The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-02-15 00:00:00

THE NEW REFORM BILL.

THERE is something peculiarly significant of the
weakness of the present Administration in the phi-
losophic coolness with•which Lord Joux RUSSELL
on Thursday announced that it was not the inten-
ton of the Government to bring forward any mea-

sure for the amendment of the representation of the
It WAS in 18-51 that Lord JOHN. RUSSELL,
n order to get rid of the inconvenient motion of

people

Mr. LOCKE KING,
with hopes of this ins

inspired his Radical supporters
lment of the Charter being

granted by promising a comprehensive measure on
the subject. In the very commencement of the
Session of 1852, before his colleague (Lord PAL-
MERSTON) threw him out of office, he brought for-

ward a long Bill, in which he grouped the little
Boroughs, and reduced the limit of qualification to
the humble assessment of £5 annually. The pre-
sent Premier had sooner been installed in office
and kissed hands on his appointment, than he

declared his intention of repudiating all finality
notions, and proposing a reform of the Reform
Act. And now, after all these promises, and the
profound cogitations of the last six weeks, the
told to wait a little longer, for
lositively nothing will be done. It is like playing
;he tragedy of H.-I.MLZT with the part of the Prince

expectant voters are

omitted. It was the chief object of the great majo-
., and, without it, why should

ty of Ministeria

1 voter'

they care whether the Earl of DERBY, or the Earl
of ABERDEEN, is prime minister, with this differ-
ence, that, with the former, they may believe what
he says, whereas the promises of the latter are so
nvach waste paper. It is true, that, after the old
plan, a Reform Bill has been promised for the
next Session; hut is there any man in his senses
who entertains the slightest idea that the ABER-
DEEN Cabinet will survive the present one ? It
is too preposterous even for Radical credulity,
and they must quietly make up their minds to
be disappointed, or instruct their representatives
to follow the example of the unbought votes of the
Romish Brigade and remain in opposition. But
speculation will naturally arise as to the cause
of this -unexpected postponement. Is it that
Lord ABERDEEN has not found Lord Joue
RIT-iSELL Go Conservative as he hoped for ;,or, on ,

is the former not sufficiently Libera

for the latter

Is it that Mr. C

nder his old Conservative opinions to the de-

s of his new allies, or does

Sir WILLIAM

MOLESTVORTH insist that no measure can be satis-
factory which does not comprise .a resort to the
Ballot? Have Cabinet Councils .shown irrecon-
cileable differences, from which the only resort was
doing notliing at all? Whatever be the cause, it

DEATU

is clear to all that the vaunted union which was to
amalgamate all party differences has resulted in a
dead lock in which promises are substituted for per-
formances; and while we should view with distrust
and suspicion any measure which would interfere
with the constitution of the House of Commons,
we cannot but consider •the absence of it, under
present circumstances, as unmistakeable evidence of
Afinisterial weakness.

We deeply regret having to announce the death of Sir
'TtromAs BaIkNCEIER, which melancholy event took place
on-Sunday'last, at his:residence in Mount-pleasant. The
deceased was 'for many years connected with one of the
leading mercantile firms in this town, and took a
prominent part in the public affairs of the borough.
He was one of the most influential members of the Town-
council before the passing of the Municipal Act, and served
the office of Mayor up to the year 1849. He was also a
member of -the Reformed Corporation. In politics Sir
THOMAS was a Conservative, and on several occasions
took an active part in the election of the members for the
borough. The last time that he appea ed in this capacity
was at the general election in 1847, when he proposed Mr.
kDSTONE Cannot I EDWARD CAROWELL.

LIVERPOOL TOWN COUNCIL.

MEETING YESTERDAY

An adjourned meetingof the Council, for the transaction
of the business left over from the previous meeting►, was
held yesterday, at eleven o'clock, the Mayor presiding,
OF SIR THOMAS BRANCKSR.

The MAYOR said, before entering upon the other
business of that meeting, be had a melancholy duty to
perform in announcing the death of Sir Thos. Brancker.
This intelligence, said his worship, will be received with
profound regret by -every member of the Council, and,
indeed, by the whole community. The deceased had ably
filled the office of chief magistrate, and by his urbanity of
disposition, generosity of character, and warmth of heart,
has won the respect and attachment of all who knew him.
(Hear, hear.) Circumstances brought him much in con-
nexion with the public ; and, after an interval of
years had passed, and when we had to appoint a
surveyor of the town dues, all eyes turned to him
as a most suitable man, who fully understood the
subject; and he was unanimously elected to fill the
office. How lie performed his duties needs no
testimony from me. I can only say that, whoever may be
selected to fill the office now vacant by the lamented
death of -Sir Thomas Brancker, I hope he will bring the
same zeal, integrity, and activity, and honour which
characterised him whose death we now deplore. (Hear.)
For one, I have lost one of the most valuable friends I
ever possessed. Hie advice and prompt assistance were
ever ready, and his friendship was warm and disinterested.
(Hear, hear.) To the Council his loss is great—(hear,
hear,)—and I feel assured that the surviving members of
his family will have that general sympathy which always
follows the removal of a man of high moral worth and
sterling integrity. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Alderman TURNER likewise bore testimony, in a
few feeling remarks, to the loss which the Council had
sustained in the removal of their respected townsman.
Mr. HORNBY, after a few remarks, moved a resolution,
to the effect that the Mayor be requested to address a
letter of condolence to the family of the deceased on be-
half of the Council.
_ _ .

Sir JOHN BENT had a melancholy pleasure in seconding
the resolution. He felt that the Council and the public
had alike lost a valuable servant and a most emllent and
estimable man. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution was unanimously agreed to.
THE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.

The proceedings, resolutions, and reports of the Library
and Bluseurn Committee were then read, and it was agreed