THE APPROACHING SESSION OF PARLIAMENT. 



THE Imperial Parliament will have resumed its labours, before 

 another number of this periodical meets our reader's eye. Those 

 who turn over the " Mirror of Parliament" for 1836, cannot avoid 

 the remark, that little, very little was done, though much, far too 

 much was said during the six months that constituted last session. 

 To what cause the inefficiency may be attributed, whether to the 

 obstructive manoeuvres of Lord Lyndhurst and his followers, or to 

 the vacillating half-measure policy of the king's present ministers, 

 it is of little use to discuss : but whether the one or the other be the 

 true cause, both must be removed. 



The ministers cannot, it is quite certain, retain their seats ; unless 

 they withdraw their opposition to the reformers, a body, whose nu- 

 merical strength is daily increasing, and whose boldness is unflinch- 

 ing, and will no longer be coaxed or sopped into silence. During 

 the last session the Reformers were outwitted by the Whig ministry; 

 but this session the Reformers all over the kingdom are determined 

 that the ministry shall support them, or they will not support the 

 ministry. It is more than probable that a dissolution will take place 

 before Easter; but what benefit will thence result to ministers pur- 

 suing a policy like the present? A new House of Commons would 

 undoubtedly act more firmly and decidedly than the present. The 

 Tories boast of the increase of their votes on the late registration 

 returns : let them enjoy their delusion time will show. But let 

 Lord Melbourne's party seriously look to it. Where will they find 

 constituents to return the men who will consent to serve the ministry 

 without receiving a quid pro quo in the shape of fair play for the 

 great questions of reform peerage reform, and those other measures 

 necessary for carrying into effect the declared intentions of the 

 refon i bill ? Let them take warning from the sentiments expressed 

 by the people of Leeds, Totness, Truro, East Cornwall, and North 

 Devon ; and let them recollect that their expressed sentiments are 

 quite in unison with those felt by the Electors of all the large and 

 free towns 'n, England and Ireland. In fact Lord Melbourne and his 

 colleagues have only one of two courses left to them, if they would 

 retain their self-respec* s either to retire from the field before they 



