NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Reform Bill may he said to have passed. It was under- stood from the first that of the three great amendments made by the Lords, one, the raising of the lodger franchise, would be angrily rejected, one, the concession of seats to minorities in three- cornered constituencies, would be accepted, and one; the clause re- establishing voting-papers, would be left to the House of Commons. Accordingly, the Lords on Monday unanimously cancelled their own vote on the lodger franchise, making the pirouette in a sort of stilted shamble not imposing to spectators, and on Thursday the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced to the Commons that the Tories might vote for the minority clause. That was accord- ingly accepted by ,253" to 204, 60 Liberals, chiefly Peers' sons and " philosophers," voting in the majority, while the voting- papers were rejected by 258 to 206. It is understood that the Lords will accept this compromise, which leaves their action a distinct feature in the measure, and that the remaining steps will be almoit purely formal. Before our next issue reaches the public the Reform Bill will be law, and the Householders masters of the British Empire.
