Two Continental Upper Houses are undergoing reform. The Hungarian Government
has brought forward its Bill, which virtually composes the Upper House of such hereditary Peers as hold land paying a ground-rent to the State of £300 a year, —or, in other words, have 23,000 a year in land,—of high func- tionaries, of the Bishops and some other dignified Clergy, in- cluding one Rabbi, and of life-Peers, not to exceed in num- ber one-third of the House. The effect of this reform will be, it is said, that the Emperor's nominees will always hold the balance of power. In France, on the other hand, the Senate Committee has agreed to abolish life-Memberships, filling them, as they fall in, with Members elected for nine years, a proposal which the Senate will, it is believed, ratify next week. In both countries, it will be seen, the tendency of the changes is to bring the Second Chamber more closely into accord with the elected Deputies.
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