The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-11 00:00:00

THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSITIONS OH REFORM.

Surveying the ground which must be covered by
Mr. Disraeli's resolutions, if they are to deal fairly with
the question of reform, the Times assumes that the reso-
lutions cannot well be less in number than those which in
1858 sketched out the India Bill, and that after such ex-
planation of their meaning as may be found necessary,
further discussion will probably be postponed fora limited
period. Prominent among the resolutions must be one
affirming the propriety of conferring the franchise on
certain classes which do not possess the franchise now.
Anything short of a considerable vertical extension will be
unavailing. The plausible suggestion that different
franchises should be established in towns of different
populations is equally condemned by the Times with the
proposal to coritcr additional votes on electors with double
qualifications, or on electors residing in houses of larger
rentals, and the Time. would regret to find that the govern-
ment had embarrassed themselves by giving their sanction
to either of these proposals. The suggestion that each
voter shall he !tt, Uiserikttee the number
of votes be has to give among two or more candidates
or to confer them cumulatively on any candidate, is
on the other hand free from any taint of privilege.
In the distribution of seats there are Onions reasons for
adhering to Mr. Disraeli's principle that no borough shall
be altogether disfranchised, and if the government recom-
mend the plan of grouping represented boroughs into dis-
tricts they ought to be supported by the influence of the
late ministry. The enfranchisement of all towns of ade-
quate population must be the subject of a special resolu-
tion. A re-settlement of the boundaries of existing boroughs
! A also confessedly very desirable, and if a resolution
be submitted referring to the re-settlement to the Endo-
' sure Commissioners, it will probably receive little opposi-
tion.

Mr. Disraeli is never so happy, the Daily Nees says, as
when he is justifying the epithet which is bestowed upon
him of " the political mystery man." He stated on Friday
that to describe the course which he intended to adopt
would give rise to injurious misconceptions ; but if the
government procedure requires two or three hours of
elaborate explanation to guard against misapprehension,
the public cannot be blamed if it suspects some snare. If
the ministers adopt the characteristic of weak persons, and
draw up resolutions when they ought to be acting, it will
be for Mr. Disraeli to-night to show that this plan is
adopted with an honest purpose. To bring in resolutions
in order afterwards to bring in a bill, is to do at two stages
what, from anything that yet appears, might just as well
be done in one. It doubles the possibilities of mystification
and illusion. If the resolutions are specific and detailed
they will simply introduce delay where promptitude is
essential, and if they only assert abstract principles framed
on the pretext of declining the British constitution they
would deserve suiontary rejection. If they are to be pro.
posed merely as the shapeless material which the house
may fashion into any form that may suit it, there is no
reason to think that suck proceeding would give ns a antis.
factory bill. A government which proposes nothing and
will accept anything is a government only in name ; and
ought not to remain even that.

The Standard apologkes to its readers for its ignorance
of the government plans. "As we are prevented," it
states, "from saying what the proposals of the government
will be, we are precluded also from recommending them
to the support of the country for the merits which they
undoubtedly possess."
Report has it, says the Star, that one of the ingenious
contrivances for which the government will endeavour to
find a basis by the panning of resolutions on the subject
of reform will be a clarification of boroughs on a new
principle, and with a sort of sliding-scale of suffrage
qualification. For example, it is said that in the large
boroughs, where liberal members are always returned, and
toryiam has no chance, household suffrage will be offered,
with smile long residential qualification, but that in the
smaller and more doubtful constituencies a different
qualification will be adopted, so as to keep them fully open
to the operation of tory influences. A new adjustment of
borough boundaries is also supposed to be a part of the
scheme.