TOPICS OF THE DAY.
THE APPROACHING TRIAL OF THE PEERS.
SIR ROBERT PEEL gave notice, on Wednesday, that he should divide the House of Commons against tho third reading of the Irish Municipal Bill. The object, of course, is to diminish the effect of the majority on the second reading. If by any exertion of Mr. CHARLES Ross and Mr. WILLIAM HOLMES that majority can be beaten down into one of insignificant proportions, the Peers think they shall have an excuse, which they now want, for re- jecting the bill, or mangling it so as to insure its abandonment by the Ministers.
There is some reason to believe that the agitation of Peerage Reform last autumn has not been altogether void of effect on the tolerably rational portion of the Upper House. Their Lordships —those among them at any rate whose importance is not involved in the preservation of civil or ecclesiastical abuses—see the useless peril they run in putting themselves in collision with the Repre- sentatives of the People. It is comparatively safe for Tory Com- moners to oppose Liberal measures in their own House, where their opposition is sure to be unsuccessful. Men are not disposed to deal harshly with the vanquished and submissive; they reserve their ire for the reluctantes dracones. Sir ROBERT PEEL escapes from much of the odium which attaches to the Duke of WEL- LINGTON.
It is not impossible that the Duke may have found this out, and have intimated his disrelish of so much profitless unpopula- rity—of such unavailing struggles against the power of public opinion. No man knows better the effect of perseverance ; and he must have observed that the Movement party have lost neither strength nor courage from the check they received last session from the Peers under his command. He must also feel assured that the result of similar conduct this session will provoke a still more impetuous and determined assault on the privileges of the irresponsible House. Supposing him to have these circumstances in his mind's eye, we can easily believe that he has intimated to the Tory Members of the House of Commons the necessity of fighting their own battle with a little more " pluck" and spirit, if they expect him to bear the brunt of unpopularity and lead their party in the Lords. With the view, therefore, of showing their mettle the Tories are to muster in full force on Monday next.
They will be beaten,—perhaps by a more numerous, or per- haps by a smaller majority than on the last occasion ; every Re- former will be at his post, as he values his reelection. Mind—we shall have an authentic record of the votes of all present; and if ever a Division-list was scanned by the constituencies, that of next Monday will be closely inspected. It will be of the utmost importance to each individual Repre- sentative of a Liberal constituency, that his vote should go to swell the majority of Monday night : but the Peers should be assured that it will make little difference to them, if they reject the bill, whether it ultimately pass the Commons by a majority of GO or of 30. The sin of its loss will be laid at their door, and will be added to their many offences against the public weal which are already recorded. The cry for Peerage Reform, which has been hushed for a time, will become louder than ever. There are mil- lions ready to join in it. Many, last year, were adverse to an alteration in the constitution of the Upper House, solely because they expected the Peers to act like reasonable beings in the present session. If the Peers are not quite "demented," they will not disappoint that hope. If they do, let them at once be prepared for the renewal of the agitation of the Peerage Reform question.
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