The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-27 00:00:00

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reasonably take the ground that as Reform has been
tried so often and has failed every time, and as,
moreover, it is positively through the failure of their
opponents in the last trial of it that they themselves
are now in power, they will therefore trouble them-
selves and the country with it no more, but devote
themselves to administrative improvements and the
redress of the countless abuses which have so long
been kept waiting. The wish that such a course
may be taken is possibly father to the thought, for
there is scarcely a doubt that in such a case the op-
position would measure their strength at once upon
an amendment to the address; and if, as is probable,
notwithstanding the defections of last session, they
mustered in sufficient force to snatch a victory, the
Ministry would then be almost forced, in justice to
their own supporters, to a dissolution—and a dis-
solution professedly on the question of Reform or
no Reform—would probably make things consider-
ably worse instead of better, not only for the Con-
servative party, but for the country at large. It
would, in fact, give an opportunity for galvanising
into something like life the cry on which so many and
such feeble changes have lately been rung, and of
carrying out upon a still larger scale the mass meet-
ings and monster demonstrations with which recent
experience has already made us familiar. It is pos-
sible, however, that Lord Derby's Cabinet may
again try its hands at Reform, and it is also very
possible that, warned by past example and past
failures, it may succeed in framing a bill calculated
not to please all, for that no Reform Bill will ever
do, but to embody with pretty fair accuracy the
moderate views which obtain among the majority of
thinking men both in and out of Parliament. This
contingency has been foreseen, and some of the
more advanced Liberals have provided for it.by an-
nouncing that they cannot, and will not, believe
that any good bill can come out of a Conservative
Government, and that even if it does they will not
give it a fair consideration. That threat, however,
is of but little value, for the whole country is most
anxious that the question should be settled ; and if
such a bill can be fr?med there is no doubt that,
come from whatever quarter it may, it will obtain
sufficient support to carry it through. There are
crying abuses enough around us, and it is most de-
sirable that Reform should stop the way no longer.
Next session 3vill at any rate, it is to be hoped, bring
a settlement of the question satisfactory in itself and
offering some guarantees of finality.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

SHEFFIELD-WEDNESDAY.

Tuesday being Christmas-day our market was held this
week on Monday. There was only a middling show of
wheat, and trade ruled dull at about former rates. Barley
slow,and rather lower in price. Oats firm. Beans are not
in demand.

Red wheat, per load of 3 imp. bushels....23s Od to 24s 61
White do do ....25s Od 278 Od
New red do do ....21s Od 23s Od
New white do do ....24s Od 26s Od
Beans do do ....20s Od 22s 01
Peas, per qr -s 6d 19a 63
Grinding barley, per qr 355 Od 385 Qd
Malting barley, oo 4OB Od 48s Od
Oats, do ' 27s Od 325 (xi
F10ur....1s 10d to 25 ad per 141 b,