The Express.
London, England, 1857-03-11 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11.

TO OUR

eonaequcnee of the absorption of space by the
reports of proceedings in Parliament, the Proprietors
have determined to issue a DOUBLE NUMBER
en SATURDAYS, so u to prevent the postpone-
ment of interesting matter. No change will take
place in the price. The FIFTH DOUBLE
NUMBER of the EXPRESS will appear ON
SATURDAY NEXT, Much 14.

Smrnt years is the sixth part of the average
duration of human life in England. Before a man
can become an elector he must have completed his
twenty-first year. On an avenge, then, no eleetar
can maculate upon exerci.ing his right of mirage
more than three times in his life under a system of

Septennial Parliaments.
In the coarse of leas than amen year, Louts

PHILIPPE way', drives from his throne, the republic
which Incosecied him overturned by the coup argot,

and NAPOLEON 111., u a principal party to the war
against Ramie, recognised as one of the arbiters of
the destinies of Europe.
Seven years is necessarily an important part of
the life of the individual ; it may be an important

_
part of the life of a nation—of a system of nations.
Theme facts ought to be present to the mind of 1
every elector when he gives his Vote at the impend-
ing general election. He and his fellow-electors are,
in fact, entrusting the fortunes of the country to
some six hundred individuals for seven years—for a
period of a, length that has ere now proved sufficient
to uproot a dynasty, and change the whole character
of a national government. A bare majority of that
six hundred, by acting steadily in concert, may bid
defiance to every wish, either of the Crown or the
People, to put an end to their lease of delegated
power. For seven long years they may with im-
punity uphold a corrupt or oppressive Administra-
tion, and legislate for the exclusive advantage of
their caste, their families, and themselves.
It is madness in any people to tempt the virtue of
a small number of their fellow-citizens by investing
them with such powers to promote selfish sinister
interests for each a lengthened period. Mischief
may be done in the tepee of seven years that can
never be undone. The people may be goaded to
madness by the persistence of a faction in misgo-
vernment and iniquitous legislation, and civil com-
motions provoked, before which our best and moat
venerated institutions may crumble away.

The first Septennial Parliament was at once the
eonsequence and the instrument of a "coup lila.
A parliament voted the prolongation of its own ex-
istent* in order to give security to that dynasty
whose right to the crown rests exclusively upon a
parliamentary title. The importance of the object
to be attained, no one at this time of day will deny.
'Whether such an extreme measure required to be
resorted to for its attainment, or whether under any
circumstances it be allowable to do evil that good

may come, may be queationed. But it is ejtain
that the state of things which was alleged to render
the extension of the parliamentary term to seven
years neceisary having ceased to exist, the extended
term ought again to be shortened.

Ity reducing the duration of Parliaments to
three years, the risk of the abuse of Parlia-
mentary pewir would be materially diminished.
There are several reasons for fixing upon three
years as the term to be substituted for seven.
The legal duration of Parliament at the time
when it was extended by a coup d'ltat to
seven years, was three years. Many good people who
are startled at the idea of a more frequent recurrence
of general elections, would compound for three years.
There is some weight in both of these reasons, but
there is far more weight in a third which we are now
about to state. The danger of annual Parliaments is
that so frequent a recurrence of election struggles
would weary and disgust the greater part of the public,
and that elections would consequently become mere
matters of form, or would be left to the management
of a few interested busybodies. Three years would
give any body of men comparatively few opportuni-
ties of doing lasting mischief, and would sufficiently
reveal the character of dishonest members to encore
their diembeal.
The evil consequences of coeferring upon members
of Partisans, too bag a louts of power mast be per
tienlarly obvious to the relketiag at the present
moment. A great proportion of the electors seem
bet upon giving their votes for we other purpose