[To THE EDITOR 07 THE " SPECTATOR. "] Sin,—Is it not too
soon to lay down exactly what should be done if the creation of five hundred Peers should be demanded this year by the Ministry ? If a definite and detailed plan of Constitutional reform should by that time have been adopted by the Opposition and have received substantial support in the country, would it not then be both reasonable and without prejudice to the Crown that the Opposition should, on the resignation of the present Ministry, take office just long enough to put their alternative plan fully before the House of Commons (and thus before the country), and on its rejection should appeal to the electorate for a. final verdict P It must be remembered that the electors have never yet had before them this fateful choice; and surely in order to secure their deliberate judgment on so great an issue another month or two of debate, even with a third Election within two years, would be well worth the endurance of a free people. The present crisis differs from that of 1832 in several ways, but especially in the fact that there are now two widely distinct projects of reform proposed, of one of which the people know
little (for it has never been really discussed in Parliament) and of the other still less.—I am, Sir, &c., E. M.
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