THE COMING SESSION. [From the "Times," January 8.]

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 433, 8 June 1850, Page 2

THE COMING SESSION. [From the " Times," January B.]

The public were yesterday made acquainted with two movements in favonr of Parliamentary reform. On ihe one hand it was somewhat demurely announred, through a modest weekly contemporary, that her Majetty would probably recommend in her speech from the throne a liberal extension of the suffrage boih in England and Ireland. On the other hand, a number of gentlemen not at all leooarkable for their modesty explained to a public meeting at the Londou Tavern, how they meant to agitate the Kingdom in behalf of a bran new House of Commons. It is obviom to compare two movements which occupy the same ground, and are by no means compatible. The Ministerial measure appears to be rather a developement than a novelty, or, to speak with more strictness, it will probably aim at carrying out thoie intentions of the Reform Act which have been frustated by accident or neutralized by time. As Ireland is the strongest case for reform, so, perhaps, will it furnish a cue to the intended English m'asuie. It is said that in that country thu names on the register aie only one in a bundled oi the whole population, while only a moiety of the number are actually qualified to vote at this moment. Hence Mr. Cobden was enabled to boast that he represented a constituency as large as that of all Ireland. Should the l;ish then insist on a more open franchise, it will be impossible to withstand so reasonable a claim. But in various forms the lame substantial wiong exists quite as much in this country, and on all accounts it would be difficult to set about a repair of the representation without going through with it. Once put the Constitution into the cry dock, and your shipwrights will be sure to find work, or mike it from head to Bcern-post, from deck to keel. On the present occasion we opine that mch an overhauling is projected as takes place in the interval between the discharge of a serviceable ship and her new commission. As for the rival designs of the Reform Associition, the only question is wlieiher they embrace four, or five, or six po'ins of the Chatter. Of this Ministerial plan too little is known, and of the Charter 100 n uch to lequire fuither remark. The former will most probably be carried this session, and the Ltter most certainly not. When the session, therefore, is brought to a close, her Mait-sty will con gratulate Parliament on having given increased tfficienty to the Reform Act, and extended the basis of representation ; and the Council of the Kefo in Society will make a similar address congr.it ulanns; their subsenhers and fol/owera on the progress of the movement, the rise of agitation, the ciiculati n of tiacts, the gmeial holding of meetings, the unanimity of their tiiemis, ihe concession of th.ir advenaries, und such other platform topics. So, as we see our way uretty clearly to next August, it will save time and trouble to take our stand on that month at once, and osk what are our fuither prospects of ParlnwenUiy reform. — W ' r.r 'I^-jos' div i<- t jij Uiai, judging itoru piesent appearance*, the pace of the movuu.cut will not be very tiein-sndous, and the gicat consumma ion will not be veiy nigh at hand. It cannot be said it tliis moment that the agitation is at all alarming. For example, the muster yesterday in the city wis not very distinguished on the platform, or numerous ou the fl »or. ihe registration this last summer went off veiy flatly, »s any one may know who had o cation to attend. In many instance.!) the notices weie given, ihe books prepared, the place and tune appointed and advertised, the offi cers convened, the revising-barristLr seated, and i considerable exp.-nse undergone, a 1 lor nothing. Nobody wanted a voce. There might be hundreds in the borough or the county unregistered and qualified to regibtci ; out they dtd not caie twopence about it. Tory genteinen, revolutionary cotton-spinners, staunch yeomen, furmus Protectionist writers, men oi the most energetic minds and ihe lublimest ideas of duty— it was all the same, they none of them cared for an Englisuman'b birthright. There was one thing which they all of them cared more for than for tlm gaiety or the reform of the British Constitution and that wa§ their personal comfort, or rather that tnflns amount of comfoit which they would have to sacrifice in the various mechanical forms necessary to place their names on the register. Looking to these facts, we cannot say that at this moment the people of England and Ireland are much set on Parliamentary reform. This will hardly be denied by any paity, least of all by those gentlemen who think it necessary to strain every neve, to knit their bnws in deep thought, to take counsel, to write tracts, and spend money, in order to rouse the people from this shameful indifference. Well, then, how long will this indifference last? Will it be perpetuated or dicpelled by the Ministerial measure ? It ia premature to conjecture the result of a measure as yet in the dark, but we are inclined to think that next August will find England much where it is now— generally indifFeient to registration and P.ir!ia» mentary refoim, but vehemently agitated by a small, but compact und energetic band of reformers. To repeat our question, then, how long will that indifference last? We venture to predict thai it wi 1 last as long us the pieidnt probpenty lasts, but not longer. As a gentral m c, so long as people aie h> peful they do not care fur the future. So philosophers tell us; so pieacheis tell us. By the bame rule that a man does not thii.k of Heaven in the day of prosperity, he is equally eaieless of his political «ilvation. Who troubles h imell about a vote so long as he has before his eyes the piospeet of indefinite social advancement? What people generally expect from the Constitution is the oppoitunity of becoming wealthy and happy, und when it unswers that purpose it is all they require. But no Constitution on earth can invariably fulfil ex pettutions of this sort ; and every now and then there will be a season of general disappointment. A day of re-a tion and a day of discontent will assuredly come. In three or four years at the most the natural course of things will bring us ronnd to the periodical uepreskions which mark our annals with almost as great certainty as the return of Encke's comet, or low wutei ai Lindon-bridge. When food becomes dear, when foreign poits are closed or foreign markets glutted, when speculation collapses and credit fulls, then at length the factory will close again, the workmen will be idle, and the whole brood ot political grievances will rise like Uydiu's hundred he«ds from the blough ot desprnd. 'Ihe woikingpopula ion of both these isknJs will then demand a cheaper Government, and, lailiing | that, a moic popular representation, in ordei that they may do with their own hands— that is, by the men of i heir cho cc— that which the existing Government cvi j dently ia not able to do.

Parliamentary reform then, is a question which cannot die, or e»en suffer a long trance. It may sleep fir a whilu under the kind influence of prosperity, it m>y be lulled by gentle concesM'ons and stimulated by artificial agitation, but it will nevertheless visit us at intervals with nn importunity not to be denied. Sooner or later, there will assuredly boa day of reform. It becomps, then, a serious question both for the Legislature and for all reflective minds, what sort of preparation is to be made for that day. The crisis of 1831 found the nation prepared with a measure proposed by statesmen and discussed by parties nearly half a century beforehand. There is no need, perhaps, for such a specific preparation now ; but reason at well as analogy suggests that the question should be left somewhat open, and that while Charters of four, five, or six points are beine; everywhere expounded to the people, some ideas of reform made in the shape of constitution developments should almost be permitted to exist. A crisis leaves little time f r deliberation, and compels men to choose between materials at hand. We know not what events may hasten the cycle of commercial prosperity and political contentment, but on the most favourable computation our present lease will soon expire, and with the ppoDle at the gates of the Constitution, we shall be called on to capitulnle or surrender at discretion. We trust that hour will not find us with nothing hut rival charters to choose from. Notwithstanding the risk inseparable from the ventilation of constitutional problems, we would rather Ht once see the constituency gradually enlarged so as to embrace all trustworthy persons, or some comprehensive but moderate scheme propounded and canvassed for the future decision of the Legislature.