As the Session approaches, rumours thicken, and all manner of
reforms are talked of and denied. With regard to the vent- question, every second man has a new story, but the most probable account would seem to be this. The Ministry are hovering be- tween two plans,—to bring in a Reform. Bill, or to ask the House to decide by resolution whether it wishes for a Reform Bill this year or not. The latter is the more probable, the Coriolani of the Cabinet fighting steadfastly against any measure large enough to be accepted. There is talk of an inquiry into the Bank Charter Act, which will be about as useful as an inquiry into the Tides; and Mr. Hardy has really prepared a Poor Law Bill, which, if rumour is correct, will be about as weak an affair as it is pos- sible to draw up. No Bill for London is proposed, and much of the session will be taken up with military and naval proposals, some of them necessary, all of them expensive.
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