honour, and who was also much
in favour with the Manchester party, was supposed to be favourable to a
coalition between his followers and the Tories. An arrangement between
Lord Derby and the Peelite financier was much talked of, and scandalized
the country. Most persons in political circles outside the houses of
parliament believed that such a combination would be too unpopular for
either the Conservatives or the Gladstone section to accept. In and out
of parliament it was asserted that should such an alliance be formed it
would break up any conservative ministry, and throw Lord Derby out
of power before he could consolidate, even if he should be able _pro
tempore_ to obtain, a parliamentary majority. Such was the condition of
feeling in England when the session of 1857 began. The close of the year
was marked by commercial and monetary panic, widespread, and entailing
disastrous results.

PARLIAMENT.

The first session was opened on the 3rd of February. Earl Grey in the
lords, and Mr. Disraeli in the commons, opened the party campaign by
assailing the foreign policy of the government; and Disraeli was alike
caustic and unjust upon Lord Palmerston, scarcely avoiding personality,
while inveighing against the public conduct of the veteran statesman.

One of the first subjects of a practical nature introduced to parliament
was law reform, which the lord-chancellor brought forward. His lordship
seldom gained the approbation of the house for his measures, and when
he was successful it was always under circumstances which betrayed the
weakness of his personal influence. Lord Cranworth was neither popular
in the lords nor in the country, and was less so in his ostensible legal
reforms than on any other subject. Politically he was the incubus of
the ministry, although as a chancery judge, or at all events a chancery
lawyer, he possessed reputation. Some improvements were effected during
the session, but on the whole the country was disappointed, and this
disappointment was chiefly occasioned by the incapacity, intellectual
and administrative, of Lord Cranworth to deal with any comprehensive
public measure.

Mr. Locke King introduced his motion for the extension of the county
franchise to L10 householders. Lord John Russell and Sir James Graham
advocated the measure, which they had previously so strenuously opposed.
As this was obviously for the purpose of defeating the government, and
gaining popularity for party purp