8., who had been sent by her Majesty to attend
the funeral of the Duchess of Schleswig-Holstein
Angtistenburg at Prinkenan.

Sir James Clark arrived at Windsor Castle yesterday.
Her Majesty drove out this morning, accompanied by
Prince's Christian.

The Queen and Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice,
Prince Leopold, and Prince Henry of Prussia left
Windsor Castle this afternoon, at 23 minutes past 3 p.m.,
for London.

Her Majesty travelled by special train on the Great
Western Railway to Paddington, and drove from thence,
accompanied by Princess Louise, to Marlborough-house.
escorted by a detachment of the 14th Hunan, and visited
the King and Queen of Denmark and the Prince and
Princess of Wales.

Her Majesty afterwards drove to Buckingham Palace.
In attendance were the Countess of Caledou, Major-
General Hon. A. N. Hood and Colonel Hon. A. Hanlinge.
Prince Arthur, attended by Major Elphinstone, arrived at
Buckingham Palace this afternoon from Greenwich-park.

A deputation, introduced by Mr. Bright, M.P., and con-
sisting of Mr. J. S. Wright (chairman of Birmingham
Chamber of Commerce), Mr. W. C. Aitkin, Mr. J. Atkins,
Mr. W. H. M. Blew., Mr. Jas. Cortland, Mr. Thos.
Griffiths, Mr. J. S. Manton, and Mr. A. Ryland, repre-
senting the Birmingham trade ; and Dr. Lloyd, Mr. W.
Robinson, and Mr. Jas. Walker, representing the glass
trade of the Midland districts, had an interview with the
Right Hon. Spencer H. Walpole at the Home-office yes-
terday, respecting the Factory Acts Extension and Hours
of Labour Regulation BilL
A deputation from the township of Great Bolton, in-
troduce.' by Mr. Thomas Barnes, ALP., and Colonel Cray,
M.P., and consisting of Mr. Hopwood, Mr. Best, Mr.
Croasley, Mr. Lord, Mr. Ormrod, Mr. Scowcroft, and Mr.
Cooper, had en interview with the Right Hon. Gathorne
Hardy at the office of the Poor-law Board, Whitehall,
yesterday.