Mr. Disraeli loses no opportunity of affirming that all his
efforts are directed to make an early dissolution feasible. The question is, therefore, debated whether the new constituencies can be elected before 1869. It is quite certain that as the law now stands they cannot. In the first place, the 60th Clause in the Reform Act expressly provides that any election before 1st January, 1869, shall take place on the old system ; and in the second, the Revising Barristers do not make their circuits till September and October. They will be worried to death by new questions, and evidence as to whether John Smith has or has not paid his rates for one year,
and will hardly get done before December. It will be necessary, if a new Parliament is to meet in November, to antedate the registration, and besides to declare that all rates due from house- holders shall be taken as paid. We trust the Liberal agents are awake, or they may find half their supporters disfranchised by some hocus-pocus on this point.
